Delivering the first IALA Level 2 Accredited Training in the Middle East Region
Empowering a new generation of navigation safety experts across the Gulf
The Middle East Navigation Aids Service (MENAS) has successfully delivered the first fully accredited IALA Level 2 training course in the MENA region. Held in Bahrain from 13 to 29 May 2025.
A major milestone
This course marked a major milestone for technical capacity building in maritime safety, bringing together sixteen participants from Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco.
The three-week programme, delivered in collaboration with IALA and Trinity House, blended two weeks of online theory with one week of hands-on training at the MENAS base in Bahrain.
The course was conducted in English with Arabic language support and complemented by a comprehensive bilingual technical manual developed specifically by MENAS for the training.
A globally recognized benchmark
The Level 2 certification is a globally recognized benchmark for technical competence in the design, installation, and maintenance of Aids to Navigation (AtoN).
Participants received instruction across thirty modules, aligning with IALA’s rigorous standards for safety and operational excellence.
The course culminated in a formal graduation ceremony at the Gulf Hotel, attended by HE Mr Bader Hood Al Mahmood, Undersecretary for Bahrain Ports and Maritime Affairs; Guy Mason, IFAN Chairman; Catherine Mulvihill, CEO of IFAN; Vincent Denamur, Dean of the IALA World-Wide Academy; Andreas Nordseth, IFAN Director and senior MENAS representatives.
Comment
Mahdi Al-Mousawi, MENAS General Manager, commented: ‘Delivering this course in the MENA region for the first time is not only a proud achievement for MENAS but a strategic investment in the future of regional maritime safety.
‘By localising access to internationally accredited training, we are helping to empower a new generation of AtoN experts who will safeguard our seas, ports, and coastal communities for years to come.’
Catherine Mulvihill, CEO of IFAN, added: ‘The MENAS team represents the highest standard of technical excellence in the field.
‘Their deep expertise and dedication are shaping the next generation of AtoN professionals, and I have no doubt that participants will carry this knowledge forward to strengthen maritime safety across the region.”
MENAS’ ongoing investment in bilingual training resources; translation of the Marine Buoyage System into Arabic
This Level 2 delivery builds on MENAS’ ongoing investment in bilingual training resources and follows the translation of the Marine Buoyage System into Arabic—an initiative started in 2017 that now forms the backbone of MENAS’ L2 and L3 course materials.
With sights already set on delivering the IALA Level 1 AtoN Manager course in early 2026, MENAS reaffirms its commitment to regional leadership in navigational safety and professional development.
Text based on material kindly made available at https://menas.org/media/
Rapporteur: Paul Ridgway.