Abu Dhabi Mobility has activated the Waterway Monitoring and Control Centre to enhance maritime safety, strengthen waterway management and improve public maritime services across the emirate through smart monitoring and predictive technologies.
The Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, launched the center in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Maritime, part of AD Ports Group, with support from the National Guard.
The inauguration of Waterway Monitoring and Control Centre was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan and Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport.
The Waterway Monitoring and Control Centre serves as the emirate’s central hub for monitoring waterways and managing public maritime services, using smart systems and predictive analytics to oversee navigation, improve operational efficiency and enhance the experience of waterway users.
It provides real-time situational awareness across more than 45,000 square kilometers of waterways, monitoring navigational channels, marine craft movement, public water transport and emergency service dispatch.
The facility also manages nearly 2,000 navigation aids and smart lanterns, including 1,063 lateral marker buoys, 367 beacons, 227 signage buoys and 62 shallow-water signage boards.
Digital monitoring at Waterway Monitoring & Control Centre
The center oversees more than 40 public maritime services through official digital channels, monitors vessel movements and occupancy across over 1,500 public berths, supervises ferries and water taxis, coordinates wreck and debris removal, and issues marine notices and circulars.
It is also responsible for inspections and enforcement of maritime safety regulations across more than 100 public and private maritime facilities and around 3,600 recreational marine craft. By integrating operations into a single digital platform, the center uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to support data-driven decision-making, improve services, strengthen maritime safety and enhance environmental protection.
Dr. Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli Acting Director General – Integrated Transport Centre
“The launch of the centre will strengthen public safety, maritime mobility and the efficiency of Abu Dhabi’s public maritime services. Through this resource, we aim to encourage safe waterway use, bolster community confidence in maritime activities, and identify opportunities to further develop our assets and service offering. This initiative reinforces the emirate’s vision to integrate smart mobility solutions that enhance quality of life and support long-term economic growth and further strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global maritime hub,” he said.
Captain Saif Al Mheiri, CEO of Abu Dhabi Maritime and Chief Sustainability & Risk Officer at AD Ports Group, said that, “The safety and sustainability of our waterways are intertwined; every safe journey reduces the likelihood of pollution and habitat disturbance, thereby minimising the need for emergency interventions. The Waterway Monitoring and Control Centre introduces a new standard of smart surveillance and predictive management. By leveraging real-time data, advanced analytics, and integrated response systems, Abu Dhabi Maritime can ensure safer navigation, faster response, and stronger environmental stewardship across our coastline.”
Patrol boats and monitoring network
The Waterway Monitoring and Control Centre is managed by the Integrated Transport Centre and operated by Abu Dhabi Maritime in coordination with the National Guard under the Regulatory Bylaw for Maritime Safety in the Waterways of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Alongside the launch, the Integrated Transport Centre deployed four new patrol boats, operated by Nishan Security Services, part of AD Ports Group, to conduct daily surveys and identify unsafe activities and regulatory violations.
The monitoring network includes 16 radar stations, 29 CCTV cameras at key locations, more than 400 cameras across public maritime facilities and 17 VHF communication devices for real-time coordination between vessels and shore-based operators. The Waterway Monitoring and Control Centre is headquartered on Saadiyat Island, with a satellite centre in Al Dhannah in Al Dhafra Region, providing comprehensive oversight of Abu Dhabi’s public waterways.
