In Jeddah; Saudi Arabia, The First Arab Women’s Workshop on Marine Biofouling Management was held in the period of 10-11 May 2022, within the framework of the celebration of “Arab Women in the Maritime Sector” and the International Maritime Organization’s celebrations of the International Day of Women Working in the Maritime Sector, held annually on May 18.

The event discussed the opportunities available to women in the biofouling management sector and identified the existing barriers and discrepancies in relation to gender equality and recommended solutions.

The workshop also aimed to increase the awareness of women working in the maritime sector in the Middle East and North Africa about the general principles of biofouling management to prevent the introduction of foreign invasive organisms into the marine environment. It has also demonstrated the significance of biofouling management with regard to the protecting marine vessels, biodiversity and tackling climate change.

The Egyptian delegation actively participated in this important event with two environmental management oriented female representatives in Egyptian ports; namely, engineer / Reham Abdel Samiea Al-Refai – Director of the Environmental Protection Department at the Damietta Port Authority and chemist / Nahla Mohamed Hassan Mohamed – a specialist at the General Department for Environmental Protection at the General Authority of Alexandria Port, where they presented Illustration pertaining to the process of fouling management in Egyptian ports.