The Story of Salim Al Marashda: A Voyage Across Generations
Salim’s journey with ADNOC Logistics & Services, from becoming one of the UAE’s first maritime chief engineers to leading offshore mobile solutions, reflects a proud family seafaring legacy that resonates with this year’s World Maritime Day’s themes of safety, sustainability, and stewardship
Abu Dhabi, UAE – October 31, 2025: Working aboard a wooden dhow tethered beneath a towering tanker in the starlit Arabian Sea, a young Salim Al Marashda looked up in awe. He never imagined one day he’d lead the control room in similar giant vessels, helping them navigate oceans.
Born into a family legacy of seafarers in Kalba, a coastal exclave of Sharjah near the Omani border, Salim’s early life was shaped by the rhythms of the sea and the quiet strength of his father, a seasoned sailor.
“The sea is part of me,” says Salim, who in the 2000s became one of the UAE’s first maritime chief engineers. “I feel sadness for days after returning to land.”
Salim credits his father’s resilience for his successful maritime career.
In 1942, after decades as a fisherman, Juma Ali Hamdan Al Marashda set sail on what was meant to be a 40-day trip to Dar es Salaam, the largest city in what is now Tanzania. In the end, his return voyage took almost 30 years.
Stranded overseas by global upheavals, his father settled in Madagascar, building a small shipping business from nothing. His compass, however, always pointed home. The UAE’s founding in 1971 allowed him to return to Kalba, establish a fishing fleet, and close the circle on a journey that had stretched across decades.
“My father’s drive to return reminds me to never give up,” says Salim. “I grew up on stories that were both practical and poetic. Crews preserved meat in rendered oil, harvested rainwater, and patched hulls with hand tools. The carpenter was often the most valued man on board.”
Raised in a household steeped in rich maritime tradition, Salim’s elder brothers all pursued careers in either the navy or commercial shipping. As a teen, he spent nights aboard motorized dhows often moored near large ocean-going vessels.
In 2006, Salim joined the Abu Dhabi National Gas Shipping Company, an ADNOC legacy company, rising up the senior ranks to spend many years as chief engineer working on vessels transporting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Asia.
In 2022, Salim was given a new challenge: manage ADNOC L&S’s Offshore Mobile Solutions, Offshore Projects and Subsea Department, which transports personnel, equipment, and materials essential for offshore energy operations.
This unit has mobilized some of ADNOC L&S’s most critical offshore assets, including jack-up barges, floating accommodation, cargo barges, and diving project vessels. These have become high-performing assets, supporting complex operations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
The fleet expansion and strategic contracts, many secured through ADNOC L&S’s subsidiary ZMI Holdings, are fueling regional and international growth in Integrated Logistics, which is now the company’s largest revenue-generating segment.
Salim credits his father for shaping his leadership style. “Teamwork isn’t enforced at sea, it comes naturally,” he says. “Be disciplined, inventive, and always think of the crew first.”
That ethos drives Salim’s push for inclusion. He was among the first in his section to support female cadets, working with local colleges to help young Emirati women complete mandatory training without long overseas deployments. “Now, Emirati women don’t just sail on our vessels, but serve as officers,” he says.
Salim’s openness extends to technology, embracing AI-driven tools that enhance planning, safety, and vessel performance.
Even in an office-based role, Salim can’t leave the sea behind. “I drive past the coast every day in Abu Dhabi, and travel aboard vessels at least once a week,” he smiles. “So I still have that connection.”
Salim believes the ocean is the lifeblood of progress and must be protected, a view reflected in this year’s World Maritime Day theme: “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity”.
“We treat protection of the ocean as non-negotiable,” Salim says. “Every decision we take, from what we mobilize to how we route and the equipment we approve starts with keeping people safe and respecting the seas we work on.”
It’s a philosophy backed by action. ADNOC L&S has introduced new technologies, modernized assets, and reduced the shipping division’s carbon intensity by about 30% since 2020.
Salim, whose 14-year-old son is planning to continue the family legacy of a career at sea, has a clear message for young Emiratis considering their future: “The sea has shaped our past, and it will continue to do so in the future. We need the next generation to bring fresh ideas, bold thinking, and a deep respect for the waters that surround our mother nation.”