Introduction

Seas play a great and important role in both economy and security of countries through the system of maritime transport and ports system, which supplement each other.

The importance of maritime transport arrives from being a vital element of national security and important to the economy of countries and support for international trade and the global economy because it is less expensive than other modes of transportation and more scalable and secure, where about 85% of world trade transported by sea, which stimulates the States to use their national naval fleets in peace and war. Maritime transport is also considered as an important element in the process of economic development of countries where contribute to improving the balance of payments and thus increase revenue, and helps to recruit human resources and reconstruction of areas due to the expansion of complementary projects for transport, such as ports, dry docks, shipyards and center’s of repair and maintenance of ships.

Accordingly both great nations and all developed countries that depend on its economy on maritime transport sought to establish a high-efficiency maritime transport system supported by great fleets and modern high-tech ports and human resources were qualified academically and professionally according to standards of international organizations (IMO, IHO) in educational academic institutions; took it upon themselves to upgrading the system of maritime transport and marine survey, as well as developing the research field related to issues, problems and topics of maritime transport activities such as systems of transport and navigation, security, safety and environment protection.

Since 90% of exports and imports of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia transported by sea, especially vital commodities such as oil and other products upon which the kingdom's economy and security is supported, so the Kingdom paid great attention to the development of its industries in the field of maritime transport and other related maritime activities, especially due to the fact that the Kingdom occupies the rank seventeenth among the 163 member countries of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in terms of the size of the Saudi’s commercial fleet, which is increasing from year to year, and also due to the increase in the Saudi’s ship capacities from 1.2 million tons in 1994 to 12 million tons in 2004, which coincides with the big economic boom in this great country through the establishment of economic citiessuch as King Abdullah Economic City. Accordingly, great attention should be paid to the field or maritime education and training through leading educational institutions.