Yousef Alhosan was appointed vice president for policies and legislation at the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) earlier this month. He is also chairman of the Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Gulf Region — a position he has held since last year — and a representative of the Kingdom. The Riyadh MoU is one of several regional agreements on port state control that have been signed by maritime authorities under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization. Port state control governs the inspection of foreign ships in national ports to verify that the condition of the vessels and their equipment comply with the requirements of international regulations and that ships are manned and operated in compliance with convention standards. The agreement commits the maritime authorities of the six Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait) to a unified system to intensify cooperation and information exchange on relevant issues. Prior to his latest appointment, Alhosan held a number of positions at the Mawani, including control and inspection managing director from November 2018 until February 2022, deputy director-general of marine affairs from June 2016 to November 2018, and marine officer from January 2014 until May 2016. From June 2013 to January 2014 he worked as a port state control officer at National Port Services Co. Alhosan also held the rank of second officer at Zamil Offshore Services Co. from July 2012 to May 2013, and was a cadet officer at Bahri between February 2011 and June 2012. Alhosan began working in the maritime transport industry after graduating from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, where he majored in basic studies in maritime transport, nautical technology, and specialized in navigation and maritime  safety. He is a certified marine professional with a long track record of onshore and offshore port experience.