Since 1996, Seatrade Med Cruise & Ferry Convention has been the meeting place for maritime executives to see and experience the region`s cruise and ferry industries. After five successful shows in the north of Italy, Seatrade Med is moving south.

“Naples benefits from a long maritime tradition that has adapted to the needs of the cruise and ferry industries through investment in new facilities and proactive management,” says Christopher Hayman, managing director of the organising company, Seatrade. “The result has been substantial growth in passenger numbers.”

Seatrade Med 2006 will run from Wednesday to Friday, 18-20 October, at The Maritime Station, Naples. The event will include an exhibition with 200 companies from more than 40 countries and dedicated conference, among other key features.

Seatrade Med 2006 will be officially opened by Professor Alessandro Bianchi, Italy`s Minister of Transport, with the Mayor of Naples, Rosa Russo Iervolino, accompanied by Governor of Regioné Campania, Antonio Bassolino and President of the Port of Naples Authority, Francesco Nerli.

Italy`s Deputy Prime Minister, Francesco Rutelli, will address conference delegates on the second day of the event, Thursday 19 October, in the session The Mediterranean Cruise Arena. The Deputy PM will then meet members of the press to discuss recent government decisions regarding tourism.

Christopher Hayman, managing director of Seatrade, says: “The cruise industry has been proficient in expanding its client base but there is still much to do. One way to achieve further growth is to offer products to suit all source markets. The Med is doing this with a range of brands catering for tastes from 3 Star to extreme luxury 6 Star. Terminal operators are generally very responsive to the changing situation but they need to keep pace with the rate of change. The Med now attracts more ships, more brands, more passengers and more itineraries than ever. There is a product for every vacationer from state of the art megaships to small niche vessels. The continuing development of the markets has a clear implication for ports and terminals as destinations adapt their facilities and infrastructure to suit.”

Hayman concludes, “Other crucial advents are winter cruising and ferry tourism. The southern part of the Med, in particular, offers destinations and itineraries well suited to the cooler months. The latest cruise ships are very adaptable to winter comfort on the water. Ferry lines are developing their fleets, partly to compete with budget airlines and partly to offer something more like a `ferry cruise` model.”

Communication between relevant business sectors will be accomplished at Seatrade Med 2006 via the event`s conference. Speakers from cruise and ferry lines, port and tourism authorities, associations, insurers, finance houses and many other businesses will contribute ideas and information.

The Mediterranean Cruise Arena and The Mediterranean Ferry Market will be keynote sessions for each sector. In the cruise session, Pier Luigi Foschi, chairman of the

European Cruise Council and chairman and CEO of Costa Crociere SpA, will give the primary address. Speakers will include Corrado Antonini, chairman of Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani SpA; David Dingle, managing director, Carnival UK; Gianni Onorato, president of Costa Crociere SpA; George Stathopoulos, managing director of Louis Hellenic Cruises; John Tercek, vice president of Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited; and Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Crociere.

In the ferry session, speakers will include the general manager of SNAV Spa, Raffaele Aiello; Confitarma`s president Nicola Coccia; Grimaldi Group`s managing director, Emanuele Grimaldi; and CEO of RINA SpA, Ugo Salerno.

There will also be sessions throughout the event on Upscale Cruising in the Med, Ferry Design and Technology, Destinations and Shore Excursions, Shipbuilding and Refurbishment, Product Diversity in the Med, and SuperYacht Operations. There will be a special session on Ship Operations in the Med that will focus on Energy Management, Emissions Control and Fuel Savings and Port Security.

Seatrade Med`s social programme includes a Neapolitan Musical evening at Palazzo Reale, a gala dinner hosted by MSC Crociere, post-event tours to Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri, and a special VIP dinner at Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, hosted by Medov.

In addition, a big new feature of the event will be the European Cruise Fair (ECF), supported by Confidustria Assotravel and other travel industry groups. Designed to bring together travel agents and cruise lines for better understanding and increased profits, the ECF will include training (with simultaneous Italian, English, French, Spanish translation) from independent experts and senior cruise line figures. There will also be visits to cruise ships including Norwegian Cruise Lines` Norwegian Jewel, Royal Carribean International`s Voyager of the Seas, and Silversea Cruises` Silver Wind. Travel agents flying from within Italy can take advantage of free flights, courtesy of Air One.