The Southern Jordanian port of Aqaba is to mount a major business push at Seatrade Middle East Maritime, the region’s premier event for the maritime sector taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from December 6-8.

Under the umbrella of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ), the Aqaba Development Company (ADC), which owns the city’s seaports, airport, and real estate facilities, and the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT), Jordan’s only container facility, will be out to recruit shipping companies wishing to use the Gulf of Aqaba port as a gateway to Iraq as well as cruise liners interested in premier destinations in the Middle East.

“The war in Iraq, the following reconstruction and the resultant demand for goods and services underscored the need for a strategic location linking Iraq and the rest of the Middle East to the world,” said Nasim al Ahmad, Vice President, Transportation and Infrastructure, ADC.

“Demand to service reconstruction is great and many marine firms have now opted to route shipments through Aqaba and a number of transporters and logistics service providers are planning to establish facilities in Aqaba to tap Iraq and the wider regional market.

“Aqaba Development Company and the various terminal operators are working night and day to ensure smooth transfer of cargoes, both through operational enhancements and through physical infrastructure improvements.”

The ADC believes the ASEZ is the premier tourism and trade destination in the Middle East following the transfer of ownership of seaport, airport, and land facilities from the Zone authority to ADC, and the appointment of A.P. Moller-Maersk Terminals, the world’s largest terminals operator, to run the container terminal.

“Aqaba Development Company now expects to enter into build-own-transfer (BOT) arrangements and joint ventures with a broad spectrum of transport providers,” added Al Ahmad.

Seatrade Middle East Maritime will also see Aqaba vying for an increased share of regional and international cruise business.

“Aqaba is already a significant tourism and cruise destination,” explained Al Ahmad. “The overall Aqaba Zone vision focuses on major expansion of tourism and cruise traffic. Top quality developments are already underway.”

The cruise industry has been earmarked for development by the Jordan Tourism Board as it seeks to increase annual tourism revenue from its current US $803.89 million to US $1.8 billion by 2010.

“The cruise prospects for Jordan and the rest of the Middle East are stronger than ever as the international industry looks for new winter hubs,” said Chris Hayman, Managing Director, Seatrade. “We anticipate major deals emerging from the Fourth Seatrade Middle East Cruise Conference, which will run as part of the wider Seatrade Middle East Maritime programme.”

The Fourth Seatrade Middle East Cruise Conference, which will run over December 6 and 7, will feature a speaker platform culled from six countries and which includes ship designers, cruise operators and cruise terminal developers.

The conference will host some of the world’s most influential itinerary planners from the international cruise industry being brought to Seatrade Middle East Maritime by the Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

The Aqaba Special Economic Zone will host a presentation on December 8th from 12:30PM to 1:00PM in the HSBC Presentation Theatre at the venue for all itinerary planners in the cruise industry and potential shipping and port operators to learn more about recent development and potential opportunities in Aqaba.

This year’s Seatrade Middle East Maritime will also feature a one-day training seminar for cruise and travel retailers on the diversity of cruise products available and how to succeed in cruise selling. Scheduled for 8 December, the workshop will be conducted by Bryony Coulson, General Manager, Passenger Shipping Association and Debbie Summers, Regional Manager – Marketing & Communications, Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruises Arabia.