The unprecedented growth of the regional maritime industry into a global player has positioned Seatrade Middle East Maritime, the region’s premier exhibition and conference for the sector, as…
The unprecedented growth of the regional maritime industry into a global player has positioned Seatrade Middle East Maritime, the region’s premier exhibition and conference for the sector, as a key international shipping event.
Chris Hayman, Managing Director of organisers, Seatrade, said: “Regional expansion is continuing. Dubai Ports International has just become one of the world’s six largest international port operators with the US$ 1.23 billion acquisition of CSX World Terminals, Iran is developing into a major player in the tanker and shipbuilding market, as we heard at the recent Seatrade conference sessions, and the Gulf shipping business is booming.
“Seatrade Middle East Maritime has grown alongside this phenomenal expansion into a must attend event for the global industry and it will now be biannual to fit in with the international maritime exhibition and conference calendar.
“This month’s exhibition was three times bigger than in 2003 and 90 per cent of exhibitors have already reserved space for 2006.”
More than 4,000 people attended the conference and exhibition, with exhibitors from 30 countries, including national pavilions from Iran, Turkey, India, Pakistan and Holland, and conference delegates and cruise buyers from more than 40 countries.
The show, which will run from December 4-6 in 2006 is now a platform for major industry announcements and launches.
Dubai Drydocks and Dubai Maritime City will have the world’s largest ship repair capacity by 2006, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, announced in a keynote address on the opening day.
Dubai Maritime City outlined plans to start a club for seafarers which will cater to the growing number of ships docking at Dubai.
United Arab Shipping Marine Workshop, the subsidiary of Kuwait based United Arab Shipping Co, in a joint venture with Indian manufacturer, Hi-Tech Elastomers, launched the latest maritime anti terrorist barriers.
And, Nico international, the ship repair division of Oman based Topaz Energy and Marine revealed its $2 million acquisition of the industrial division of Fujairah Marine Services & Trading Co.
The Seatrade conference sessions examined a number of key industry issues including port expansion plans in the region, growing trade between the Middle East and the subcontinent, ship security, the growing cruise sector and the changing make-up of regional fleets, ship finance and maritime law.
The first Dubai International Maritime Awards, to encourage excellence in the sector featured strongly during the event.
Mohammed Souri, Chairman of the National Iranian Tanker Company was named the Seatrade Personality of the Year for West and Central Asia.
The awards were made in six categories from a shortlist of 22 candidates from seven countries.
And a special Dubai Cruise Award was made to Silversea Cruises which sails from Dubai to Singapore and Port Said.
Hayman said: “Safety, environmental protection and excellence are crucial in our industry. Seatrade has 16 year’s of experience in running maritime awards in London, and the inaugural Middle East edition was extremely well received.
“They will be held annually and in 2005 will run alongside a special Money & Ships conference we are organising on the back of demand from this year’s new shipping finance event.”
Most exhibitors revealed plans to return with increased participation in 2006.
“The show has given the regional shipping industry a great deal of international exposure and we plan to come back in 2006 with double the stand space, “ said Derek N Fernandez, General Manager- Commercial, Inchcape Shipping Services.
Oyvind Bekkenes, Marketing and Sales Director for Norwegian Maritime Equipment, Husnes, Norway, commented that it was the best maritime show in the Middle East.
“It is our first visit and we will certainly be back in 2006. This market is increasingly important to us and at the show we met a lot of potential new customers and existing regional clients,” he said.
Sohar Industrial Port, Oman was impressed with the international flavour of the show.
Neelima Vyas, Manager, Strategy Development & Finance, said: “Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2004 represented a good cross section of the industry. We managed to speak to port development managers as well as established ports which are key targets for our business. The show had a truly international flavour well beyond the Middle East and we were particularly interested in talking to companies from India and Pakistan.
“For the Port of Sohar this has been a great success and we are already looking forward to the event in 2006.”
For Saifee Ship, the show was a chance to meet decision makers in the industry. According to Narayanan Sriram, Director, Operations, Saifee Ship, Dubai, “You do not get thousands of visitors but the people who come are exactly those we need to meet. It attracts the industry’s senior executives and decision makers who are the people we can do business with.”
Singtel, Singapore said the show let them meet leading regional industry players. “The event has been a one-stop shop for us. We have seen lots of prospective customers from the Middle East including Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, “ said Simon Tan Chaur Yuan, Director Mobile Staellite Business, Singtel, Singapore.
George H Wang, of Qingdao Highroad International Trade, Qingdao, China, a first time exhibitor said: “We sell a wide range of products into the Middle East maritime market from safety equipment to tools, lights and flanges. It is an increasingly important market for us and the show helped us to have a better picture of regional growth potential.”
Visitors were impressed with the growing size of the event. Captain Kumar, Master Mariner, Pledge Marine Transport Services of Dubai, said: “The show has grown in size compared to last year and the Dubai World Trade Centre is a better venue to host it.”
Bounechada Rafik of freight forwarders, Express Line Shipping, UAE, said: “This is our first time and the range of regional and international stands is extremely impressive. It is a great show to make contacts and hear about the latest industry trends.”
International visitors saw the event as an opportunity to market into the region.
“We are using Seatrade to get a foothold in the Middle East and have been talking with ship owners and port authorities. It’s our first visit but it has been a huge success as there is clearly a regional demand here for the high standard environmental certification we provide,”,/i> Jan Fransen Deputy Managing Director, Green Award Foundation, Rotterdam.
For others like Steven Laurie, Assistant Vice President, of insurance
brokers, Marsh Private Clients, Yacht Practice, Marsh & McLennan, Southampton UK, the chief attraction was the conference sessions.
“From our point of view the development of Dubai as a regional centre for yachts is important and I came specifically for the conference session on Super Yachts. The market here is mainly for 30 to 40 metre vessels worth up to $US 20 million each and we expect it to develop rapidly over three to five years,” he said.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
