Singapore: Just less than ten weeks away, preparations for the premier maritime show Sea Asia 2009, which will be held at Suntec Singapore from 21 to 23 April 2009, are running at full speed ahead.
Sea Asia 2009 features a major international exhibition which will in size stretch across 4,500 net square metres - some 60 percent bigger in floor space than the inaugural event in 2007.
With so many events downsizing or cancelling in the current economic climate, organisers Seatrade and the Singapore Maritime Foundation are overwhelmed with the response from the international maritime markets which have backed Sea Asia 2009 with their presence in such tough times.
The organisers are also proud to announce that Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security Mr S Jayakumar has accepted his invitation as Guest of Honour of Sea Asia 2009. Mr Jayakumar will officially open Sea Asia 2009 and tour the exhibition on the morning of 21 April.
"Sea Asia 2009 will be staged against the backdrop of a difficult economic setting but we are optimistic that Asia will play an even more critical role in shipping once we have tide over this challenging phase. Sea Asia 2009 is timely as it will serve as the platform for global maritime leaders to congregate and share insights about how to confront these challenges and strategise on riding the next wave," said S.S. Teo, Chairman, Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF).
Themed "The Asian Voice in World Shipping: Clearer & Stronger", the opening session of the Sea Asia 2009 conference will be on the major bulk trades. Chairing the session will be Andreas Sohmen-Pao, CEO of BW Maritime and joining him on the panel will be a list of leading bulk players to expound the outlook for the major bulk trades, both dry and liquid, and how the forward order book for newbuildings will affect the relationship between ship supply and demand for shipping services.
The Asian Voice theme will also be debated from the container shipping & logistics angle and this session will see a high-calibre panel chaired by S.S. Teo, Chairman, SMF and who is also MD of Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd and President of the Singapore Shipping Association. They will examine how the global economic outlook is affecting the major liner trades, both inter-continental and intra-Asian, and what this means for container ship operators, cargo interests and ports and terminals.
The third thrust of the theme will focus on the offshore markets and this session will be chaired by Choo Chiau Beng, CEO, Keppel Corporation and Chairman, Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited. Industry leaders will deal with a wide range of topics, such as the current oil price volatility and its impact on exploration in Asian waters as well as the orderbook for drill ships.
More than 8,500 maritime professionals from Singapore and around the world are anticipated to be a part of Sea Asia 2009. Among the latest companies to confirm their participation are international players such as China's China Classification Society, Korea's Daeyang Shipping, Netherland's IHC Merwede and Vosta LMG, Norway's Sotra Anchor & Chain and USA's Sponge-Jet.
Of particular interest will be the country pavilions at the Sea Asia 2009 exhibition, where visitors can learn about the maritime industries of China, Japan, Korea, Norway, Panama and host country Singapore in dedicated areas through representatives of equipment suppliers, shipping companies and service providers. In fact, the China Pavilion is returning to Sea Asia 2009 with a bigger and stronger presence, stretching over 160 square metres of net exhibition space.
Sea Asia 2009 also offers extensive networking opportunities for participants to forge new business relationships and re-establish existing ones. A special networking highlight will be the GAC Sea Asia 2009 Golf Classic, sponsored by GAC, which will take place one day before the official opening of Sea Asia 2009 and is a great opportunity for players to test their skills in a friendly tournament. [12/02/09]
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