New trade event launches in Abu Dhabi

High oil prices and massive reclamation projects are driving increased demand for the small but sturdy vessels on which the booming Arabian Gulf economies increasingly depend, say the organisers of the region's first event focused on workboats which opens in Abu Dhabi today (28 April 2008).

Workboats Middle East - the region's only dedicated event of its kind - takes place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until 30 April 2008 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Public Works and Chairman of the National Transport Authority.

Increased demand for ships in the Arabian Gulf from oil tankers to cargo and container ships to barges, dredgers, tugboats and an array of specialised craft also provide huge opportunities for an expanding shipbuilding, repair and maintenance industry, say the show's organisers Seatrade.

More than 2,000 vessels categorised as workboats of some kind are docked or repaired in the Middle East, Seatrade added. Serving them are 13 shipyards, five drydocks, eight floating docks and 17 slipways, making the Gulf a major hub for workboats and Abu Dhabi a principal gateway to the offshore market.

There is strong demand for offshore service vessels across the oil and gas industry in the Middle East, Seatrade said. Growth is driven by high oil prices which have made offshore projects more cost-effective combined with increasing global energy demand. More than 250 such vessels are estimated to be operating in the region.

Another big growth area is dredgers and the support vessels for the huge offshore reclamation projects taking place in virtually all Arabian Gulf countries. It has been estimated that between 25 and 30 new dredgers are needed each year in the Gulf just to keep up with the unprecedented level of offshore construction-related land reclamation and marine operations.

'Middle East Workboats brings together leading suppliers, buyers and experts from every sector of the industry to provide a comprehensive platform to unite all of the key players operating in the workboat arena,' said Vanessa Stephens, Events Director at Seatrade, organisers of the 2008 Middle East Workboats exhibition and conference.

Alongside the exhibition, the Middle East Workboats conference will examine business opportunities created by the oil and gas industry projects as well as offshore developments, port and land reclamation schemes. Speakers will also discuss the industry's safety record and propose improvements in safety culture onboard and ashore.

The conference will be chaired by James MacHardy, former CEO of the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators. A high level speaker faculty includes senior officials of Saudi Aramco, the International Marine Contractors Association, Hadef Legal Consultants, DVB Bank, Bureau Veritas, American Bureau of Shipping, Damen Shipyards, Abu Dhabi Ship Building, Lloyd's Register, Lamnalco, Wärtsilä, C-MAR Group, Robert Allan Ltd., Ras Laffan Port, V Ships and Bernhard Schulte Ship Management

Middle East Workboats has gained wide industry backing with sponsors including: ADNOC/ESNAAD/IRSHAD, Det Norske Veritas, Hadef, Lamnalco Group, NICO International, Svitzer Middle East Ltd, Wärtsilä Corporation and. Zahker Marine International. Supporting organisations include the International Marine Contractors Association and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects.