Work Boat Gulf ready for Bahrain debut

As the Middle East continues to emerge as the ship and boat building industry hub, Work Boat Gulf is a particularly relevant event despite media hype on the economic downturn. The region is one of the busiest centres of work boat activity, and is a significant supplier of all kinds of work boat related services from construction to repairs, and management to satellite communication, while continuing to provide traditional resources sector services.

"The global slowdown is a testing time for the maritime industry but in the Middle East, this sector continues to show promising growth. As long as offshore installations continue pumping oil to meet the world's energy demands, support vessels and work boats will always be needed,"

said Kishore Navani, Event Manager for Work Boat Gulf.

Neil Baird, Chairman of Baird Maritime and Baird Events added that with its massive coastal development activity, major port and huge local ship yard, the Kingdom of Bahrain has a lot going for it.

"If you combine that with its central location in the Gulf and its very close proximity to the major Saudi Arabian centre for maritime, particularly workboat activity, it is an eminently convenient venue for such an event," said Mr Baird.

"Bahrain and adjacent Saudi Arabia have the largest marine shipbuilding and repair yards in the region," added Mr Navani. "Bahrain adjoins the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has the biggest oil producing companies in the region; Saudi Aramco supplies around 10% of the world's oil. This leads to all sorts of ancillary support services. Apart from the rigs and platforms, you need to have accommodation barges, crew transport vessels, supply vessels, maintenance, construction and pipe laying vessels. You need to have all kinds of work boats and lots of tugs for the tankers that are required by the oil companies."

Further proof of the non-stop flurry of activity that persists in the Middle East came when Bahrain's Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (ASRY) announced at the end of 2008 that that it would invest a further $188m in new facilities which include a 1.2km repair quay, with an alongside water depth of twelve metres, a 200,000 square metre offshore fabrication area with load out quay, and four new 23-metre, 45-tonne bollard pull tugs which will be built by ASRY.

"We cannot be complacent," said ASRY CEO Chris Potter, "especially with intense competition in the ship repair industry, particularly in the Arabian Gulf where major new facilities will enter service in Oman and Qatar by 2010."

Indeed with the continuation of business as usual in the Middle East amidst the global economic downturn, it is now, more than ever, vital that companies, large or small, do their best to attract new customers and clients. World Boat Gulf presents the perfect opportunity for local companies and international exhibitors alike to promote their products and services to a high quality international audience.

"Saudi Arabia has several world class shipbuilding yards, the biggest one being Zamil, which is currently seeking marine spare parts and equipment due to the increase of vessel down time," Mr Navani said. "When vessels are built at a certain cost, they are expected to fulfil a certain task for a certain amount of time and they are expected to be serviceable. But if you have vessels that need to be serviced or do not perform their proper functions, it's going to cost the company a lot of money."

Based on the attendance of previous exhibitions organised by Baird Events, some 2,000 industry leaders are expected to attend Work Boat Gulf in Bahrain.

"While the majority will be drawn from the Middle East region, significant numbers will come from all over the world," said Mr Navani.

Exhibitors from around the region include the Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard (ASRY), Gulf Marine Services, and Zamil Offshore and Marine while international brands appearing include JonRie, USA, Noreq, Norway, Malaysia's Sealink shipyard, and Finland-based Wartsila.

Work Boat Gulf will be more than just a major exhibition venue. A series of high quality one-hour product presentation seminars will be held concurrently with the exhibition, allowing exhibitors to gather numerous potential customers and present them with details of new products and services. Access to these seminars is free.

"We will have detailed presentations on the latest in offshore service vessel design and construction; tug and work boat propulsion systems; emergency response vessels; efficient fleet management; aluminium boat building and repair; escort tug winch developments; and, finally, developments in work boat deck equipment", Mr Navani explained.

There will also be an excursion to visit the ASRY facilities and shipyard. All aspects of the program offer a wide range of topical and useful subjects covering a number of important areas of work boat activity.

Set to be an effective, economical and efficient meeting place for the entire Middle East work boat sector, Work Boat Gulf will facilitate the free exchange of information and will be a source of inspiration among the work boat industry of the Arabian Gulf region and the wider Middle East.