Cruise award to recognise contribution to Mid East industry expansion

Organised by Seatrade, the award will be presented during Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2004, the region's premier forum for the maritime industry, and is sponsored by the Government of Dubai's Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing.

"Cruise tourism has huge potential in the region and, as such, now features prominently both in Seatrade Middle East Maritime and the Dubai International Maritime Awards," said Chris Hayman, Managing Director, Seatrade.

A four-member panel will judge the awards, which will be chaired by the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization, Rear Admiral Efthimios Mitropoulos. The other judges include Captain Duncan McKelvie, Chairman, Nautical Institute UAE Branch, Captain Jitendra Misra, Chairman, Chartered Institute of Shipbrokers and Richard Wyborn, Chairman, Institute of Marine Engineers, Science & Technology.

Entries for the awards can be made online www.seatrade-global.com/Dubai_Awards.html. The deadline for entries is the end of September 2004. A donation from the proceeds of the awards presentation dinner, to be held at The Fairmont Dubai on the evening of December 6, will be made to The Mission to Seafarers.

The Gulf and Indian Ocean's potential for cruise tourism is also the subject of one of four conference streams at Seatrade Middle East Maritime, which will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from December 6-8. The Fourth Seatrade Middle East Cruise conference, which will take place December 6-7, will explore how to unlock the region's cruise potential, including itinerary options and infrastructure development.

Key industry speakers will take to the platform. They include Luis Ajamil, President of the USA's Bermello, Ajamil & Partners Inc; Lennart Ekstedt, Owner of Sweden's Tillberg Design AB; Emilio Freeman, Senior Vice President, Operations, ResidenSea Ltd; William Gibbons, Director, Passenger Shipping Association; Matz Jenssen, President & CEO of the Mauritius Cruise Line; Joyce Landry, President & CEO of Miami's Landry & Kling, Inc meeting planners and John Tercek, Vice President, Commercial & New Business Development, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Seatrade Middle East Maritime will also include a one-day training seminar for regional cruise travel retailers covering the diversity of cruise products and how to succeed in cruise selling.

Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2004 is being held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister. Organisations supporting the event include Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Dubai Shipping Agents Association; National Association of Freight Logistics UAE Branch; Indian National Shipowners' Association; the Nautical Institute UAE Branch and the UAE National Ship Suppliers' Association.

The event is principally sponsored by Dubai Maritime City, Dubai Ports Authority, the Government of Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing; and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL).

Other sponsors include: Aalborg Industries A/S (Dubai branch); Aqua Group; British Airways; Castrol Marine, Clyde & Co; Dubai Metals & Commodities Centre; HSBC; Instone International; Lloyd's Register; Maritime London; Net Cruises; Norton Rose; Nico International; Scan-Trans Chartering LLC and Sharaf Shipping Agency LLC.