Gulf Maritime 2005 to be bigger in size and participation

The Gulf Maritime Show is considered to be Middle East's premier exhibition and conference for the commercial, government and military maritime trade. The next edition of the show is scheduled at Expo Centre Sharjah from April 18-20, 2005.

"It is very satisfactory to note that the Gulf Maritime Show that we share with Expo Centre Sharjah, is over sixty per cent sold some four and a half months before it opens," said Mr. Neil Baird of Baird Publications, Australia, co-organizer of the show.

"There certainly seems to be a very strong demand among leading shipbuilders and ship suppliers for strong, high-quality regional exhibitions such as ours. The regions covered by Asian Shipping and Work Boat and Gulf Maritime, South-East Asia and the Middle East, are two of the most active in the whole international maritime industry," Mr. Baird noted.

The Gulf Maritime show in 2004 attracted more than 110 exhibitors from 23 countries and drew more than 2,700 visitors from over 40 countries.

Talking about last year's event, Mr. Fasahat Ali Khan, Acting Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah, said: "More than 800 of last year's visitors were owners and operators of a very wide range of ships and boats from small patrol and fishing boats to the largest oil and gas tankers. A large number of ship builders and repairers and naval architects and marine engineers also attended."

The 2005 edition of the Gulf Maritime is expected to bigger, both in terms of exhibition space and participation.

"The previous event in April 2004 was more than 50 per cent larger than the first event which was held the previous year," said Mr. Khan.

"We expect Gulf Maritime to grow by at least a further 30 per cent in 2005. Visitors can expect at least 140 companies from around the world displaying the latest maritime equipment and technology at the show," he stated.

According to Mr. Baird, Gulf Maritime 2005 exhibitors will continue to be provided with a complete list of visitors in order to enable them to contact any visitor that they might have missed during the event.

"While the figures claimed for attendance at exhibitions have always been something of a sore-point, we were amazed that we could find no other exhibition organizers who provide their exhibitors with such a readily auditable list of participants," he said.

"We do not claim that our registrants' lists are perfect but they are clearly superior to anything else on offer," he added.

In addition to the Product Presentation Seminars by exhibitors, the coming Gulf Maritime exhibition will also have a series of Seminars focused on Vessels for coastal construction, Offshore service vessels for the Middle East and Patrol, Assault and Rescue Craft for Middle East Operators. All three are very relevant to the current marine activities in the region.

The forums will be brief, half-day affairs and there will be no fees charged for attendance. A top quality panel of speakers and commentators are being invited to participate.