Merchant marine cadets from a United Arab Emirates training ship graduated at a special ceremony held during the Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2008, the largest maritime event of its kind in the region.

The deck cadets were the sixth batch of students of the Birla Institute of Technology International Centre for Maritime Studies and Ship Management to pass out after training on the Ras Al Khaimah-berthed training ship Sindbad.

Seatrade Middle East Maritime which concludes today (December 16) is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice president and prime minister and Dubai ruler.

The event, which was officially opened on Sunday by Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chairman of Dubai World, has attracted a total of 313 exhibiting companies from 33 countries.

Principal sponsors of Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2008 include Det Norske Veritas, GEM, Dubai Maritime City Authority, NITC and Gulf Marine.

Other sponsors are: ABS, BP Marine, ClassNK, Drydocks World, Emarat Maritime, Ince Al Jallaf & Co, Lloyd's Register, Topaz Energy & Marine, Rais Hassan Saadi Group, SAIFEE Trading, Royal Caribbean Cruises Line, Cloud Cruises and the Ministry of Tourism for the Sultanate of Oman.

The event is supported by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, DP World, Dubai Shipping Agents Association, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, the International Association of Ports and Harbours, the Nautical Institute, the Royal Institute of Naval Architects, ImarEST, the UAE Ship Owners Association and the Supply Chain & Logistics Group.-TradeArabia News Service