The three-day biennial Seatrade Offshore Marine & Workboats Middle East conference and exhibition (SOMWME) was inaugurated today (September 25) by  Sheikh Dhiyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chairman of the Transport Authority and member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

The event is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).
 
Following the official opening ceremony, Sheikh Dhiyab was given a personal tour of more than 100 exhibiting companies taking part at the event. He was accompanied by Riyad Abdulrahman Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Finance, and Saif Mohamed Al Hajeri, chairman of Department of Economic Development, and senior officials.

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, delivered the keynote presentation at the SOMWME conference, about the business outlook for Abu Dhabi and the wider region and the implications and prospects for the offshore marine sector - setting the tone for three days of in-depth, informative and productive dialogue.

The finance session “Taking stock - how to make the most of your company assets” was another highlight of the first day of the conference programme and allowed delegates to debate the issues surrounding the shipping industry, which faces a capital shortfall of tens of billions of dollars, this year alone, as European banks restructure products and scale back ship financing operations, said the statement.

SOMWME is the region’s leading event for the workboat and offshore marine industries with a focus on the challenges and opportunities facing owners, operators and regional governments involved in the offshore marine and workboats sector.

Through a series of dedicated conference and networking sessions delegates can debate and discuss the viability for new commercial developments and exciting technological innovation.
“Since its first chapter in 2008, Seatrade Offshore Marine & Workboats has continued to be an important platform for attendees to network and do business. We look forward to welcoming more than 5,000 attendees from across 65 countries over the three days,” said Emma Howell, group marketing manager, Seatrade Portfolio. – TradeArabia News Service