UAE: Expo Centre Sharjah Hosts MASTECH Conference

One of the world’s foremost international maritime conferences on naval architecture and shipbuilding – MASTECH – is coming to Expo Centre Sharjah. As per an agreement signed between MAST, an association of naval architects, and Expo Center Sharjah, the conference will be hosted by Expo Centre Sharjah during the upcoming industry event Gulf Maritime 2011.

The eighth edition of Gulf Maritime, the region’s most comprehensive maritime sourcing platform, is scheduled to be held from December 12 to 14, 2011, at Expo Centre Sharjah.

The memorandum of understanding between Expo Centre Sharjah and MAST was signed on the sidelines of the ongoing OIC Expo at Expo Centre Sharjah.

MAST is the Middle East alumni association of naval architects graduated from the department of ship technology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala, India.

Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah, signed on behalf of Expo Centre Sharjah, while MAST was represented by Mr. Rajesh Babu, Naval Architect, Engineering Department, Drydocks World, Dubai, who is the current President of MAST along with other office bearers Bhaskar Gollapudi, Sr Project Engineer, McDermott International, Ashik Subahani, General Manager, Burness Corlett Three Quays, and Ritul Mohan, Naval Architect, Al Bawardy Marine Engineering.

“The launch edition of MASTECH was held in 2008 in Dubai and we are privileged to have the opportunity to tie-up with MAST to bring this leading industry event to Sharjah,” said Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa.

“MASTECH will be a great value-addition to Gulf Maritime exhibition, which has successfully weathered the turbulence of the global slowdown and is now gearing up for its eighth edition. We look forward to seeing over 400 regional and international naval architects and engineering professionals at the event which makes it the largest gathering of its kind in the region,” said Mr. Al Midfa.

“Having the MASTECH 2011 conference alongside the Gulf Maritime exhibition offers great synergies and opportunities for the Middle East maritime industry,” said Mr. Rajesh Babu. “the industry is seeing great growth at the same time as substantial change, with technology and design in the maritime world a special focus to solve many of those challenges” he continued.

Mr. Ashik Subahani , MASTECH Convener, elaborated that topics under consideration for the conference will include ‘Next Generation Ship Design’, ‘Technical Innovations in Ship Building’, ‘New Developments in Oil and Gas Engineering’, ‘Technical Innovations in Marine Engineering’, ‘Marine Heavy Lift and Transport’ , ‘Clean Sea Green Ships’ and ‘Shipping Economics – Current and Future’. All of these cutting edge topics have great bearing on recent global events in the Marine and Oil and Gas Industry as well as looking towards the future for a more sustainable Shipping Industry.

The MAST alumni association has more than 150 members working in various positions in the UAE marine industry and has excellent representation in the Middle East maritime sector.

The first edition of MASTECH in 2008 witnessed the participation of around 1,200 decision makers from across the world maritime industry. Held on November 12 and 13, the conference saw 24 international paper presentations from leading players of the industry.

Gulf Maritime is the region’s foremost maritime technology and engineering event and caters to the complete requirements of the commercial, government, and the military maritime industry.

It is considered as an ideal gateway for maritime companies to the entire Middle East and North Africa region, CIS countries and the Subcontinent. It is also a key venue to interact with industry players and gauge market needs, sourcing the latest technology to take Ship Building and operations into the new millennium.

The seventh edition of the Biennial Gulf Maritime exhibition concluded successfully at Expo Centre Sharjah on December 16, 2009. With over 20 countries represented in the last edition as exhibitors combining with visitors from over 40 countries, the event is a truly international sourcing platform for the industry.

Gulf Maritime is an initiative of Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

[mappress]

Source: ExpoCentreSharjah, April 27, 2011.