Nor-Shipping 2013 Features Agenda Offshore Conference

Building on the success of its first offshore conference in 2011, Nor-Shipping will again host Agenda Offshore on June 5, signifying the importance of the maritime industry as it increasingly moves offshore to service the oil and gas industry.

Speakers Helge Lund, CEO of Statoil, and Andy Brown, the Upstream International Director of Royal Dutch Shell plc, will share their insights as major oil and gas companies that are dependent on the maritime supplier industry for their cutting-edge technology and sophisticated equipment and vessels.

As many oil and gas discoveries are being made in deeper waters and harsher environments far away from shore, petroleum companies will need to cooperate even closer with their technology and equipment suppliers to come up with innovative solutions. Norway’s supplier industry will play a key role in offshore developments around the world, whether off Norway, Brazil, West Africa or in the Gulf of Mexico.

Norway is already home to the world’s second-largest and most modern offshore fleet. And the country’s orderbook, comprising 326 vessels, was worth $36.1 billion last year, the largest of any nation, according to Clarkson Research Services. Many of these are sophisticated offshore vessels that are involved in all petroleum activities from seismic surveying to production.

During the “New Frontiers” roundtable, executives from the shipping industry and from companies actively exploring new frontiers will discuss how new acreages in deep waters and harsh climates are creating huge demand for offshore services. Kristian Siem, Chairman and CEO of Siem Industries, and Remi Eriksen, CEO of DNV Maritime and Oil and Gas, will be among those joining the discussion.

As the ocean space is explored, ocean-based industries will look for synergies not only across traditional sectors such as the maritime industry and offshore shipping but also in the new and broader category – Ocean Industries – where highly specialized companies and technology experts can benefit from more applications, bigger markets and new opportunities.

“Norway’s maritime companies can yet again push the borders by reinventing themselves as ocean industry experts,” said Nor-Shipping Director Vidar Pederstad.

The “Ocean Space” roundtable will look at pushing both geographical and industry borders in the ocean space. Christina Grumstrup Sørensen, Senior Vice President forWind Power at DONG Energy, will be one of the keynote speakers for this session.