$16B Piracy Issue on Maritime Agenda
Money and Ships conference to review current situation after global attacks hit all-time high of 266 for the first half of 2011- problem costs industry up to $16 billion annually. Global attacks on ships rose to an all-time high of 266, during the first six months of 2011 up from 196 in 2010 according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). More than 117 ships were attacked and 20 seized, by pirates off the coast of Somalia alone since January 1, 2011, holding 28 ships and 518 hostages for ransom as of the end of April 2011. These issues are to be raised and reviewed by industry experts at Middle East Money and Ships conference, which takes place at the Address Hotel in Dubai Marina on 16 October 2011.
Industry Leaders to Meet in Dubai
With a weakening dollar, predictions oil could hit $100 a barrel, and a boom in multi-billion dollar refinery construction, finance and shipping leaders will be meeting in Dubai this November to assess the impact on the regional and global maritime industries. The Middle East shipping industry is dominated by the tanker trade. Bookings for supertankers sailing from the Middle East to Asia account for 47% of global demand for the carriers, compared with shipments to the US and Caribbean, the second-biggest market, which accounts for 14% of demand. The balance of supply and demand, in the tanker sector in the Middle East, will be part of a special Charterers Forum that will take place during the Middle East Money & Ships 2007 conference, from 4-5 November, at Mina a'Salam, Madinat Jumeirah.
Al Falahi Appointed CEO of GEM
Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM) has appointed UAE national Ahmed Essa Hareb Al Falahi as Chief Executive Officer with the task of spearheading the company's strategy to climb the world's leading tanker operator rankings. Hareb joins the UAE-headquartered corporation after an eight year management career at Etisalat - the Emirates' main telecommunications supplier and the largest single non-oil contributor outside UAE Federal Government development programmes. There he headed the mergers and acquisitions division for the Fortune 500 company currently standing 140th among the Financial Times Top 500 global corporations. Yusr Sultan stepped down to undertake a full time board level role as Director. He will concentrate on corporate policy, management team expansion and GEM's strategic growth.
