Seawork Signals Sector Success
The 25% growth of Seawork, commercial marine exhibition and conference, opening for its 16th year in the Port of Southampton on Tuesday 25 June, indicates the underlying confidence of the sector.
With more exhibitors from more countries occupying more space than ever before, Seawork 2013 promises to be a hub of networking activity with levels of business between the 500+ exhibitors and up to 7,000 international visitors reaching unprecedented levels over the event’s three days.
Registration for marine professionals to attend the exhibition for free is now open at www.seawork.com.
Vessels on the water
The range and selection of over 50 vessels moored on 250m of pontoons, specially installed alongside the Seawork Quayside, will be a major attraction for visitors. This year’s fleet includes a 10m, 12-seat passenger ferry exhibited by Brittany-based ACCF, an asymmetric-hulled 5.6m Wight Cat Five-O and an aluminium Silverbreeze 8.5 from Dutch Workboats. Also from the Netherlands, Euro Offshore will introduce the new 9.2m Blue Spirit inboard diesel waterjet cabin RIB and Fast RSQ will be demonstrating a 7m Fast Rescue Craft.
CWind, a U.K.-based offshore wind industry service and solutions company, will be displaying a CTruk 20T Multi Purpose Catamaran and the company’s Military & Security Division demonstrator cat THOR. CTruk Managing Director Ben Simpson commented, “It’s the first time we’ll have vessels on the pontoons, which is an exciting prospect, and it is in no small part due to the success of our last Seawork, following which we clinched several contracts.”
Depending on availability, the commercial division of Piranha Ribs will exhibit either an 8.5m cabin RIB fitted with twin 150hp outboards or a P10, which will be competing in the Round Ireland RIB Challenge later this year.
Maximizing the unique demonstration opportunities that Seawork offers, the 7.9m Cheetah Marine vessel on the pontoon will be fitted with the Optimus 360 steering system from Hypro Marine. It allows even inexperienced boaters to move a vessel forward, back or diagonally, rotate it on its own center, or even move sideways to accomplish a tricky docking manoeuvre with confidence.
In conference
This year’s CPD-certified Seawork conference will start at 10am on Tuesday, June 25 with the invaluable presentation by the Ministry of Defence on its boats procurement program for 2014.
As part of a series of papers devoted to Renewable Energy, Stuart Grant, Senior Project Manager of Navitus Bay, will give an overview of opportunities for the marine supply sector in the U.K.’s offshore wind industry. Navitus Bay, located off the Dorset and Hampshire coasts, is a 50:50 joint venture between Eneco Wind UK Ltd and EDF Energy. The proposed 1,100MW project could provide significant opportunities for local businesses in the marine sector.
Other highlights of the conference program include the launch of a revised version of the Brown Code, produced by the U.K. workboat industry and the MCA, a workshop and seminar on the final report of the CAMIS INTERREG IVa project on Port Transport and Diversification, a presentation on The Motorways of the Sea and a forum on health and safety on RIBs.
Multi-faceted industry reflected in special features
With vessels in the water, a Quayside for oversize exhibits and a 17,000 liter Dive Tank for live, underwater demonstrations, the Seawork exhibition has grown and expanded into a third hall for 2013, reflecting the diversity and vitality of the commercial marine industry.
Special features provided to help visitors navigate around the exhibition easily include the Marine Civils Trail, the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Pavilion, the Maritime Security Pavilion and the Renewable Energy Pavilion.
More than 75 companies will exhibit in Seawork’s Small Business Enterprise Zone, which is specifically designed to allow small companies and start-up operations to take advantage of the benefits an internationally significant exhibition.
The importance and ubiquity of the Rigid Inflatable Boat, first created in 1963, is commemorated with a special RIB@50 display and the established RIBwork Trail, while the commercial marine industry’s adaptability and diversity will once again be highlighted by the Innovations Showcase and Awards.
