POSIDONIA PRAISED AS SHIPPING’S PREMIER EVENT
11/6/2004

The largest and most publicised Posidonia Exhibition in the show’s 35-year history closed today, marking an end to a week-long marathon schedule of meetings and networking events for the world’s shipping and maritime industry.

Against a backdrop of commercial deals, corporate announcements and high profile visits, Posidonia organizers have already started planning the next event to be held at the familiar waterfront venue of the Piraeus Port Authority Exhibition Centre, between 5-9 June, 2006.

"Even before this year’s event gates closed, many of the record 23 national pavilion representatives have confirmed their intention to participate in Posidonia 2006 with bigger stands to accommodate rising demand," said Nana Michael, Managing Director of Posidonia Exhibitions, the biennial event’s organizer.

"We have already received confirmed provisional bookings for bigger pavilions from Korea, with the country’s Marine Equipment Association (KOMEA) requesting an extra 100 square metres for the 2006 event. Others who have already applied for participation in the next event include Japan, Hong Kong, France, Finland, the Netherlands, as well as the Turkish Chamber of Shipping, Spanish and Italian ship yards and a host of other exhibitors, from Rolls Royce to the Indian Register of Shipping.

"Our sales department is being inundated with verbal and written participation requests for the 2006 event by the majority of this year’s exhibitors. Chinese companies have also stated that they will reserve more square metres for the next event."

Exhibitors expressed their satisfaction for the success of this year’s event which attracted nearly 20,000 visitors from every aspect of the shipping industry, from ship owners and ship brokers, to ship builders, equipment and machinery manufacturers and services providers, and from lawyers to insurers.

Lefteris Karaminas, Marine Business Manager, East Mediterranean & Black Sea, Lloyd’s Register, said: “We were extremely pleased to welcome our Greek and international clients at Posidonia, an event which gives us the opportunity to cement our relationships with the industry and discuss topical issues of our sector. Posidonia is a key networking forum as it attracts the most influential players of the international shipping industry.”

Asian and European maritime industry representatives praised Posidonia for the event’s dynamism and ability to seamlessly group together an immensely diverse portfolio of shipping and related industries.

"A lot of our clients are from Greece and Posidonia is an excellent forum for us to meet and greet them. Our international client base is also present here making Posidonia an indispensable part of our promotional activities schedule," said Mr Oh-Yoon Kwon, Senior Manager, KOSHIPA, Korea’s Shipbuilders’ Association.

Richard Sayer, Chairman, Maritime London, said: "Posidonia is an immensely important shipping industry exhibition as it brings together thousands of Greek and international players. It’s a meeting ground of great value to participants who have the chance to meet major Greek ship owners and operators. I believe that this year’s show is the most successful since its launch 35 years ago as the shipping market has reached unprecedented profitability levels."

Posidonia 2004 also received the thumbs up by foreign state representatives and shipping associations from around the world, who were present at the high profile event.

Turkey’s Minister of Transport, Mr Binali Yildirim, said: “Posidonia is a very well known maritime exhibition and our Turkish ship owners and shipping industry officials were, are and will be interested to be a part of it. It has a great atmosphere as people from 80 nationalities from all over the world come together every two years to discuss cooperation in the maritime sector.”

Rear Admiral Lui Tuck Yew, Chief Executive, Maritime and Port Authority, Singapore, said: "Greece is a very large ship owning community and this forum gives us the opportunity to promote Singapore’s maritime capabilities."

The 200-strong Greek and international Press contingent, which was registered for the show, was also appreciative of the Greek Prime Minister’s visit during the show’s official opening ceremony. In his speech, Costas Karamanlis paid tribute to the hard working Greek ship owners and seafarers for their contribution to the establishment of the Greek-owned fleet as the largest in the world.

More than 1,650 exhibitors from 74 countries participated in the 19th edition of Posidonia. Posidonia, the International Shipping Exhibition 2004 was sponsored by: The Greek Ministry of Mercantile Marine, the Greek Ministry of the Aegean, the Municipality of Piraeus, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Union of Greek Shipowners, the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee, the Union of Shipowners of Mediterranean Cargo Vessels, the Greek Association of Passenger Ship Companies and the Union of Coastal Passengership Owners.


Posidonia Exhibitions SA