Industry joins students to quiz experts at Workboats

Middle East Workboats 2011, the region's leading event for workboat operators, builders and equipment suppliers, has announced that its inaugural student question time has been extended to include industry participants and renamed Industry Question Time.

Industry Question Time will take place on the last morning of Middle East Workboats which takes place from 3-5 October 2011 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

"We have been pleasantly surprised by the immense amount of interest in this unique event and we have received an unprecedented number of requests to attend the session. We have therefore decided to open it up to the industry at large, giving both visitors and delegates the opportunity to participate in what we hope will be a lively and stimulating debate,” said Emma Hamilton, Middle East Marketing Manager at Seatrade, organisers of Middle East Workboats.

“Our student participants are still an integral part of the session, and there is a clear focus on ensuring that the next generation of maritime professionals will have the chance to quiz the expert panel about topical issues facing the industry today,” she added.

The session will open with a short presentation by Gary Dockerty, Executive General Manager – Middle East & Africa, P&O Maritime Services, who will chair the lively panel discussion before opening up the floor to questions.

A selection of newsworthy topics has been pre-selected by the panel of five industry experts as a starting point for discussion, and covers sustainable business models, piracy and seaborne terrorism, risk management and the legal ramifications of corporate responsibility, with organisers accepting questions in advance of the debate.

“The objective of this session is twofold: for audience members to ‘challenge the industry to challenge themselves’ and ask insightful questions designed to stimulate panel debate, as well as to provide newcomers with a window on the industry they have chosen to be a part of,” remarked Hamilton.

Members of the audience who pose the most interesting or challenging questions will be invited to meet and network with the panel and exhibitors over lunch.

The confirmed panel line-up represents a cross-section of industry expertise, and includes Rashid Ali Al Qahtani, Chief Operating Officer - DP World UAE region; Robert G. Allan, Executive Chairman of the Board, Robert Allan Limited; Bo Damsgaard, Head of Marine Service, Maersk Oil Qatar AS; Roy Donaldson, Chief Operating Officer, Topaz Energy & Marine; and Jasamin Fichte, Managing Partner, Fichte Legal Consultants.

In addition, a specially commissioned one-of-a-kind scaled replica vessel made entirely out of 20,000 LEGO bricks is due to be finished at the end of Industry Question Time. The LEGO model is a replica of The Flying Angel vessel and will be auctioned at a later date to raise funds for the UAE-registered Angel Appeal.

Designed and built by international Lego master Duncan Titmarsh, the 1.5-metre long boat, which weighs 32 kilos has already been partially assembled and shipped to Abu Dhabi.    

The Angel Appeal operates the Flying Angel, the first purpose-built seafarers support vessel in the world. Launched in 2007 as part of an initiative spearheaded by The Mission to Seafarers to bring the thousands of seafarers that pass through UAE waters every year a taste of home, the Fujairah-moored vessel offers passing sailors a place to read a newspaper, enjoy a book from the onboard library, call home or send an email to family and loved ones. Over 80,000 seafarers have benefited from her services in the last five years.

Middle East Workboats 2011 is a three-day international exhibition and conference, with technical seminars, panel debates and round table discussions. It plays a crucial role bringing together suppliers and boat-builders as well as providing a forum for a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders. The conference programme also features leading maritime figures from around the world, who will address the issues and opportunities facing the industry.