First ever Indian Maritime Conference in London

The Indian Maritime Association (IMA), the Indian National Shipowners Association (INSA) and the Indian Ministry of Shipping are jointly supporting the first 'Indian Shipping: Opportunities and Issues in the New Millennium' Conference to be held at The Dorchester Hotel in London, UK, on 28/29 May 2001.

The aim of the conference is to promote the Indian maritime sector and provide a forum where the Indian and international shipping communities can come together to discuss key issues. These will range from Policy Issues, Privatisation & Liberalisation, the Future Infrastructure, the Foreign Investor Perspective on India, World Trade & Economic Factors, Bulk, Liner & LNG Shipping, Offshore Industry, Finance, Shipbuilding, Ports - Private & Public, and Manning & Training.

Mr Ravi Mehrotra, Chairman, Foresight Limited, London, and one of the speakers at the key Opening Session on Day 1, 'National and International Shipping Policy Issues' said:

"If India is aiming for GDP growth of 8% every year, its world trade has to double. India cannot achieve this unless it has vibrant merchant shipping at least three times its current size. Recent history proves that. All countries that, in the last 30 years, have accelerated their growth to this magnitude had to follow this route, for example, Japan, South Korea and now China. All three have large merchant shipping fleets."

The conference will deal with these core issues.

The conference will provide a real insight into the socio-economic, geo-political, policy and industry issues that will impact on this major shipping region as well as the shipping industry as a whole. It will attempt to assess whether Indian shipping can achieve this explosive growth and how realistically India, as a region, is on target to reach its stated economic goals.

The response to the conference, both in India and the wider maritime industry, has been overwhelming as can be seen by the list of confirmed speakers. These include Mr Arun Jaitley, Minister, Law, Justice & Company Affairs and Shipping; Mr M P Pinto, Secretary of State for Shipping; Mr D T Joseph, DG Indian Shipping; Mr P R Srivastava, Chairman and MD Shipping Corporation of India; Mr Sudhir Muiji, President INSA and Deputy Chairman, GESCO; Mr. Sanjay Mehta, CEO and MD, Essar Shipping; Rear Adm R K Whig, Cochin Shipyard Ltd, and Captain Jimmy Sarbh, Regional Director, P&O Ports; ensuring that this will be the most powerful Indian maritime delegation ever to gather outside India.

Mr. Keki Engineer, Chairman, Indian Maritime Association (UK) says:

"The aim of the IMA has always been to promote the Indian maritime industry through discussion and dissemination of information throughout the global shipping industry. This unique forum does that precisely."

Mr. Deep Singh, Conference Director and Organiser added:

"This conference reflects a key change in outlook for the Indian maritime industry. It is now reaching out, ready to build on existing relationships, create new ones and play an active role in this most international of businesses."


Major speakers from key international maritime organisations and shipping companies include Mr Willem de Ruiter, Head Shipping Division, EU; Mr Peter Faust, Head Trade Logistics, UNCTAD; Mr Pierre Latrille, World Trade Organisation; Mr Keki Engineer, Chairman of IMA; Mr Nicolas Saverys, Managing Director, Exmar BV; Mr Jeffrey T Griffin, VP, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC - USA); Mr George Tsavliris, Tsavliris Shipping; Mr Tomas Dyrbye, Managing Director, Maersk Sealand (India), and Mr Michael Everard, Managing Director, FT Everard, and President designate, BIMCO.

Mr. Willem de Ruiter, Head of Shipping Division, EC, said when accepting an invitation to be a keynote speaker:

"This will be a major International Shipping Event in 2001."

Delegates are already registered from Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Middle East, Scandinavia, Holland, UK and the USA.

Confirmed sponsors include Samsara Shipping, Cochin Shipyard, Barber International, J B Boda, Shipping Corporation of India, Steamship Mutual, Univan, P&O Ports, Foresight Ltd, Lloyd's Register, Bell Shipping, Multiport Agencies and Headway Recruitment.