Advancing maritime leadership

Europort, organised in the Netherlands port city of Rotterdam, will again be the meeting place for the international maritime industry.

Ship efficiency is a key Europort theme this year, with a number of features added to the programme to stimulate debate about this vital issue for ship owners and operators against the backdrop of extreme fuel price volatility.

On the 4th of November the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) will host the Energy Efficient Ships 2015 conference.

Other innovations this year include the Europort Masterclasses - an initiative of Europort organiser Ahoy Rotterdam - and Netherlands Maritime Technology. The Masterclasses include one focusing specifically on ‘Leadership through efficiency’, while the morning session on November 5th addresses Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) and ways to achieve zero down time, highlighting the newest concepts in the CBM field. There will also be a Masterclass on fuel strategies, offering insight into global marine fuel trends and options for retrofitting existing vessels.

Improved vessel operating efficiency will also be a key topic on the exhibition floor, where more than 1100 companies will showcase new services and technical concepts intended to optimise the way ships operate and perform. Raymond Siliakus, exhibition manager Europort, says: “All of the leading industry names will be present, and visiting the exhibition is a sure way to find out about new solutions that will improve efficiency and the bottom line for ship owners and operators. A visit to Europort is certain to increase awareness of key industry trends and technical challenges and give companies the tools they need to compete more effectively, given rapidly changing market fundamentals.“

Europort has a strong focus on innovative technology and complex shipbuilding covering offshore, dredging, navy, fishery, construction vessels, workboats, inland navigation and superyachts. Exhibitors are involved in shipbuilding, repair & conversion, propulsion & manoeuvring, electronics, communication & navigation, mechanical & auxiliary systems, deck, safety & special equipment and maritime services.

1,100 exhibitors from 40 countries will present their innovative technology against the background of one of the most versatile maritime clusters in the world. Europort 2015 will include many high level conferences, masterclasses, matchmaking sessions, cruise and awards gala parties, trade delegations and numerous networking gatherings. It is a must attend event for ship owners, shipyard managers, ship designers, superintendants, fleet managers, ship brokers, technical engineers, naval architects and all other maritime professionals that are involved in shipbuilding, repair or conversion.

CONFERENCES:

MARE FORUM SHIPFINANCE 2015

The 15th Mare Forum Shipfinance 2015 “Ship owners versus Capital Providers” on Monday 2nd November at the Hilton Hotel Rotterdam, preceding Europort 2015 from November 3 to 6, will once again gather an impressive number of leading Dutch and international ship owners, capital providers and other members of the international maritime community to network and to take an active part in discussing and learning about all contemporary and urgent themes in ship-finance and ship-investments.

High level speakers, session chairmen, discussion panellists and audience will contribute to a day packed with knowledge transfer, exchange of visions, experience and stimulating discussions. The openly approach of this type of Mare Forum conferences produce a wonderful environment for brainstorming, sharing and improving knowledge and intelligence.

BRAZIL NETWORK DAY

New to the Europort programme is the Brazil Network Day (BND). The 9th edition of this event will take place at the opening-day of Europort 2015.

Organized twice a year since 2011, BND is a proactive initiative of the Embassy of Brazil in The Hague. BND Rotterdam will be organized in cooperation with Rotterdam Partners, Ahoy and in partnership with KPMG, Baker McKenzie, Intertrust, NeoGrid and KLM.

Aiming networking and updating companies doing (or prospecting) business opportunities in Brazil, BND Rotterdam will count on the participation of a large Brazilian trade delegation coming from Rio de Janeiro State to visit Europort 2015.

ENERGY EFFICIENT SHIPS 2015 CONFERENCE

Also new to the programme is the Energy Efficient Ships 2015 conference, organised by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) on the 4th of November.

International regulation and fierce global competition means that the maritime industry must design, build and operate more energy efficient ships. A ships energy-efficiency rating is increasing becoming an important factor in the charters decision making process.

A wide range of options are available to improve vessel efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions. This international conference, seeks to provide information on some of these options and to explore the key issues and themes that are relevant to designers, builders, owners and operators seeking to increase energy efficiency within the maritime sector. The conference will take place in the Conference Room of Congress & Meeting Centre in Ahoy Rotterdam.

CEDA DREDGING DAYS

CEDA Dredging Days is CEDA's trademark event and it is the primary international dredging conference in the CEDA region since many years. It is widely considered as an invaluable forum for leading researchers and industry experts to discuss and share dredging challenges, solutions and experiences.

The 2015 conference will focus on innovative dredging solutions for ports and it will present the latest technical and scientific developments. In addition, CEDA Dredging Days 2015 will cover best practice relating to maintenance and capital dredging in ports and access channels and the management of sediments including the sediment balance of the broader port environment. The conference will take place on 5 and 6 November in the Conference Room of the Congress & Meeting Centre in Ahoy Rotterdam.

Europort is supported by KVNR, Sea Europe, IRO and Netherlands Maritime Technology.