WMTC 2012 will welcome the marine, maritime and offshore communities to St Petersburg
“There is no doubt that we need support from around the world,” said Vladimir L Alexandrov, President, Science & Technology Society of Shipbuilders of the Russian Federation (NTOS named after A.N. Krylov) explaining why Russia looks forward to hosting the World Maritime Technology Conference (WMTC 2012) in St Petersburg from 29 May – 1 June 2012.
“We have been preparing for the past two years for WMTC 2012 and look forward to welcoming the marine, maritime and offshore communities to St Petersburg. We have very positive views about the support available from shipbuilders and marine engineers from all over the world.”
With its theme ‘Uniting Ideas for a Global Future’ WMTC 2012 is supported by 25 key maritime organisations from around the world including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, UK and USA. Endorsed by Igor Sechin, Vice-Premier of the Russian Federation and Chairman of both the United Shipbuilding Corporation and Rosneft, and six ministries of the Russian Federation, it is set to attract all sectors of the global shipbuilding; marine science, technology and engineering; offshore oil and gas; maritime defence; ports and harbours and marine renewable energy industries.
Hosted by NTOS and organised in partnership with Reed Exhibitions’ Energy and Marine Group, this is the fourth in the triennial WMTC series. Previous events have been held in San Francisco (2003), London (2006) and Mumbai (2009).
Russia eager to adopt technological advances
“During the last few years, the government of the Russian Federation has done a great job,” Vladimir Alexandrov, who chairs the WMTC 2012 Executive Committee, explained. “In June 2010 the Prime-Minister of the Russian Federation outlined key questions relating to the challenges of modernising shipbuilding, coupled with detailed discussion relating to both the long and the short term. This resulted in estimated data and transportation requirements in Russia being determined – for the transportation of oil and gas in the Arctic corridors, north, south east and west; and for transportation by rivers and eternal seas.
“We are lagging behind in terms of commercial shipping and ship building and need to develop new approaches, new engines and new machinery, new sources of power and more advanced and safer systems; and to pay particular attention to processing carbon.
“We also understand the importance of cost efficiency and reasonable pricing for ships,” he explained. “Much has been done in this direction. However, there is no doubt we have to attach great attention to machinery for shipbuilding, shipbuilding assets and building facilities. Russian shipbuilding is lagging behind technologically. Many of our current ships were built in what were until recently naval shipyards, so the workshops and corresponding equipment and organisation of production is oriented to naval vessels.
“Transforming these for building commercial vessels is a very serious issue needing significant restructuring, with the government making the necessary decision to build number of new shipbuilding complexes,” he adds. “There is great commitment from the Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation and all relevant research institutes to this vital industry. All are eager to see, and are dedicated to help, the necessary technological development programme for the industry – machinery, radio, electronics, weaponry and improving the organisation of shipbuilding. We already buy equipment from machinery suppliers and shipyards in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, South Korea and Japan. WMTC will enable us to form relationships with a growing number of countries and organisations. We look forward to welcoming you to St Petersburg in Spring 2012.
“WMTC will also be an event that will further inspire our young people. They are our great asset. As well as marine technology universities we have made very positive changes within our technical institutes which look at design and implementation of course curricula and we are eager to encourage our young people to join the shipbuilding sector.”
Positive opportunities for exhibitors
“The Russian market, in particular the development of Arctic offshore sites, represents a major market opportunity for companies that supply to the offshore oil and gas industry, the ship supply and shipbuilding industries, or who want to sell into related government groups, in particular the Russian Federation,” explains Event Manager, James Coleman of Reed Exhibitions.
“WMTC is endorsed by six Russian Federation ministries – the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources. The very open and positive view of our hosts is proving invaluable when promoting the show to prospective exhibitors around the world.
“The conference streams provide a strong indication of the areas from which exhibitors are coming – shipbuilding and shipping; naval engineering; operational oceanography; marine environment; offshore oil and gas; marine engineering systems; and underwater vehicles. Conference delegates and visitors will come from national and international oil and gas companies; suppliers of oilfield services, offshore contracting, surveying, and offshore product and storage; naval and commercial shipyards; marine engineering organisations and companies; fleet operators; offshore support companies; and commercial ports and harbours.”
Strong support from the Executive Committee
“The WMTC 2012 Executive Committee membership list reads as a “who’s who” of Russian shipbuilding and acts as proof positive, if that was needed, of the strong support being given to this exciting event,” explained James Coleman:
- Chairman: Vladimir L. Alexandrov, President, Science & Technology, Society of Shipbuilders of the Russian Federation (NTOS named after academician A.N. Krylov),
- Vice-Chairman: Kirill V. Rozhdestvenskiy, Vice-Rector, Saint Petersburg State Marine Technical University, Vice President, NTOS
- Valentin M. Pashin, Director General and Scientific Head, Federal Scientific Centre ‘Central Shipbuilding Research Institute’ named after acadamician A.N. Krylov. Academician RAS
- Vladimir D. Gorbach, Director General, Center for Shipbuilding & Shiprepairing Technology
- Nikolay M. Vikhrov, Director General, Kanonersky Shiprepairing Yard
- Vladimir Yu. Dorofeev, Chief Engineer, 1st Deputy Director General, Design Bureau “MALAKHIT”
- Igor V. Vilnit, Chief Engineer, Design Bureau “RUBIN”
- Andrey B. Fomichev, Head, Shipbuilding Assets, United Industrial Corporation, Director General of Severnaya Verf & Baltiyskiy Shipyards
- Georgy A. Poryadin, Chairman of the Board, Vyborgskiy Shipbuilding Yard
- Sergey P. Alexeev, Chief, Hydrographic & Navigation Institute of the Navy
- Alexandre V. Shlyakhtenko, Director General, ALMAZ Marine Design Bureau
- Victor N. Ilyukhin, Deputy Chief, Institute of the Navy for Search & Rescue Operations
- Anatoliy Sagalevich, Head, Department, Shirshov Institute of Oceanography, Head MIR Submersibles Expeditions
- Vladimir G. Peshekhonov, Director General, Central Research Institute “ELECTROPRIBOR”
- Konstantin Yu. Shilov, Director General, AVRORA Science & Production Amalgamation
- Adam A. Rimashevskiy, Chief, Naval Academy, St Petersburg, Vice-Admiral
- Vladimir I. Spiridopulo, Director General, Severnoye Design Bureau
- Valeriy L. Mikheev, Rector, Makarov State Maritime Academy
- Alexander S. Orischenko, Director General Central Research Institute “PROMETEY”
- Alan Grant, Former Chairman of Maersk UK and now Non-Executive Director of Raffles Energy Pte Ltd
- Jesper Kjaedegaard, Non-Executive Director of the Stobart Group Limited and President of the British Chamber of Shipping and Chairman of Maritime UK
- Professor Ralph Rayner, Professorial Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and Sector Director, Energy and Environment for the BMT Group
- Evgeny S. Komrakov, Director General, KRONSTADT Ltd
Professor Konstantin P. Borisenko Rector, Saint Petersburg State Marine Technical University
Source: World Maritime Techology