Singapore – Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2010 set another record when it ended on 26 March at the Singapore Expo – attendance registered a 39 per cent growth to 9,821 visitors compared to the previous show in 2008.
This came on top of a 25 per cent expansion in show size and 12 per cent rise in participating companies with 12 national pavilions compared to 10 in the last edition.
As a show of confidence in the event, 70 per cent of the 938 exhibiting companies had booked space for the next event in 2012.
Reflecting its increasing importance as a truly comprehensive maritime event for the region, some 73 per cent of the participating companies came from overseas to showcase their latest products and services as well as technologies and systems for shipbuilding, shipping services and port operations.
Amongst many satisfied maritime partners and exhibitors was Kim Koldskov, Sales Director of SPX Flow Technology Denmark, “We had a turnout of visitors far more than expected. We had great success not only getting high number of people but also the right people from local and also foreign marine segments”.
“We had an order for 75 screens for a specialized type of vessel, and may get another order for 2 more ships,” said Julie Lightfoot, Managing Director of Solar Solve, UK.
One of APM 2010’s single largest exhibitor was Shandong-based Weichai Power, which used APM as the platform to announce the launch of its multi-million dollar headquarters and showroom in Singapore. The showroom will also become its R&D, inventory, customer service and sales centre in South East Asia.
Delegates to the event had the opportunity to gain insightful perspectives from key maritime professionals and participants at APM 2010’s opening keynote and went away more informed and updated on the region’s current state of the shipping market. Keynote speaker Hennie van Schoor, Maersk Line’s Director of Business Performance for Asia-Pacific, described liner shipping today as “an industry balanced on a knife edge” and pointed out that there was every probability that a year from now, we could still be looking for a genuine recovery and fretting over massive excess capacity. Mr Van Schoor also shared his company’s strategy in increasing efficiencies for cost-savings in preparing for future challenges.
With a suite of conferences and seminars, APM 2010 provided a comprehensive learning platform for delegates and participants to enrich themselves in important areas such as ship financing, maritime law, green shipping as well as technical focus on tanker shipping & trade, marine electronics & communications and marine propulsion & auxiliary machinery.
Michelle Lim, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions commented, “We are very encouraged by APM 2010’s impressive performance, breaking new grounds on all fronts: visitorship, expansion in show size and stronger international representation. With strong enthusiasm and support from the region’s maritime community, more than 70 per cent of the exhibition space for APM 2012 has been taken up. We will continue to garner the industry’s support in making APM the essential gateway and a must-attend maritime event for the region.”
“There is positive development in APM, which has grown in 25 per cent in size. We have a very good experience and we look forward to APM 2012 in a new venue” said Mr. Hauke Viktor Schlegel, Managing Director, VDMA – German Engineering Federation Marine and Offshore Equipment Industries.
The 12th edition of Asia Pacific Maritime is scheduled to be held at the new Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands on 14 to 16 March 2012, Singapore.
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