Posidonia 2008

Posidonia, the world’s most prestigious shipping exhibition, has set another milestone in its 40 year-long history by registering the highest number of participating countries than any other international maritime event for its 21st edition, to be held in Athens next June.

In addition to an increase from participating companies from established maritime nations, companies from the Central American Republic of Honduras, Iceland, Luxemburg and Mongolia are making their Posidonia debut this year further increasing the total number of participating countries to almost 80, setting a new show record and reiterating the event’s status as the world’s most international shipping trade fair.

And this year’s event is also inching closer to yet another landmark for the most national pavilions ever fielded at Posidonia with Romania, Argentina, Sweden and Honduras bringing the total number of national pavilions to 22, confirming the event’s truly global appeal and increasing commercial credentials as the ultimate business-making forum for the world’s shipping community.

Floor exhibition space has grown in line with stronger exhibitor demand with a total of 27,500 square metres reserved for Posidonia 2008, the biggest in the biennial event’s history.

“The world’s shipping industry is nearing a peak of a cycle that has been propelled by exponential economic growth and energy demand in key emerging markets and an investment spree of Greek shipowners who have committed some US$ 50 billion in various fleet renewal projects,” said Nana Michael, Managing Director, Posidonia S.A. the exhibition’s organisers.

“The credit crunch in the USA has had little effect on an industry that draws its strength from the booming BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India & China) and far eastern and Asian markets where the bulk of shipbuilding activity is concentrated,” she said.

Looking eastwards, Posidonia 2008 has already confirmed the strongest exhibitor participation from Asia and the Far East than any other major trade shipping event held in Europe or North America, testimony to the show’s unique positioning as the world’s most sought-after maritime forum.

Participation from Asian exhibitors for this year’s edition has grown in accordance with the region’s increasing wealth.

Over 300 Asian exhibitors have confirmed their presence at the Athens International Exhibition Centre this summer, nearly three times the number that attended the 2000 event. A third of them will come from China and 62 from Japan, with Singapore and Korea together accounting for 50% of Asia's total Posidonia 2008 exhibitor participation.

“We are also unique because the major shipbuilders from Asia deploy standalone pavilions on the Posidonia floor as opposed to their policy of joining their respective national pavilion in the other major international shows,” said Michael.

Traditional Posidonia independent participants Tsuneishi and Cosco will this year be joined by Korea’s STX with its own standalone pavilion as Asia’s shipbuilding sector flexes its muscles in its bid to impress the burgeoning spending power of the Greek shipping powerhouses, which control the world’s biggest tanker fleet and almost a fifth of the overall industry’s dwt.

“For Asian shipbuilders, Posidonia is a must-attend biennial calendar event where they network with decision-makers of the Greek shipping community, who control the world’s biggest newbuilding orderbook, standing at the end of March at over 1,050 vessels of some 75 million dwt.

“Currently, availability in Asian berths is scarce and the majority of the orderbook is slated for delivery post 2010, but this doesn’t mean that newbuilding orders will wane. Strong global economic indicators could fuel further demand for shipping services and a new growth cycle could lurk just around the corner,” said Michael.

“You simply can’t afford to stay still if you are in the shipping business and Posidonia’s shipping industry agenda-setting platform always serves its exhibitors and visitors as the perfect deal-making and network-building set up that matches buyers’ needs with suppliers’ products and services portfolios. Posidonia reflects in a unique fashion the mood and achievements of this great industry.”   

Posidonia 2008 is sponsored by the Ministry of Mercantile Marine, The Aegean and Island Policy, the Municipality of Piraeus, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Union of Greek Shipowners, the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee, the Mediterranean Cargo Vessels Shipowners Union, the Association of Greek Coastal Shipping Companies and the Association of Greek Passenger Shipping Companies.

Source: Transportweekly