"Biggest, best Asian Shipping and Work Boat yet!"

The above words were used by Baird Events Chairman, Neil Baird, to describe the recently concluded Asian Shipping and Work Boat exhibition in Singapore.

"We attracted 21 per cent more exhibitors than at the previous event in 2005," Mr. Baird explained. "We also saw a notable improvement in the quality of an already high-quality list of visitors.

"It was very encouraging that a significantly higher proportion of visitors came from outside Singapore. If they took the trouble to fly to Singapore and pay for accommodation, it was a strong indication that the majority of the visitors were very serious about the event."

Mr. Baird explained that while final attendance figures were yet to be de-duplicated and finally compiled, early samples were very impressive.

"In previous years about 33 per cent of visitors have been owners and operators of vessels. We expect that percentage to be comfortably higher in 2007.

"Certainly, our exhibitors were generally very satisfied with the quality and quantity of the visitors," Mr. Baird said. "Already, more than 50 per cent of the available space for the Asian Shipping and Work Boat 2009 has been reserved."

Asian Shipping and Work Boat 2007 also hosted four industry forums:

• The World Shipbuilding Forum.

• SEA-PAX – Passenger Vessel Forum.

• PARC – Patrol, Assault and Rescue Craft Forum.

• OSV – Offshore Service Vessel Forum.

All were well attended by very serious participants in the sectors concerned. They inspired considerable, very useful discussion.

In addition there were a series of highly focused Product Presentation Seminars and all the usual networking opportunities for which Baird Events is renowned. They included the usual cocktail reception, lunches and coffee breaks.

ASWB 2007 launched with a bang

A traditional Chinese lion dance with all its colour, noise and vibrancy set the tone at the opening of the 2007 Asian Shipping and Work Boat at Suntec in Singapore.

Performing the opening ceremony was BG Tay Lim Heng, the Chief Executive of Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority, which governs all maritime activity in and around Singapore.

BG Tay and Neil Baird were joined at the opening ceremony by a number of maritime dignitaries from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, the Netherlands and beyond.

BG Tay and the party of dignitaries were then taken on a tour of the exhibition guided by event manager Kishore Navani, accompanied by characters from Chinese mythology.

Baird Online unveiled to acclaim

Leading lights from the global maritime industry got "hands-on" with Baird Online following its launching at Asian Shipping and Work Boat in Singapore on February 7.

There were many positive comments as they came to understand the breadth and depth of this international maritime industry web portal, which will rapidly continue to expand over the near future.

Most were amazed at the amount of information about the marine world either already accessible or set to launch in a very short time from then. They were even more impressed that practically all this information is available free-of-charge.

Leading Singaporean marine industry stalwart, Mr. Richard Lim, a former shipbuilder and now broker, performed the unveiling of the new online service.

Neil Baird described Mr. Lim as, "the driving force behind the development of Baird Online. He nagged me for about six years to launch this new and important venture.

"I'm now delighted that he did so. Developing Baird Online has involved a lot of work and investment, but now that it is up and running, I can see it was all worth while. It has made an enormous repository of maritime knowledge readily available."

Biggest, best Asian Shipping and Work Boat yet wraps up

  

  

Singapore's Asian Shipping and Work Boat 2007 closed on a high note. Exhibits, forums, product presentation seminars and visitors all saw a significant improvement in quality over previous events.

Almost every exhibitor expressed complete satisfaction with the quality and quantity of the visitors. So much so, in fact, that already more than 50 per cent of the available space has been sold for the next event in February 2009.

"We were particularly gratified by the trend towards a higher proportion of really serious visitors from well beyond Singapore. We continually strive to improve the quality of both our exhibits and our visitors," Mr. Baird said. "I am delighted at the success we have achieved this year in both respects."

The next Asian Shipping and Work Boat will be held from February 24 – 26, 2009, at the same venue, Hall 401 of Suntec Singapore.