The end of February saw Hong Kong host the China Maritime 2012 exhibition and conference. As in previous years, the 2012 event was an opportunity for maritime industry entities from around the world, particularly from the Asia-Pacific region, to share ideas with each other up-front and to showcase the best of what each has to offer.
The conference provided visitors and exhibitors a sample of the current makeup of the worldwide maritime industry, from shipbuilders to component distributors, from manning agencies to security providers. The conference also addressed pressing issues with regard to each of these components of the industry and to the industry itself as a whole.
The conference was not my first exposure to the maritime industry but it was the first maritime conference I attended wherein the majority of the participants came from all over the world. As an outsider with the barest of knowledge regarding the maritime industry, it was an interesting way of gaining more knowledge. I learned that a host of issues are associated with the worldwide maritime industry, and that being updated on such issues was a key element in achieving one's objective in the use of the sea lanes, whether it's for transporting goods and passengers between neighbouring countries, or protecting territorial waters from unwanted intrusion.
The Philippine maritime industry has benefited greatly from this and other similar conventions because not only was it granted the opportunity to promote its contributions to the worldwide maritime industry all at once, but it has learned – and continues to learn – from other participating countries ideas on how to preserve and enhance its standing as an industry. The Philippines' contributions to the international maritime sector are noteworthy, most especially its providing roughly a third of crews qualified to serve on commercial vessels, its extensive coastal areas affording ample space for yards and harbours thus making the country the fourth-largest shipbuilder in the world, and the proven ability of Filipinos to adapt to evolving situations. The Philippines' desire to be recognised as a player in international relations – politically and economically – is evidenced by the country's maritime industry, particularly the measures that are being implemented to ensure its continued growth.
While the Philippines is still far from achieving the status of international maritime industry giants like China and South Korea, it is nonetheless recognised for its significant contributions in ensuring the existence and the expansion of the entire international maritime industry. One proof of this is the large number of participants from other countries who visited the Philippine Maritime League booth during China Maritime 2012. Most were simply curious as to what the Philippines had to offer as far as the maritime industry was concerned but some have openly expressed their interest in doing more business with potential partners in the Philippines.
The Maritime League was fortunate to have representatives of some of these Philippine-based maritime companies on hand to answer questions from other participants and hopefully establish working rapports that will be beneficial for all parties involved. The League may not have had much in the way of reference materials, product samples, or visual aids, but the technical know-how brought to the conference by the Filipino exhibitors more than made up for the lack in presentation. These men and women were instrumental in making the other participants more aware of the Philippine maritime industry and its continued role in forming and strengthening international relations.
Furthering the cause of the Philippines was Congressman Roger Mercado, who attended in his capacity as chairman of the Committee on Transportation of the country's House of Representatives. His presentation, entitled "The Philippines – A Sea of Maritime Opportunity", was well received by other conference participants because it provided a detailed description of the country's strengths as a maritime industry player and how such strengths may benefit even other countries.
The participation of the Philippines and other countries in China Maritime 2012 would not have been possible without Baird Maritime's continued efforts to organise this and similar events in line with their advocacy of the regional and global maritime industries, with special emphases on the issues of safety, development, security, and environmental protection. I am fortunate to have had a role in China Maritime 2012 although my participation was limited since I did not possess the same familiarity with the industry as the others in our delegation. One, however, need not be fully involved in maritime-related issues to appreciate the significant contributions made by this sector to global development.
Nelson E Dela Cruz
