Event: 9 th International Naval Engineering Conference and Exhibition (INEC 2008)
Dates: 1-3 April 2008
Venue: CCH, Hamburg, Germany
Organiser: The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)
Further information: www.imarest.org/events/INEC2008
The Call for Papers for the 9 th International Naval Engineering Conference and Exhibition (INEC 2008 - 1-3 April 2008, Hamburg, Germany) has been published by The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), together with news of the inaugural Sir Donald Gosling Award, a prestigious ‘first’ for the event.
“The many challenges facing our navies continue to demand ever more resourceful solutions and approaches,” explains INEC conference chairman, Captain John Newell MBE, Royal Navy. “INEC 2008, with its theme ‘Embracing the Future’ will incorporate the operation, future design, integration and support of vessels in the naval environment. It will explore the balance between evolving current practice, revolutionary or novel alternatives and practical experience.
“In particular, INEC 2008, which is aimed at commercial and military ship operators, designers and shipbuilders, classification societies, machinery and equipment manufacturers, universities and a wide range of other organisations, is looking to capitalise on the benefits from commercial experience.
“Hamburg has been chosen as the logical venue for the 2008 event as it remains one of the leading European centres for naval shipbuilding. INEC was last held there in 2000 and proved highly successful. The CCH ( Congress Center Hamburg) is a superb venue, right in the middle of the city centre – we’re looking forward to a true landmark event.”
As Dipl.-Ing. Wolfgang Bohlayer, Senior Manager Technical Proposal Management, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Surface Vessel Division explains: “The marine industries form one of the most important pillars of industry in Hamburg. Shipbuilding, engine manufacture, and mechanical engineering are all based in Hamburg and are complemented by the electronics and construction industries.
“Hamburg leads the market for building and repairing naval and commercial ships through companies such as ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, which is Germany’s largest shipbuilder, with more than 8,000 employees Europe-wide, and with its headquarters at the Blohm & Voss shipyard.”
Welcome new award
The Sir Donald Gosling Award is a very welcome introduction to INEC 2008. “We are delighted to announce The Sir Donald Gosling Award in association with INEC 2008,” says IMarEST’s Chief Executive, Keith Read CBE. “Sir Donald has long been a strong supporter of the Royal Navy and his new award, aimed at authors under the age of 40, is greatly appreciated. The Award has been restricted to entries from the under 40s to encourage involvement and attendance from younger participants from the military, industry and academia, allowing them to demonstrate a fresh and imaginative approach, together with ingenuity, in delivering a practical proposal which contributes to improved future naval operations or support.
“There will be three prizes, a first prize of £5,000; a second prize of £2,500; and a third of £1,500 – to be shared between named joint authors. Eligible winners must present their paper at the conference, where the award ceremony will take place, so they need to register their interest in being considered for the award when submitting a synopsis in answer to the Call for Papers.”
Call for Papers topics
The closing date for receipt of synopses is 6 July 2007, with the Call for Papers document available at www.imarest.org/events/INEC2008. It highlights key issues the conference will address including delivering the military effect; keeping things going; exploiting innovation; advancing design; and responding to external influences.
“Delivering the military effect’ will include such elements as capability management, operating concepts, combat systems, weapons and communications and geographical challenges,” explains John Newell. “Those submitting synopses on the theme of ‘keeping things going’ may well be looking at in-service support, life extension, technology insertion or availability management. We expect a great many authors to rise to the challenge of submitting a synopsis under the ‘exploiting innovation’ heading which encompasses emerging technologies, open architecture, autonomous vehicles, simulation and modelling, materials, propulsion and ship systems, as well as weapon technology.
“Naval architecture; platform and system integration; warships, submarines and auxiliaries, damage control and fire fighting are linked together under an ‘advancing design’ heading; while legislation; environmental issues; people and machines; education, training and skills, classification; and fuels fit under the general description of ‘responding to external influences’.”
INEC Exhibition
INEC 2008 will feature a supporting exhibition enabling companies to showcase their latest products and services. Further information aimed at exhibitors is available from Christine Davenport at IMarEST christine.davenport@imarest.org, as is information on sponsorship opportunities.
About Hamburg
Wolfgang Bohlayer provides more information on Hamburg: “With 1.7 million inhabitants, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and one of the 16 federal states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Hamburg is both a city and a state. Economically and culturally, Hamburg is also the centre of all Northern Germany. 3.5 million people live in the metropolitan region of Hamburg - for them, Hamburg is a shopping and cultural metropolis. With 755 square kilometres, the city area is seven times bigger than Paris and two and a half times bigger than London.
“ Hamburg has 2,302 bridges - more than Venice and Amsterdam combined! With over 90 consulates, Hamburg is second only to New York City in the world. The inhabitants of Hamburg are proud to have a lake right in the heart of their city and at only a short distance from the Opera, the Kunsthalle Art Museum, the City Hall and the Stock Exchange. They are convinced that they live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Whether this is true, is for visitors themselves to discover.
“As a trade centre, Hamburg has always been outward-looking, and this has shaped the mentality of the inhabitants of Hamburg. The port of Hamburg with its associated industries is the central hub for trade with Eastern and Northern Europe.
“Hamburg's industry has been, and is, tightly bound to maritime matters. The manufacturing industry originally started with the import of commodities to be processed or refined and sold on the domestic market or re-exported.”
Getting to Hamburg
In terms of passenger figures, Hamburg Airport is the fourth largest of Germany’s sixteen commercial airports. It offers a wide array of services and destinations all around the world to meet the travel needs of all air passengers. INEC delegates will be able to travel to Hamburg on long-haul flights, scheduled pan-European flights and by highly cost-effective budget airlines too. “We are eager to attract students to INEC so the budget airline route coupled with low cost accommodation packages will be of particular interest to them,” says John Newell. “The full range of accommodation options recommended by CCH will be available on the IMarEST/ INEC website shortly.”
Looking back
The 8 th INEC was one of the conference streams held at the major 10-stream 2006 World Maritime Technology Conference (WMTC) organised by IMarEST. The proceedings are an integral part of the WMTC post-event CD ROM available from IMarEST at £ 85.00 from publications@imarest.org. Previous events in the INEC series have been held in Amsterdam and Glasgow, as well as London and Hamburg.
