In mid-January 2005, the IMarEST – the Institute
of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, will introduce
details of the international World Maritime Technology
Conference (WMTC 2006) being staged in London, in the
Spring of 2006 to two key groups, one in the House of
Lords; the other in the heart of the City of London.
With its theme ‘maritime innovation – delivering
global solutions’ WMTC 2006 is set to give a wake-up
call on the maritime challenges facing governments and
decision makers across the world.
The plans for this important and ambitious conference
will be explained on 18 January to the influential Parliamentary
Maritime Group in the House of Lords; and, on the following
day (19 January), the Institute will host one of the
regular Maritime London Networking lunches attended by
leading members of the capital’s maritime community.
Both events are aimed at introducing key opinion formers
to the plans for this key event being held in partnership
with 23 of the world’s leading maritime associations.
“These plans are well advanced,” explains
IMarEST’s Director General, Keith Read CBE, who
will address the Parliamentary Maritime Group on 18 January. “Designed
to promote integrated solutions to industry-wide issues
while assessing the impact on global economies now and
in the future, WMTC 2006 takes place 6-10 March at the
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster.
Throughout 2005 significant milestones will be reached.
Invitations are currently being sent to keynote speakers
whom we are eager should address the conference; the
exhibition will be launched to prospective exhibitors
early in the new year; the Call for Papers for the ten
conference streams closes at the end of March; and our
committees for the 10 streams will be hard at work in
subsequent months planning their programmes in detail.
The major launch of the conference programme is scheduled
for September 2005.”
Mr Read explains: “WMTC 2006 will draw in leading
representatives across the full range of marine disciplines
for a week of technical presentations, ideas exchange,
networking and business promotion, culminating in the
combined Conference and 103 rd IMarEST Annual Dinner
on 10 March. There’s a very busy and exciting year
ahead! We thought it important to get off to a flying
new year start with our two London-based introductions
to highly significant groups of people.”
During one week in March 2006, WMTC 2006 will feature
over 180 presentations covering ten technical streams
in six daily parallel sessions; an exhibition; innovation
sessions and a full social programme. Some of the streams
incorporate IMarEST events with long and distinguished
track records such as MAREC and
INEC; others explore
elements of marine engineering, science and technology
not yet covered in IMarEST conferences. ICMES 2006 – the
10th International Co-operation on Marine Engineering
Systems will also be an important stream in Spring 2006.
WMTC is held every three years; the first event in
the series was organised in San Francisco in October
2003 by The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
(SNAME) and attracted 1210 (787 conference delegates
and 472 exhibition visitors) and over 170 exhibiting
companies. WMTC 2006 will build on the 2003 WMTC in San
Francisco and deliver a clear message on the importance
of technology and the sea to world development and wealth
creation. It is a unique opportunity for all those engaged
in international maritime engineering, science and technology
to get together to exchange ideas and information. By
inviting IMarEST to host WMTC 2006, the WMTC International
Steering Committee has given a vote of confidence in
the Institute’s own aims and ambitions to deliver
the ‘inclusive development of marine engineering,
science and technology’ to a world wide audience.
Further information on all aspects of WMTC 2006 is
available on the event’s dedicated, and regularly
updated, website at www.wmtc2006.com
