KR Webzine Vol.117

The 4th KORMARINE conference was held at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO) from the 25-27 October 2017. The conference was held in conjunction with KORMARINE 2017 trade show which celebrated its 20th edition this year and was widely praised by attendees and industry professionals, confirming its status as the most representative maritime conference in Korea.

A total of 33 speakers from 13 countries including Greece, Spain and Germany contributed to the two day event through presentations on subjects such as ‘Markets and Forecasts’, ‘Green Technology’ and ‘Ship Finance and Business Creation Opportunities with New Partners’.   

The conference gave 1,000 attendees from both industry and academia the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the shipbuilding and wider maritime sector. Some notable speakers included Dr Barrie Stevens, Senior Advisor, The Ocean Economy Programme at The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Dr Tony Michell, Managing Director, Korea Associates Business Consultancy (KABC). Dr Stevens discussed his research results regarding the competence of the Korean shipbuilding industry to lead “the era of ocean economy”. Dr Michell suggested solutions to overcome the economic difficulties of Korea by observing it in relation to the wider international economy.

The KORMARINE Conference is not only an academic forum but also provides business opportunities as it is held along with ‘KOMARINE 2017’ a trade show which aims to contribute towards business development and the broader industry. One Spanish shipowner announced that it planned to sign a contract with a Korean shipyard to place an order on LNG fuelled-ship to transport LPG,  POSCO also stated that it was going to award a newbuilding contract for an LNG fuelled ship of 200,000 tonnes.

In the years to come, the KORMARINE Conference intends to play a trusted role as a think-tank, contributing to the development of the shipbuilding and marine industry by suggesting solutions to the challenging economic environment ahead.

KR also attended KORMARINE 2017 throughout the four day show from 24 to 27 October attracting significant interest from attendees for its innovative insights, services and technology. KR introduced its solutions to address some of the challenges of the 4th industrial revolution including virtual reality experiences, developed as part of the ship surveyors training program. In addition, KR gave an introduction to a bespoke survey and audit preparation guide based on the internet database which went live in September.

   
Maritime trade fairs such as KORMARINE offer KR the opportunity to engage with clients directly, to promote its technology and services relevant to important issues such as the 4th industrial revolution. For this reason, KR endeavors to attend more maritime events such as this to continue to connect effectively with our clients.