World Ports and Trade Summit opens March 19
The World Ports and Trade Summit 2013 (WPTS) will begin on March 19-20 where participants will be exchanging information on a key networking platform for the maritime industry, said Captain Mohammad Al Shamsi, Executive Vice-President, Ports, ADPC (Abu Dhabi Ports Company), and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Terminals, in an interview.
“The WPTS 2013 will be under the patronage of Shaikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court with new additions that include four awards for companies and one personality award,” said Al Shamisi. The company awards include environment and sustainability, safety and security, efficiency and innovation, explained Al Shamsi.
“The summit is a dynamic scene-setting which provides a platform for high level debate and discussion for the promotion of trade development, supply chain management and port efficiency,” he added.
Al Shamsi pointed out that the WPTS is very important for ADPC as it ensures meeting with customers, service providers and logistics supply chain as experts will analyse the changing dynamics of seaborne trade development and discuss critical issues pertaining to increased ship size and the cascade and their effects on intraregional and international trading patterns. Captain Mohammad Al Shamsi said we have noticed in past few years that there is a big interest in the business side of the summit. The strategy we will use this year will be focusing more on the conference side rather than the exhibition. Next, year we will be focusing on both as we are considering holding it at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).
It is a platform to meet with decision makers in terms of maritime industry and ports under one roof to discuss all issues from legislation perspective, to commercial point of view to means of serving customers better. Captain Mohammad Al Shamsi said this meeting of the IAPH is back to Abu Dhabi after 12 years. The last time the IAPH was in Abu Dhabi was 12 years ago and it happens every year in a country.