NEVA 2011 Matures Into Global Meeting Place

Taking place in the leading Russian port city of St Petersburg between September 20th-23rd next year, NEVA 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the International Shipping, Shipbuilding, Ports and Offshore Energy Exhibition. Organised by UK-based Dolphin Exhibitions, NEVA 2011 is expected to attract over 800 companies from more than 40 different countries and once again the event will occupy all the halls of the impressive Lenexpo exhibition complex.

All the indications are that NEVA 2011 will build on the gains made the last time the show was held in 2009. Already more than 65% of the space set aside for the Russian market has been contracted, well ahead of schedule, while enquiries from exhibitors in the international market halls are gathering momentum. All 14 of the countries with National Pavilions in 2009 are expected to participate again next year.

Dolphin general director, Roderick Keay, says, “NEVA 2011 has enjoyed a very positive launch with a constant stream of re-bookings by previous international exhibitors. The event showcases a wide range of shipping and port activities under one roof in a way that no other major international exhibition does, and this is what makes NEVA so attractive to both domestic and international companies.”

Russian exhibitors that have confirmed attendance include Sovcomflot, the Russian Maritime Registry of Shipping and shipyards such as Vyborg, Severnaya Verft, Nevsky Shipbuilding and Baltiysky Zavod. Among the leading overseas companies confirmed to date are ABS, ABB Marine, International Paint, Wilhelmsen Marine Services, The Holland Marine Equipment Association, Damen Shipbuilding, Det Norske Veritas, Cargotec, BLRT, Jeppersen Marine, Aveva, and Viking Lifesaving Equipment.

NEVA 2009 in many ways marked a turning point for the event, which will be held for the 11th time in 2011. According to Mr Keay, “In 2009 NEVA matured with many more events being held alongside, using the core exhibition as a platform. NEVA 2011 will consolidate this trend and there are already signs that the show will be used by different parts of the industry as the basis for initiatives of their own.”

During NEVA 2009 meetings were held between the European and Russian shipbuilding industries under the aegis of the Community of European Shipyards Association (CESA), for example, while the US Coast Guard issued its Amver Awards for the first time on Russian soil. ”We understand that Russian membership of the Amver scheme has doubled since, thereby demonstrating the value of such initiatives during NEVA,” adds Mr Keay.

NEVA is now seen as an opportunity to bring together different interest groups and the organisers expect to see several important meetings, for example involving offshore vessel operators, propulsion equipment suppliers, shipbuilders and others, take place alongside the exhibition in St Petersburg next September. Mr Keay says, “NEVA has reached the same level of effectiveness as other global exhibitions such as Posidonia, NorShipping and SMM, with an exhibition and conference program that offers a distinct and increasingly valuable proposition. We are confident that NEVA 2011 will consolidate this burgeoning reputation and certainly the program around the exhibition will be broader and more comprehensive than ever before.”

The exhibition has high level Russian governmental support and an official letter of invitation has already been issued by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade. A high level advisory panel has also been formed and this includes representatives from the St. Petersburg government, the Russian Department of Shipbuilding and Marine Technology, the Krylov Research Institute and the United Shipbuilding Corporation.

The advisory group will provide valuable input into an exciting exhibition and conference program which, in addition to focusing on traditional shipbuilding and shipping topics, will next year have a special focus on the 3rd Arctic Conference, the development of the Russian offshore support fleet, ship repair, inland and sea-river shipping and the revival of the Russian fisheries fleet. In 2009 the conference received papers from 94 speakers and attracted around 350 delegates, a figure the organisers are confident will be exceeded in 2011.

To see the list of confirmed exhbitors, click here.

Further information about NEVA 2011 can be found on the website: www.transtec-neva.com