NEVA 2017 Draws Unrivalled Ministerial & Industry Support

With a little over two months to go before NEVA 2017, the impetus behind Russia's premier B2B commercial maritime event is growing fast, following the announcement that the program’s organizing committee draws on unprecedented government, ministry, and leading maritime industry support.

Among other leading industry groups, the list of official supporters includes the Ministry of Transport, with both the Minister and Deputy Minister attending, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Foreign affairs, and the newly joining Ministry of Agriculture. As on previous occasions, the Governor of St Petersburg is also confirmed to participate.

In accordance with the order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia, the NEVA 2017 Organizing Committee members will be headed by the co-chairmanship of Minister of Transport MY Sokolov and GS Poltavchenko, Governor of St. Petersburg.

Government representation will also come from deputy co-chair VV Zapevalov, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, vice co-chair VA Olersky, Deputy Minister of Transport and Head of the Federal Agency of Sea and River Transport, and vice co-chairs HE. Ryazantsev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade and IV Shestakov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture.

Industrial and research bodies are also fully represented, with the committee also including V. L. Aleksandrov, President of the association of Association of Shipbuilders of St Petersburg and Leningrad Region (Russia's current sole industrial shipbuilding association), MV Alexandrov, General Director of the Centre of Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Technology, S I Buyanov, CEO of the Central Research Institute for Sea Fleet-CNIIMF, E D Kazantsev, former Deputy Minister of Inland Waterways Shipping and current Vice President of the RF Federal Transport Union, P P Parinov, Head of RF State Administration for Baltic Sea Ports.

Among others, the committee includes top tier management from: the Russian River Register; the State University of sea and river fleet of the Admiral Makarov; Transas Navigator; Association of Commercial Seaports; Russian Chamber of Shipping; Union of Oil and Gas Equipment, Krylov State Research Centre; United Shipbuilding Corporation; Saint-Petersburg Technical University and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

The NEVA conference program that reflects the challenges and opportunities facing Russia's merchant shipping, seaport and inland waterways industries is also shaping up. The 3-day agenda, which runs from September 19-21, will provide an unrivalled forum to bring Russian and overseas interests together, according to Matthew White, General Director of organizers Dolphin Exhibitions.

“Day 1 will see a state-of-the-industry, two-hour session covering latest developments in shipbuilding, machinery and ship equipment production, scheduled to be hosted by United Shipbuilding Corporation, Russian Engineering Union, and the Committee for Shipbuilding and Marine Technology,” says Mr White. “Participants will hear from the most senior executives in Russia’s shipbuilding and maritime technology industries.”

In a separate gathering, Day 1 also offers delegates the chance to attend a special Round table on 'International Arctic ecology cooperation horizons and the protection of Arctic seas', traditionally hosted by the International Expert Council on the Cooperation in the Arctic, Centre for Strategic Assessment and Forecasts.

Day 2 will see attention turning to Russia's inland waterways, with the morning's plenary panel concentrating on the opportunities available to develop Sea and Inland Waterways Cruise Shipping. The discussion is being led by Makarov State University for Sea and River Transport and the Russian Chamber of Shipping, with the session directly supported by the Russian Federation Ministry of Transport.

More detailed discussion of emerging plans to cultivate inland waterway business will be held during two parallel sessions during the afternoon of September 20, focusing on both the opportunities offered and the critical need for renewal, with special focus on digitalization and advanced software solutions for the design of shipyards and ship repair plants.

Day 3 sees NEVA 2017 giving focus to fast-emerging strategic plans for ‘Renewing the Fishery and Fish Research Fleet’.

“With backing now being offered by the Ministry of Agriculture, this session promises insight into developments in shipbuilding, ship machinery and equipment production for the fishery industry,” says Mr. White.

In addition, parallel sessions will explore other interests and offer significant opportunities to exchange information and networking, not least at the 5th Annual Conference "Technical Equipment and Technologies for Ports - Effective Investments", hosted by the Committee for technology and mechanization of the Association of Sea Commercial Ports and Sea Ports Magazine. The session discussion will explore precision equipment and technologies for the development of oil ports and sea oil cargo terminals.

Production of port, auxiliary and service fleet vessels comes to the fore during the 3rd Annual Conference “Specialized, Port and Subsidiary Fleet: New projects, technologies, equipment for ship building, conversion and modernization."

Discussion will be aimed at local and international possibilities for production of nuclear and conventional icebreakers, offshore support vessels, port fleet vessels and auxiliary vessels.   “Sea Fleet Magazine and Maritime News of Russia Publishing House will welcome the attendance of United Shipbuilding Corporation shipyards and design bureaus, FSUE Rosmorport, ASOP and customers seeking to procure those vessel types. The potential of this specific Russian market are highly valued by Finnish, Netherlands and many other shipbuilding industry suppliers as offering new opportunities for NEVA 2017 participants.

International experts have announced that current favorable conditions create an excellent starting point for companies willing to compete within these market segments: Ship engineering and design, Ship machinery and systems including propulsion and power systems, Electrical equipment and systems, Deck and interior equipment, HVAC, catering equipment, Services and equipment for shipbuilding industry.

See the NEVA 2017 Exhibition and Conference Program for full details of session dates, times and locations.