Rising Above Challenges at Asia Pacific Maritime 2016

Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2016, one of Asia’s biggest exhibitions and conferences, will return in its 14th edition with a focus on shipbuilding and marine, workboat and offshore. The three-day conference will comprise a dynamic lineup of regional and international industry figures as well as exhibitors under one roof to address challenges as well as capitalize on opportunities within the industry.

2015 has been a challenging year for the maritime and offshore industry. With issues like falling oil prices and slow global economic growth, ship operators have struggled to cover operating costs. Echoing this sentiment is Khalid M. Hashim, Managing Director at Precious Shipping Public Company Limited, Thailand, one of the speakers for APM 2016 conference.

“Macroeconomic factors such as the gloomy economy and plummeting scrap prices have slowed down business activities for the maritime and offshore industry. Undoubtedly, 2015 has been a year plagued by lackluster demand and slow growth,” says Hashim. “That said, all’s not lost. We are optimistic that things will pick up in the coming years. After all, maritime trade continues to play a vital role in the global economy

Hashim will be joined by a distinguished list of like-minded maritime and offshore thought leaders including Captain Mike Meade, CEO and Founder, M3 Marine Group Pte Ltd, Singapore, Joachim Skorge, Regional Head of Asia & Managing Director, DNB Bank ASA, Singapore, Duncan Telfer, Commercial Director, Swire Pacific Offshore Operations (Pte) Ltd, Singapore, and Eddy K. Logam, CEO and Chairman, PT Steadfast Marine and Indonesian Shipbuilding and Offshore Association (IPERINDO), at the bi-annual APM conference. The conference will see industry experts discuss hot topics including:

•An outlook on how consolidation in the sector is affecting future growth

•Resourcing talent to sustain the market demands of a bear market

•Owners as a key driver in OSV supply and its impact on overall global demand dynamics

•Is the weakness in Europe, a strong US dollar diminishing growth in China, low energy costs and inevitable rises in interest rates causing concerns on this side of the world?

•How are the regional LNG markets maintaining its momentum in an uncertain business?

The full list of the heavy weight speakers and information on their topics can be found here. In the face of these challenges and opportunities, attendees at APM 2016 can expect the convergence of end-users from Asia such as ship, boat and vessel owners, managers, yards and key exhibitors including Beng Hui Marine Electrical Pte Ltd (Singapore), Jason Electronics (Pte) Ltd (Singapore), Raytheon Anschuetz Singapore Pte Ltd (Singapore), St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry (United Kingdom), BASS Software Ltd/ BASS Sdn Bhd (Cyprus), Global Marine Safety (Singapore) Pte Ltd (Singapore), TEHO International Inc Ltd (Singapore), Tru-Marine Pte Ltd (Singapore), Viking Engineering Pte Ltd (Singapore), Heatec Jietong Pte Ltd (Singapore), Jotron Asia Pte Ltd (Singapore) and MT-Marine Technologies Pte Ltd (Singapore).

Upbeat about APM 2016 is returning exhibitor TEHO International Inc Ltd, who is looking forward to the networking and business opportunities during the trade show. Said Lim See Hoe, Executive Chairman and CEO of TEHO International Inc Ltd, “Over the years, APM has provided TEHO with business networking opportunities with international players where information about the maritime and offshore industries were exchanged. It is also a platform for us to meet up with our regional customers as well as showcase our new product launches.”

Hoping to leverage APM as a stepping stone for greater business opportunities this year is St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry, a first-time exhibitor from the United Kingdom. “We’re always looking for market penetration opportunities in the region given how it’s an important market for the maritime and offshore industry. APM is naturally considered for its ability to connect the maritime and offshore community - regardless of customers or exhibitors,” said Debasis Mazumdar, CEO of St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry head quartered in London.

Asia is key in driving next phase of growth

Although the maritime sector has met with a number of obstacles, analysts remain optimistic that Asia will continue to dominate the shipbuilding industry.

In 2015, Singapore recorded huge months of bunker sales at 3,984,000 metric tons, a 12.3 percent increase over November 2014. There has also been an increased commitment from companies to develop their maritime and shipping sector in Asia. A recent example is shipping giant CMA CGM, who has bought over the shipping line Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) for $3.38 billion in order to expand and strengthen its presence in Asia. Neighboring countries like Indonesia also pushed out plans to develop marine destinations as well as improve seaport facilities as part of its vision to be the World’s Maritime Axis, casting the spotlight on growth in the region.

“As Asia continues to maintain its foothold in the global economy, we have to remain attuned to the industry’s needs by bringing in prominent players that can share their insights and inspire thought provoking dialogues. Attendees can expect powerful discussions from the world’s most important heavy weights as they share their forecast on the future of the shipping industry,” said Yeow Hui Leng, Senior Product Director, Asia Pacific Maritime.

“Despite severe pressure on offshore oil & gas shipping caused by the oil price shock, over capacity in the supply of equipment, an excess in oil supply and a decrease in oil demand, purchasing power in Asia will continue to increase significantly over the next 25-30 years. This will most likely see a rise in Asia’s contribution to oil and gas E&P activities,” says Captain Mike Meade, CEO and Founder, M3 Marine Group Pte Ltd, Singapore. “Given the intricate link between offshore marine and the oil and gas E&P spend, this has helped to drive innovative maritime solutions, especially in China and South East Asia. To ensure the holistic development of this sector, it is important to maintain an active exchange so that new technologies may suffice.”