CF ‘03 Spotlights Industry Challenges

Cruise + Ferry 2003, which is set for London's Grand Hall, Olympia, from May 13-15, will be the 10th biennial exhibition and conference in a series ranked as the passenger shipping industry's premier technical and operations event.The extended format introduced in 2001 - which helped to attract more than 350 exhibitors and 3,500 professionals from 50 countries - is being retained with major maritime hotel content in the trade fair and conference program as well as a gala dinner marking the second Cruise + Ferry Awards. In a new feature, a special arena within the exhibition hall will be available for company and product presentations.

Apart from individual booths showcasing suppliers to the cruise, ferry and fast ferry sectors, exhibitors range from shipyards, engine and propulsion manufacturers, systems developers and design consultancies. There will also be 10 national pavilions, and a U.K. Interiors Group pavilion. Exhibitor highlights include: A&P Group, who will be featuring repair and conversion capabilities such as the recently-completed first scheduled drydocking and guarantee inspection on the P&O Cruises vessel Aurora; and Belimo Automation - the Swiss-based manufacturer that will be showing its range of electric actuators for motorized control devices in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems; Blohm + Voss Repair: spotlighting its development of environmentally-friendly Dockmaster and Dockboy hydro-blasting units and the Paintmaster coatings robot; and GE Marine Engines: U.S. manufacturer of gas turbine propulsion systems has completed or is fulfilling orders for COGES and CODAG systems on 21 cruise ships.

On the Conference side of Cruise + Ferry 2003, the line-up of more than 30 speakers includes David Dingle, managing director of P&O Cruises; Jack Williams, president and COO of Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises; Alexander Panagopoulos, managing director of SuperFast Ferries; and Mark Hilferty, managing director of McNeece. For more information, call +44 (0) 1932 893 860, or log on to the Cruise + Ferry 2003 website - www.cruiseferryex.com, which includes facilities for stand bookings and visitor/delegate registration.