BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JANUARY 18TH 2007 - Significant interest was shown in St. Kitts and Nevis ship registration and international business services at a recent major shipping and finance trade show in the Far East.
St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry and St. Kitts Financial Services were represented by Ms Sandra Thomas from Financial Services & Mr. Nigel Smith, International Registrar of Shipping and Seamen, representing the respective Government Ministries.
It was the first time that the Federation was represented at one of the major shipping & finance trade shows in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Supported by the International Ship Registrys local Maritime Registrar International Shipping Bureau Mr. Smith reports that the interest shown in ship registration and international business services offered by St. Kitts & Nevis was high.
Our exhibition space was located close to some competitor countries and it was plain to see that the
greater number of visitors came to our stand. This was helped by having a Maritime Registrar locally who was able to arrange beforehand for interested parties to meet us, so generating extra publicity and leads to maximise the participation in the exhibition, said Mr. Smith.
He said he was particularly pleased that participation in the event, resulted in a new ship registration from a company, that was previously not a client and decided to use St. Kitts & Nevis, as a result of their participation in the exhibition.
The event, which is organised by the world-renowned Seatrade Media Group of the UK, was the largest in its 6 years and brought visitors from every country in the Middle East and Indian sub-continent, as well as from farther afield. Over 6,000 people attended the exhibition. Discussions were held with ship owners & managers, lawyers, banks & surveying organisations among others.
Because of the success of the event, Mr Smith has decided to participate in Seatrades Sea-Asia exhibition in Singapore in April. The Middle East is our largest market at present, but S.E.Asia is growing fast, so it makes sense to support the activities of our representatives in the area with a shop window at the Sea-Asia exhibition, said Mr Smith.
.~~adz:Left~~Ms. Thomas & Mr. Smith also visited the Training ship RTS Sindbad, which is an initiative of a local shipowner Reef Ship Management and which flies the St. Kitts & Nevis flag. Ms Thomas stated that seeing the St. Kitts & Nevis flag on a ship when she had travelled so far from the Caribbean was a moving & awesome experience.
The ship trains up to 12 cadets at a time in basic seagoing deck officer training. Mr Smith, who is himself an ex-seagoing engineer officer, has applauded the initiative in view of the worldwide shortage of skilled seafarers.
