Mumbai to host Martime Summit 2008(Embargoed till February 4, 2008)

New Delhi, Feb.2 : In a bid to promote and expose the shipping and maritime sector to the outside world, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is organizing the India Maritime Summit 2008 at Hotel Taj Mahal (Palace and Towers) in Mumbai on February 6. The Summit is being organized in close association with the Indian National Shipowners Association (INSA).

Highlighting the fact that the maritime industry along with its constituent sectors of ports, shipping and shipbuilding, is a critical growth-driver for the Indian economy, Mr. S. Hajara, Chairman, CII National Committee on Shipping and Maritime and Chairman and Managing Director, The Shipping Corporation of India Limited said that in the era of globalization, International trade is driving the national economy. Since most of this trade is done by sea, shipping has an important role in driving the growth of the national and global economy.

The summit would bring together providers of port, shipping and dredging infrastructure as well as policy makers to discuss issues related to sustaining investment in the Maritime sector. If India has to grow its external trade, then there needs to be exponential growth in the industry's gross tonnage; and also vast improvements need to be made in the port infrastructure.

The summit would be an important consultation with key stakeholders for the Industry, and would bring the maritime industry into centre-stage and provide an interface between professionals from sectors including cargo, logistics, banking, oil and minerals.

KPMG India, in association with CII, has done a report titled "Indian Maritime Landscape" covering various aspects such as shipping, shipbuilding / ship repair, Human resource development / training in the maritime sector and, this report would be released at the Summit.

Efthimios E Mitropoulos, Secretary-General, International Maritime Organisation would be addressing the Summit. K. V. Kamath, Vice-President, CII and Managing Director and CEO, ICICI Bank will address the inaugural session.

Senior Government officials such as Rakesh Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Ports), Government of India, and Rajeev Gupta, Joint Secretary (Shipping), Government of India, will also participate in the summit.

Industry officials participating in the summit include Philip Littlejohn, Managing Director, Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd. and S.S. Hussain, Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. The Danish Shipowners Association would also be bringing a business delegation at the summit headed by Peter Bierregaard, Managing Director, Danish Shipowners' Association.

More than 200 delegates from the Indian Maritime Sector would be attending the summit.

ANI