Hamburg will be the global centre of the green and sustainable maritime industry from 7 to 8 September 2010 – when the first “global maritime environmental congress – gmec 2010” is held at CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. With about three months to go before the start of gmec, the programme of speakers and subjects has been finalised. gmec 2010 is held on the occasion of SMM, the world’s premier shipbuilding fair, which runs in Hamburg from 7 to 10 September 2010. That gives visitors from all parts of the world the opportunity to attend both the high-calibre conference and the trade fair.
The cruise industry plays an important role during the congress: So for example the Chairmen are Micky Arison (Chairman & CEO of Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise ship group); Spyros Polemis (Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)) and Dr. Corrado Antonini (Chairman of Fincantieri, the largest Italian shipbuilding company and one of the largest international shipbuilding groups specialised in cruise ships and ferries).
After the opening ceremony, Panel 1 (of altogether five) will be launched by David Dingle, CEO of Carnival UK, a sub-group of Carnival Corporation. He starts by asking the rhetorical and emotional question “Why shipping?” We can expect some good answers to that from his panellists Prof. Dr. Martin Stopford, Managing Director of Clarkson Research Studies, and Martin Landtman, President of the shipyard group STX Finland – another major shipbuilding group also specialised in cruise ships and ferries.
“Protect our Oceans!”
The closing statement at gmec 2010 comes from Dr. Sylvia Earle, a globally recognised protagonist of maritime environmental protection. She has taken part in more than 70 ocean expeditions for National Geographic, including one in 1970 when she spent two weeks in an underwater habitat, in a project with funding from NASA. She has received more than 100 honours and awards for her achievements and commitment as an oceanographic researcher. She will report here on her expeditions, and launch an urgent appeal to all gmec participants for immediate measures to be taken to protect the oceans.
gmec will in future be held in Hamburg every two years, always in parallel with SMM. Further information on the conference and on registration and participation is given at the website www.gmec-hamburg.com.
