CIRM Annual Conference in Malta is now on Day 3 and all is running smoothly – Malta is hot and sunny but we are inside, with air conditioning on – and the quality of presentations in plenary are compensating for the lack of being out and about or poolside engagement! Having enjoyed a full Day 2 and last night’s free evening to look around St Julian’s, Sliema or Valletta, today, delegates are continuing to comment on LinkedIn and Twitter. Engage with these and please like and share when you read their posts!
The well received first session today entitled ‘Next Generation navigation data and Systems’ fully engaged delegates with questions, needing to be curtailed eventually as, as everyone knows, if you run over and get your programme timings out, you are doomed for the rest of the day!
After presentations on S-100 ECDIS implementation; S-100 from concept to reality; Mapping the Gaps and NOAA’s Precision Marine Navigation Program we see the familiar face of Michael Bergmann, , BM Bergmann Marine ask his question.
During the afternoon Michael moderated a Panel Discussion entitled ‘Doing Business in Malta’ when William Wait, Chairman Malta Enterprise, Ivan Sammut Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, Merchant Shipping Directorate and Charles Scerri CEO CSA Group informed us of their experiences in Malta, extolling the virtues of basing their businesses on the Island. For anyone who is interested in further information, please contact Malta Enterprise.
With not enough space (or time) to detail all sessions, this afternoon we have just heard from Andile Dhlomo MD SMD Africa Marine as part of the Service Seminar in plenary.
The Seminar is the precursor to tomorrow’s Service Working Group – more on that to come …
The Session included presentations from Andile as mentioned above and an interesting slide of the African waterways marked in yellow – these are vital trade routes and have interesting navigational situations, no doubt…
Also taking part in the session were Francesco Iacono, Service Manager SIRM Italia, Dimitris Maschas Technical and Sales Supervisor Otesat Maritel and James Newman, Global Support and Development Manager, Sperry Marine. These companies are just a part of the larger group of CIRM member companies that comprise our representatives from the ship service sector. Quite a line up, and we had a lively conversation and set of questions from the floor – some fairly contentious remarks were made and all welcome input – meaning we are in for an interesting time tomorrow in the planned working group session!
To join CIRM contact Frances Baskerville fb@cirm.org www.cirm.org
