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Posidonia change’s location
This year, Greek maritime showpiece
exhibition Posidonia will be housed
at a new, larger venue on the site of
the old airport- the Hellenikon Exhibition
Centre. One of the reasons for the move is
that there were structural safety issues
surrounding the Piraeus exhibition centre
located by the cruise terminal on the
Piraeus waterfront.
"While the move to the new venue was
welcomed by all exhibitors as a necessary
development, it is our intention to return
to Piraeus by 2008. We hope that the
planned Exhibition Centre earmarked by
the Piraeus Port Authority for the Palataki
area will be completed soon. The Palataki
area is at the entrance of the port of
Piraeus, and has both the space and the
infrastructure to welcome the new exhibition
centre." A Posidonia Exhibition director
said.
In 2004, this bi-ennial event attracted
more than 1,600 Greek and international
exhibitors. This year's event will be even
bigger, according to the organisers. This
will be the 20th exhibition in the show's 37
year history.
The switch to the new venue will give
Larger venue gives added value in terms of space
around 30% more exhibitor space from
23,000 sq m to 30,000 sq m. All the stands
will be on the same level, greatly improving
exhibitor, contractor and visitor access.
There will also be no restriction on the
weight and size of the exhibits.
The Hellenikon Exhibition Centre.
Being on the site of a former international
airport, there is the added attraction
of ample car parking space. Access to the
site can be gained by public transport and
shuttle buses from the centre of Athens,
provided by the organisers. Restaurants,
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bars and a catering service will also be
available.
This year, the organisers claimed to
have sold over 20 national pavilions and
exhibition stands from more than 70 countries.
Some 16,000 visitors are expected.
As usual the exhibition is being sponsored
by most of the leading maritime
organisations in Greece. These include the
Greek Ministry of Mercantile Marine, the
Greek ministry of the Aegean, the
Municipality of Piraeus, the Hellenic
Chamber of Shipping, the Union of Greek
Shipowners, the Greek Shipping Co-operation
Committee, the Union of
Shipowners of Mediterranean Cargo
Vessels, the Greek Association of
Passenger Ship Companies and the Union
of Coastal Passenger Ship Owners.
China has booked a significantly larger
number of shipbuilding companies
housed in a bigger national pavilion.
China's increased interest is mainly due to
Greek shipowners currently booking
orders for over 100 vessels in Chinese
shipyards. In addition, the anticipated
opening of the country's shipping and
shipbuilding industry to foreign direct
investment is also an attraction, as is its
emergence as a major global terminal and
transhipment hub.
The cargo handled through Shanghai
ports will exceed 400 mill tonnes this year,
a volume no port in the world achieved
last year, while China's combined shipyard
capacity is estimated to grow to 40
mill dwt by 2015.
TankerOperator May/June 2006 page 13