Dubai presents “Counter-Piracy and Ship Security” conference

“With maritime piracy costing the world an estimated US$60-70 million in 2008 and a worrying rise in sea crimes across the MENA region, it is of the utmost importance for the maritime community to collaborate and cooperate across the military civilian divide to find strategies that can mitigate the risks and minimize the economic impact on the region,” said Joanna Edwards, divisional director, IQPC Middle East.

To that end, a brand new conference designed to offer strategies and solutions for ship owners and operators, coast guards, navies, and governments to tackle the worrying rise in maritime piracy and crimes at sea, will be held between the December 6-9, 2009 in Dubai.

Developed in collaboration with the commercial shipping industry and the region’s coast guards and navies and organized by the International Quality and Productivity Center, Counter-Piracy and Ship Security 2009 will be a forum for the entire maritime community to come together and debate the issues, while not losing sight of the practical solutions that can actually be implemented, which are really needed by the region’s shipping industry.

Recognizing that it is critical for the community to continually exchange intelligence and best practice to tackle the problems, Counter-Piracy and Ship Security 2009 will offer case studies and analyses from shipping operators who will share their experiences and strategies to mitigate the economic impact of piracy and sea crime, first-hand experience of kidnap and ransom negotiations, updates on current coalition military operations, perspectives from international governing bodies and the region’s maritime administrations, and debates on how the complex issues of piracy and sea crime can really be tackled over the short and longer term.