A three per cent economic growth, 11,500 new jobs, record numbers of passengers and numerous new ships on order: The European cruise industry has never been more successful. But what are the prospects for the future? What opportunities and risks may the market harbour? How will the aftermath of the financial crisis and new legislation affect our industry?
Expertise meets innovation: The industry conference, held in parallel with the Seatrade Europe Cruise & Rivercruise Convention from 24 to 26 September 2013 at the Hamburg Messe fair site, will have a direct impact on the future of the European cruise industry. Manfredi Lefebvre d´Ovidio, Chairman, CLIA Europe, will be among the speakers, as will be the CEOs of several leading cruise ship operators, including Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises, AIDA Cruises President Michael Ungerer and TUI Cruises CEO Richard Vogel. David Dingle, CEO of Carnival UK, and Dirk Helsig, CEO of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Norway, will likewise enrich the event with their experiences.
This year's comprehensive Seatrade Europe conference programme will begin on 24 September with an overview presentation titled "State of the Cruise Industry in Europe". Running in parallel with the industry exhibition at the fair site, the conference will feature top-level experts providing valuable insights into the sector's current trends. Following the kick-off session on Opening Day, two high-calibre presentations, titled "Europe´s River Cruise Industry" and "The Cruise Line-Port Interface: Evolving Needs", will highlight the key factors influencing the future of the cruise market, as well as major challenges cruise ports must brace themselves for.
Opportunities and Challenges for Suppliers –
Valuable Advice from Meyer Werft and Royal Caribbean
A special highlight of the Seatrade Europe conference programme will be a unique collaborative forum on 25 September, prepared jointly by Meyer Werft and Royal Caribbean International. For the first time ever, the two industry giants will host the conference "Opportunities and Challenges for Suppliers and Service Providers". Current and potential suppliers of products and services will learn more about working with shipyards and cruise lines.
F & B and Hotel: Procurement and Supply in Europe
Cruise ship passengers consume large quantities of food and other products. Becoming a supplier to cruise lines is therefore an attractive proposition for manufacturers and distributors alike. Interested companies are welcome to attend the conference "F&B and Hotel: Procurement and Supply in Europe" on 25 September to learn about the requirements of cruise lines in terms of quantities, quality and delivery terms. Established suppliers will hear about new trends in onboard food and beverage as well as hotel operations. Catering for specific dietary requirements and the influence of modern culinary preferences among passengers will be other topics covered in this seminar.
Safety Training Programme
The "Care Awareness Training Session" is an entirely new feature at Seatrade Europe. Put together in a collaborative effort of Cunard Line, Costa Crociere, Ibero Cruceros and P&O Cruises with Higher Resources, this seminar on emergency support is aimed specifically at port agents and ground services representatives who play an essential role in providing support to guests and crew in emergencies and in the aftermath of a crisis. Carnival UK CEO David Dingle explains the idea: "Our Care programme has helped hundreds of passengers and crew in the UK, both on board and at our ports of call. I strongly recommend attendance at this session." The training programme is based on the "Human Services Response" concept developed by Dr. Carolyn V. Coarsey using her research and lessons learned in 27 years of working with survivors. This interactive session includes various role-plays, group discussions and video interviews of cruise line accident survivors.
In the highly informative session "Design and Direction: Shipbuilding and Refurbishment", likewise on day two of Seatrade Europe, experts will discuss the guidelines for building and upgrading cruise ships. Current environmental issues will be addressed in a variety of compelling sessions: The gmec Cruise conference will be dedicated to "Environmental Advances in Ship Technology". This event is an extension of gmec Hamburg, a cross-sector, multinational conference on maritime environment protection held biennially in conjunction with SMM, the leading international maritime trade fair. Representatives of IMO (International Maritime Organization) and the European Commission as well as major decision-makers from politics, the industry, science and environmental organisations will discuss innovative approaches to sustainability in shipping.
About Seatrade Europe
Seatrade Europe, the leading trade event of the European cruise and rivercruise industry, will be held at Hamburg, Germany's famous seaport on the Elbe river, from 24 to 26 September 2013. Industry decision-makers and professionals will meet to exchange ideas, set new trends and expand their business networks. Exhibitors include shipyards, classification societies, tourism organisations, cruise ports and travel agencies. From small-scale on-board hospitals to huge restaurant kitchens, from waste disposal to entertainment equipment, operations on board a cruise ship are highly complex, requiring perfect logistics. At the two-day conference held in parallel with the exhibition, high-level experts will discuss current industry topics.
Contact Information: Christian Freitag, ph.: +49 40 3569 2091, Fax: +49 40 3569 2449,
e-mail: [email protected]
For further information on Seatrade Europe please visit: www.seatrade-europe.com
Press photos: http://hamburg-messe.de/en/press-service/photoservice/?messe=31&lang=en
