Chennai to host maritime technology conference

CHENNAI - The economy is expected to grow at a brisk pace, which in turn means that transport of goods via sea, maritime technology and other connected sectors are set to gain importance — these and other issues will be discussed at the Indian Maritime Technology Conference 2011 in January here.

Industry body Confederation of Indian Industry along with the National Maritime Foundation (NMF) and the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) will be organising the two-day conference and exposition Jan 21-22.

According to CII, the conference will focus on ship building and ship repair, maritime systems, equipment and integration, port and harbour development, human resource for maritime sector, research and development needs, maritime security and surveillance.

A panel discussion on futuristic design on offshore windmills is also slotted as a part of the conference.

India’s reliance on maritime transportation is high as 95 percent of the country’s international trade and 84 percent of its oil travels by ship, the industry lobby said.

India’s seaborne trade is estimated around $70 billion annually, which is 21 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.