The conference, which is themed ‘Opportunities in Trade and Maritime Services,’ will be opened by Prime Minister Hubert A Ingraham, and International Maritime Organisation secretary general Efthimios E Mitropoulos will deliver the keynote address.

“The Bahamas is highly respected in the international maritime community for having attained and maintained the world’s third largest ship registry,” stated the Ministry of the Environment.

“However, in order for the Bahamas to maintain its position of prominence in the region and in the world, policy makers and program planners must stay abreast of the ever-changing demands and developments in the international maritime industry.”

The conference and trade show, stated the Ministry, aims to promote the Bahamas as a hub of international trade; highlight the benefits and advantages of the Bahamas International Ship Registry; draw attention to the latest developments and opportunities in the maritime industry in the Bahamas; and, explore issues related to local and international investment trends and opportunities for the maritime industry.

Freeport, a free trade zone, is home to the Freeport Container Port, Grand Bahama Shipyard, Freeport Harbour, Bahamas Oil Refining Company, and South Riding Point Holdings.

Among other presenters, Barry Malcolm, Managing Director, Scotia Bank, will speak on ‘Entrepreneurial and expansion opportunities within the maritime industry of the Bahamas’; Robert Somerville, Chairman and CEO, American Bureau of Standards, will speak on ‘Clean air, cleaner oceans, cleaner beaches - What the shipping industry is doing to reduce its footprint’; and Anthony Price, president, Algoship Designers Limited, will speak on ‘Opportunities for training within the Bahamas maritime sector’.

“We want to stimulate interest in the many world class maritime services offered by the Bahamas,” stated the Ministry of the Environment.