Last year’s ITS Convention in Rotterdam drew a record number of delegates and exhibitors, and the organisers are aiming to exceed these figures when the next event is held in Singapore in May 2008.

Meanwhile, the forthcoming technical conference on the design, construction and economics of tugs will coincide with the equally popular Seawork International Exhibition which takes place in Southampton during the same week. Seawork overlaps Tugnology on 12 June then continues on 13 and 14 June.

Allan Brunton-Reed, managing director of The ABR Company, the organisers, told MJ, ‘Tugs and salvage operations are very much in the news, making the timing of this ‘no frills’ conference particularly suitable. The ‘MSCNapoli’, a casualty that has received worldwide media coverage, would not have been beached successfully without the prompt and efficient assistance of tugs. Apart from helping ships in trouble, tugs are in increasing demand to tow ever larger special project cargoes, often from one side of the globe to the other. The design, powering and equipping of tugs has never been as important as now.’

Specialist speakers from eight countries will take part and the keynote speech will be made by the well respected naval architect and tug designer Rob Allan, who travels from Vancouver to participate. There will be a wrap-up panel discussion, appropriately headed ‘Getting the best tug for the job from everyone’s point of view’.

Representatives from a total of some 25 countries are scheduled to attend and groups of delegates from Australia, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey the UAE, UK and USA have made firm bookings.

Repeating their roles as conference chairmen will be Mike Allen and Andy Smith. The latter, who is also editor of supporting publication, International Tug & Salvage, commented, ‘Once, not all that long ago, a 40 ton bollard pull tug was considered powerful. Today, with the current expansion in LNG terminal activity, figures of 80 and 100 tons are the order of the day. Stability in escort mode must be enhanced to match this power. Designers and equipment manufacturers are striving to keep up with the pace of change and I am convinced that the Tugnology format will prove a valuable tool.’

Tugnology ’07 will be held at the five star De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel. There will be no exhibition stands but a number of tabletop displays. The event is sponsored by Samson Ropes, Sanmar and Rolls-Royce, and supported by the European Tugowners’ Association.

Delegates wanting to visit Seawork on 13 and 14 June will be invited to attend its gala dinner at a subsidised rate on the evening of 12 June. As part of Seawork’s 10^th anniversary celebrations, a quayside barbecue will take place after the show closes on Wednesday at 5.30.

For further information or to register, Email: tugnology@tugandsalvage.com

The full event programme can be found on https://www.tugandsalvage.com/tugnology_prog.asp. Synopses of all the papers are also on the website.

By Jack Gaston