Indeed, the exhibition is virtually sold out and delegate numbers are 40% up, indicating that the final total will exceed 400. To be held in Singapore’s impressive Suntec International Convention Centre, this will undoubtedly be the world’s largest ever gathering of tug, towage and salvage experts.

One of the factors sustaining this success is the organiser’s long history in the towage and salvage sectors. The business has, for more than two centuries, published all the leading industry text books and, of course, is now responsible for International Tug & Salvage, the only trade and technical magazine solely dedicated to these topics. Another important factor is the practice of moving the event every two years to a different part of the world, wherever the action is. Singapore, the world’s largest container port, is currently in the grip of a vast maritime enterprise.

The ITS Conferences are unique. Unlike many conferences, which have to scratch around to get papers, such is the reputation of ITS  that it is always inundated with requests from eager, world renowned presenters. Although the organising company, ABR Ltd, has considerable in-house expertise, a steering committee of industry pundits is organised to help ensure that the papers are both interesting and relevant and take account of delegate preferences..

Delegates at the Singapore event will be able to enjoy presentations from the esteemed naval architect Robert Allan, former UK SOSREP Robin Middleton, Peter Lee of Semco, Gary Faber from Foss and John Reeder QC amongst others. The inaugural paper will be presented by Ben Vree, CEO of Smit. The whole of the socalled ‘Green Wednesday’ will comprise key figures discussing environmental matters including several new tug concepts with a much smaller carbon footprint.

A growing and increasingly significant exhibition has become a firm feature of ITS Conventions.

All the leading companies involved in designing, building and equipping tugs will be present. These include 16 tug building yards, led by sponsors Damen and Sanmar along with local companies ASL Greenbay and Keppel Singmarine. China’s Cheoy Lee and India’s Bharati will join four other yards from Turkey, three from Spain and one from Russia. Principal sponsors Caterpillar and MTU head up a major presence comprising all the leading engine builders. Similarly, the world’s leading thruster and winch manufacturers are exceptionally well represented. Altogether some 100 companies are exhibiting from more than 25 countries.

For further information, visit the website www.tugandsalvage.com, which contains registration information and displays a full list of exhibitors together with a floor plan, a complete programme and a list of all the speakers/papers with their synopses.