The area of the Arctic shelf that Russia is laying claim to may hold 10 billion tons of oil equivalent, as well as gold, nickel and diamonds. Given the areas riches, it can be no surprise that there are competing national claims to the territory. Canada has announced plans to set up two military facilities to assert sovereignty over Arctic territory. Meanwhile Denmark sent a team of scientists to the North Pole ten days later to assess whether the ridge linked to Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Both the USA and Norway have territory in the Arctic Circle.

'There is no better forum to understand the Russian maritime perspective on this subject of vital international significance and interact with the key decision makers then this years NEVA 2007: one day Arctic Conference on Monday 24^th September,' said Alexander Gendelev, President of the Euro-Asian Transport Union, joint organisers of the event with Dolphin Exhibitions UK and the Transtec Neva Exhibitions Company, St. Petersburg.

Held under the auspices of the Russian government’s International Polar Year, the conference takes as its central theme Euro-Asian economic and transport cooperation in the Arctic. The conference enjoys the support of key government, regional, industrial and academic stakeholders. Crucially this includes the celebrated Russian polar explorer and Deputy Chairman of the State Duma (Parliament) Mr Arthur Chilingarov who reportedly descended to the seabed 13,980 feet below the North Pole in order to plant the Russian flag there earlier this month.

An added bonus is the recent announcement that classification societies the Russian Register of Shipping and ABS will present a joint paper at the Arctic Conference.

Day two will see NEVA’s traditional shipbuilding and shipping conference. Vneshtorgbank, the leading State Bank involved in maritime affairs in Russia will present perspectives on the future global financing of the Russian United Shipyard Corporation and shipping in general. The Community of European Shipyards Association’s will also be represented by General Secretary Reinhard Lüken.

The NEVA Programme will also welcome a senior Speaker from the US Coast Guard Activities Europe command. Further high level speakers will be announced shortly.

The setting for NEVA is St Petersburg, Russia’s undisputed maritime capital. The city is home to key government maritime departments as well as the corporate headquarters of leading industry concerns, including significant sectors of the Gazprom Corporation. It will be home to the newly established United Shipbuilding Corporation and accompanying shipbuilding and maintenance technology centre as well as the Sovremenny Commercial Fleet.