ITS 2008 Singapore – the Papers are available

The four day event was attended by 422 delegates from 48 countries representing just about every aspect of the industry. 108 exhibitors and their staff from 26 countries took part, making the exhibition the largest ever stage at an ITS event.

This substantial bound volume is more than just a record of the conference papers and discussions. It documents the entire event, including a detailed account of those participating. Edited by Dawn Gorman, the newly appointed editor of International Tug & Salvage magazine, the book runs to over 270 pages and includes a comprehensive full colour pictorial review of the many social and business activities that went to make up this popular event.

The body of the book contains the full text of every paper presented at the Convention, along with all of the supporting illustrations, graphs and technical drawings. Also included is a full word by word transcript of the discussions that took place following each presentation. The subjects covered by a wide range of industry experts and representatives vary from a detailed account of the development of the Z-Tech tug by Canadian designer Robert Allan to the history and future prospects for Lloyds Open Form by one of the leading salvage arbitrators, John C Reeder QC. Other subjects include, a riveting description of the salvage of MSC Napoli by former SOSREP Robin Middleton and salvor Douglas Martin from Smit.

A new and timely addition to the conference programme was Green Wednesday, where one whole day was allocated to environmental issues. The subjects ranged from the difficulties associated with the salvage of large container ships to operating a Carbon Neutral Tug Company and on to a number of future possibilities for alternative Green propulsion systems for harbour tugs. Among the latter was a particularly interesting account by Foss Maritime of the philosophy and design of what will doubtless be the world’s first new tug with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system.

Contained within this well produced volume is a great deal of useful reference material that will certainly be consulted in future months and years. It is therefore a book that will join those of previous ITS Conventions on the bookshelves of many involved in the day to day technical, operational and legal work of the towage and salvage industry. But this one will take up just a little more space.

The ITS 2008 Complete Papers & Discussions is available from The ABR Company Ltd ISBN: 0 904050-17-4. Price: GBP100 plus GBP10 post & packing (50% discount for ITS 2008 delegates & 15% discount for ITS Club members).