Dubai - Feb 21-22 2006

On Feb 21-22 Digital Ship will be hosting a conference / exhibition about mariitme information technology in Dubai, one of the world's fastest growing maritime centres, and shipping centre for the Middle East, the source of most of the world's oil and one of the shipping industry's most important cargoes.

The conference will cover how to make best use of IT in shipping companies and avoid the pitfalls, including satellite communications (Inmarsat, VSAT, Iridium), security issues, fleet management systems, software which can help with TMSA, electronic purchasing systems and software. There is a special training session on using Inmarsat Fleet.

There will be a small exhibition with some of the latest satellite communications and software products.

We currently have 80 shipping company IT managers / purchasing managers / technical manasgers / managing directors registered to attend / speak including Vela International Marine, Qatar Shipping Company, Pioneer Shipping Agency, Simatech Shipping Company, International Tanker Management, Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), Seaways International, AP Moller - Maersk, Kuwait Oil Tanker Company, Oasis Maritime Services, Mideast Shipmanagement, APL, National Gas Shipping Company, Sharaf Shipping, Elcome International, Modern SHipping, IOOC, V.SHips, NIDC, Valentine Marine, Pakistan National SHipping Corporation, Seaways International, CNAN Algerian National Line, LamnalCo, DNV, MTS, iOra, UASC

If you wish to learn more about how information technology is being used for best practise by shipowners in the Middle East, then attend Digital Ship Dubai. There is no admission charge if you work for a shipping company or non-IT ship supplier (subject to prior registration), for others (IT suppliers) the registration fee is just GBP 395 / Dirham 2,500 / USD 680 / Eur 577.

Registration includes two days of conference, an evening dinner cruise sponsored by Inmarsat, and optional participation in round table discussions on day two afternoon.

Inmarsat is also holding a free training seminar about Inmarsat Fleet on the morning of Feb 22nd.

To register, please e-mail Diana Leahy Engelbrecht in London on diana@thedigitalship.com or follow the links on the left hand column of this page to register and book online.

DAY ONE

Chairman: Giampiero Soncini, CEO, SpecTec

9.15 Keynote: Ole Wang, managing director, ITM Shipmanagement Dubai Ships will soon be online with the rest of cyberspace. How do we develop systems which give us the information we need when we need it and do not create problems? How do we address security issues and user friendliness?

International Tanker Management, based in Dubai, has 9 VLCCs, 5 suezmax tankers, 3 aframax tankers, 9 product / chemical carriers, 2 OBO's, 2 handy size bulk carriers, 4 medium range product tankers on full management. It has 16 chemical tankers, 3 LPGs,5 product tankers, 12 chemical tankers.

9.40 Abdullatif Al-Azemi, superintendent engineer, Kuwait Oil Tanker Company - The developments with the digital ship in terms of communications and automation Where we expect this to go Trying to use the latest technology - infrastructure you need Amount of satcoms required in tanker operations

10.05 George Spyrou, financial manager, Navigo Shipmanagers. Selection and implementation of shipmanagement software

10.30 Mohammed Zaitoun, fleet marine assistant superintendent, responsible for navigation, communication, and bridge, UASC.

Achievement/savings in communication cost by implementing the Amos connect.
increasing number of Ship's accidents despite the high technology which is being used now days on board most of the Vessels.

10.55 Panel discussion - how well does modern software cater for the needs of the shipping industry? Including - key performance indicators, computer based training, software tools. Including Ole Wang, managing director, ITM Shipmanagement Dubai ;

11.20 BREAK

Day One First Break Sponsor

SESSION: SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

11.45 Julian Lynn, strategic marketing manager, Inmarsat Plans for Inmarsat - global area network for shipping - developments with Inmarsat Fleet

12.15 Richard Nordstrom, manager of maritime marketing and business development, Connexion by Boeing Connexion's plans for the maritime industry

12.40 Choice of systems for shipowers - Iridium, Inmarsat and VSAT Themis Violaris, marketing manager, Zener OneNet LLC

1.00 Inmarsat Fleet MPDS - a tool for maritime software systems - Reinhold Lueppen, data product manager, France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications

1.20 Lunch

Day One Lunch Sponsor

DAY ONE AFTERNOON

SESSION: CORPORATE IT AND FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Chair Prof Nikitas Nikitakos , president, association of shipping company IT managers, and associate professor, electronic shipping technology, University of the Aegean, Athens (session chairman)

2.30 - Words of introduction from chair

2.35 Keynote: PH Krishnan, deputy director general of shipping, technical head and member secretary of egovernance, Indian Maritime Administration eGovernance Project of the India Directorate General of Shipping

SESSION - FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS

3.00 Keynote II Mr K S Krishna Prasad, Dubai managing director (UAE), HuaDao Shipping (Far East) Ltd. The practise of business process outsourcing in chartering

3.35 Evan Michaelides, vice president and CTO, Nautical Systems . A user centered approach to developing fleet management software systems

4.00 BREAK

4.30 Developments in ship operating software - Terje Kristiansen, ShipNet

4.35 Farzin Karma, managing director, Ulysses Systems Singapore

5.00 Panel discussion - key performance indicators in shipmanagement -

6.00 Cocktail reception sponsored by Inmarsat in exhibition area

Cocktail sponsor

6.30 Evening dinner sponsored by Inmarsat onboard Al Mansour Dhow - departs restaurant 8.30, returns 10.30 - all delegates and speakers welcome

Dinner sponsor

The Al Mansour Dhow

DAY TWO

SESSION: ELECTRONIC PURCHASING SYSTEMS

Concurrent session: Inmarsat Fleet training session. For further details click here

9.30 Keynote:Peter Machado, group general manager, SevenSeas Group, one of the world's largest ship suppliers in Dubai

9.55George Armasescu, technical superintendent, Dubai Shipping Company. The importance and helpfulness of planned maintenance systems and purchasing systems in STAR IPS format for the fleet and for managing the vessels

10.20 BREAK

11.00 Giampiero Soncini, CEO SpecTec Practical aspects of implementing a computerised electronic purchasing system on ships

11.25 Sharon Gill, manager, sales and business development, ShipServ Latest information about electronic purchasing developments in the Middle East

11.45 Jan Kalland, marketing manager, Star Information Systems. Integration between fleet/ship management and electronic commerce

12.05 John Inge Rotting, sales director, Marine Transaction Services

12.20 Panel discussion: with Peter Machado, CEO of SevenSeas Group; George Armasescu, technical superintendent, Dubai Shipping Company; Giampiero Soncini, CEO SpecTec; Paul Ostergaard, CEO, ShipServ; Jan Kalland, marketing manager, Star Information Systems; John Inge Rotting, sales director, Marine Transaction Services. Topics - what are the obstacles to further take-up of electronic purchasing systems in the Middle East? What product developments could do the most to add value to shipowners and suppliers? Do electronic purchasing systems do enough to help suppliers?

1.00 Lunch

Day two Lunch Sponsor

2.00 Round table discussions - Satellite communications, fleet management software, shipping company software applications, electronic purchasing.

SATCOMS How much satcoms do shipowners need - can they get away with narrowband? Facilitated by Wouter de Knopper, head of sales Europe, Iridium

SHIP SHORE E-MAIL - What is the best way shipowners can manage their ship-shore e-mail? Facilitated by Morten Lind-Olsen, managing director, Dualog (invited)

FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - Regulators want information about a shipping companies' operations so they have more confidence that the operations are safe. How can ship management software help provide this? Facilitated by Jan Kalland, marketing manager Star Information Services

ELECTRONIC PURCHASING - How can systems do more for suppliers? Facilitated by John Inge Rotting, sales director, Marine Transaction Services

2.45 - Summary of roundtable discussions - facilitated by Giampiero Soncini, managing director, SpecTec (to be confirmed)

3.30 Close - cocktails in exhibition hall