The inaugural Maritime Security and Surveillance conference will be held in Abu Dhabi in January.

The conference will address a variety of issues focusing on developing strategies to maximise coastal security, combatting piracy and other crimes at sea, enhancing maritime domain awareness (MDA) and improving harbour and port security by driving multilateral cooperation and capacity building based procurement, said a statement.

The conference, organized by Clarion Events, will take place at the Armed Forces Officers Club and Hotel in Abu Dhabi, from January 29 – 31.

According to Dryad Maritime Intelligence, an estimated $150 million was paid in ransoms for ships, cargoes and crews to pirate gangs in 2010 and a record of 1,181 seafarers were kidnapped.

Efthimios E Mitropoulos, secretary general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), stated that piracy costs the world economy between $7 billion to $12 billion annually.

Joanna Edwards, portfolio director, Clarion Events Middle East, said: “The Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) is taking threats seriously and has invested significantly in defense and security. In 2010, Forecast International estimated that US$68.3 billion was invested by the GCC in defense and security technologies. The same report predicts this investment will grow to $82.5 billion by 2015. The Maritime Security and Surveillance conference will provide the ideal platform to network and showcase the latest technologies to combat maritime threats.”

Global experts and leaders in the security and defense industry will be present at event to provide attendees with a comprehensive analysis on the latest strategies, equipment and technologies that can effectively and efficiently combat criminal activity, Edwards said.

Topics of discussion at the conference include: current and emerging threats and risks to the Gulf region; collaboration and cooperation to strengthen maritime security operations in the GCC; the impact of climate change and environmental changes on maritime security in the region; protecting vital economic, transport and distribution chains; defending coastal installations and offshore oil and gas facilities; regional approaches to anti-piracy operations and future priorities for improving maritime security in the region.

Representatives from navies, port authorities, critical national infrastructure authorities, customs/border security agencies, research organizations, shipping companies, coastguard, defense and security contractors, consultancies, etc. are expected to attend the conference. –TradeArabia News Service