Saudi Aramco, a major energy and petrochemicals enterprise, has joined forces with maritime leader Seatrade to launch a workboats technology forum at an upcoming offshore marine event in Abu Dhabi.

The 2013 edition of Seatrade Middle East Workboats & Offshore Marine will run at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from September 30 to October 2, and the new Global Workboat Technology Forum will take place on day two of the event.

“We are thrilled to announce our strategic partnership with world energy leader Saudi Aramco, which comes at a time when innovation in workboat technology really is pushing the boundaries of opportunity in an increasingly competitive – and globalised – marketplace, and this will be the only platform of its kind, allowing unprecedented access to global industry decision-makers,” said Chris Hayman, chairman, Seatrade, organiser of the newly rebranded Middle East Workboats & Offshore Marine 2013.

The forum format will be technical presentations encouraging audience participation and including time for Q&A. Papers will be presented in front of global industry decision-makers and specialists — including Saudi Aramco’s Industrial Services executive director — alongside many other Marine Operational Companies.

“Being a strategic partner of The Global Workboat Technology Forum is a reflection of Saudi Aramco’s commitment to fostering collaborative partnerships and enabling innovative long-term solutions for the world’s energy and its services industries,” said Nabeel A Jama, executive director, Industrial Services, Saudi Aramco.

“The forum is an excellent platform for industry players around the world to share their knowledge, discuss current trends and issues, the outlook for the industry and this forum will certainly help us to chart our course to meet the challenges ahead of us.”

The presentations will be selected from abstracts that have been collated from a Call to Papers that requested paper submissions on topics that included: New technologies to improve marine engines efficiency, reliability, and environmental impact through innovative technologies; technological advancements improving marine thrusters efficiency, reliability, and performance and new technologies in marine corrosion prevention, among others. – TradeArabia News Service