His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Ports Company, inaugurated the exhibition in the presence of His Excellency Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Managing Director, ADNEC.

The event that will run until 2 October has drawn the participation of more than 228 local and international companies. The thought leadership sessions that will take place on the sidelines of the exhibition are anticipated to generate industry shaping outcomes from the participating decision-makers and experts in the marine transport and energy domain.

His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said: "We are pleased to inaugurate this significant event that highlights the momentous progress achieved by the port, trade, marine transport and logistics services sector in the UAE, under the visionary guidance of our wise leadership.

“Due to its strategic geographical location between the East and the West, and the advanced infrastructure of ports that are capable of accommodating the largest of ships and tankers, the UAE has quickly evolved as an epicentre for global trade. Hosting this exhibition reflects the nation’s keen interest in the development of marine transport sector that has conventionally contributed to the growth of the national economy.”

His Excellency Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Managing Director, ADNEC,  said: "As the largest and most advanced exhibition venue in the Middle East region, ADNEC has successfully demonstrated its capacity to stage specialised international events. The centre's facilities, unique for their flexibility and ability to meet exhibitors’ requirements, continue to play a winning role in the success of the events that we host.

“In staging the Seatrade Middle East Workboats and Offshore Marine Exhibition for the fourth consecutive year, we are delighted to reiterate our strategy to attract events from economic sectors that are identified as crucial by the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.”

The three-day international event features an expanded format this year with larger exhibition space and increased number of exhibitors. The exhibition and conference are also expected to welcome more than 6,000 stakeholders, nearly 20 per cent higher compared to the previous edition. More importantly, the UAE has a 25 per cent increased participation at the exhibition from 2012.

The event takes centre stage at a time when the volume of spending on marine development processes in the Middle East and the Caspian Sea, particularly in the oil and gas sector, is set to grow to about US$39.9 billion between 2011 and 2015, up from US$10 billion from 2006 to 2010, according to studies published by Infield Systems, an independent energy research and analysis firm.

This year’s edition of Seatrade Middle East Workboats & Offshore Marine will feature a one-day Global Workboats Technology Forum. An outcome of the event’s strategic partnership with Saudi Aramco, the world’s leading fully integrated energy and petrochemicals enterprise, the forum will witness international experts presenting a series of technical papers on topics relevant to the marine and workboats sector.

The event's agenda will also study the challenges facing the marine sector until 2020. The panel discussion will additionally explore ways to enhance the domain’s efficiency with a focus on potential opportunities in the Caspian and Africa region.