Pacific expo invites out

Current and former RAN personnel, including reservists, are invited to attend the Pacific 2004 International Maritime and Naval Exposition as accredited trade visitors.

Pacific CEO Ian Honnery says there will be a great deal to interest those with naval connections and backgrounds.

“It will be the most significant exhibition of its kind ever presented in the Southern Hemisphere”, he said.

The event, which will not be open to members of the general public, is also expected to attract large numbers of government, military and industry people from throughout Australia and overseas.

In 2002 it attracted 270 trade exhibitors from more than 20 nations, 21 top level diplomatic, military and trade delegations and almost 9,000 accredited trade visitors.

Among them were senior government, military and industry representatives from throughout Australia, Asia, North America and Europe.

Mr Honnery said an even more impressive set of statistics should flow from the 2004 event.

“It will be the only truly international exhibition of its genre regularly held in the region and will showcase the latest in commercial maritime and naval defence technology from throughout Asia Pacific and the world,” he said.

“European and North American-based companies, in particular, see it as an important opportunity to touch base with the key decision makers of South East Asia and the South Pacific.”

A number of timely and highly informative conferences are being conducted in conjunction with the event, including the RAN Sea Power Conference.

Chief of Navy VADM Chris Ritchie has joined the nation’s political leaders in richly endorsing the Pacific Expo.

Prime Minister John Howard described it as “an excellent opportunity to showcase the latest maritime and naval technology, explore business opportunities and exchange innovative ideas”.

Likewise, Defence Minister Senator Robert Hill said that Pacific was one of the world’s premier maritime and naval industry expositions

He said that it would “provide an exciting forum for displaying a vast range of current and emerging naval and maritime technologies and projects”.

VADM Ritchie has praised Pacific 2004 as an excellent industry forum for the display of the latest naval and maritime technologies.

The Pacific 2004 International Maritime and Naval Exposition will be held in the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour between February 3 and 6, 2004.

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