International WorkBoat Show, North America's Largest Maritime Trade Show, to Bring Record Number of Exhibitors and Customers to New Orleans; Registration is Now Open

    NEW ORLEANS, LA, October 03, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Registration is now open for the 32nd International WorkBoat Show, North America's largest commercial marine trade show and conference, which will be held at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center from November 30 through December 2, 2011.

A record number of exhibitors and customers are expected for the Show, which features more than 1,000 exhibitors, the Third Annual WorkBoat Executive Summit, WorkBoat Professional Series and the Sixth Annual Shipyard Day, includes the 10 Significant Boats of 2011 Awards Ceremony and the WorkBoat Environmental Awards.

"The 2010 show brought more than 10,000 visitors and exhibitors from 45 states and 27 countries," said Show Director Bob Callahan of Diversified Business Communications, producers of the Show, which Tradeshow Week ranks as one of the Top 200 largest U.S. trade shows. "The WorkBoat Show continues to be the premier marketplace for businesses working on the coastal, inland and offshore waters."

Callahan said that visitors to the Show represent more than $2.3 billion in buying power. Last year, 88% of the visitors found new products or companies at the Show and 65% planned to purchase as a result of attending. "That's why this year's exhibit floor is nearly sold out already," Callahan said.

"The WorkBoat Show is really where the industry comes together and it's the key show for this market," commented Martin Meissner, ZF Marine. "It's a world class show."

Third Annual WorkBoat Executive Summit, November 29
Maritime industry leaders face a number of critical business issues, including high fuel prices, tight credit, an aging workforce and impending shortage of skilled workers, budget cuts and deficit reduction. To help find solutions in today's challenging economy, WorkBoat magazine presents the Third Annual WorkBoat Executive Summit at the Morial Convention Center.

"The Summit will provide maritime executives the right resources to keep their companies competitive and profitable," said David Krapf, editor in chief of WorkBoat magazine and WorkBoat.com.

Krapf said the Summit is designed exclusively for senior managers from every sector of the commercial marine industry including fleet owners, builders and finance executives.

The Summit will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and features a finance panel, keynote address by Charles Gasparino, senior correspondent for Fox Business Network, luncheon, roundtable session, reception and five networking opportunities.

Registration is available at www.WorkBoatSummit.com and the Summit costs $600 for Early Bird (Before November 16) and $700 for Regular (November 16 or later).

Sixth Annual Shipyard Day, November 30
The 6th Annual Shipyard Day is where the International WorkBoat Show and WorkBoat magazine celebrate the boatbuilding industry with a series of special events recognizing shipyards and the new vessels built for workboat owners and operators. This year's Shipyard Day features a keynote address, the WorkBoat Environmental Awards and WorkBoat Magazine's 10 Significant Boats of 2011.

David Matsuda, Maritime Administrator, MARAD, will present the Shipyard Day keynote address. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is an agency within the Department of Transportation responsible for all waterborne transportation. MARAD's programs include facilitating use of waterborne transportation and overseeing its integration with other segments of the transportation industry. The agency is responsible for the US merchant marine and works to make sure American ships, ports, environment, safety and national security are protected. The Maritime Administration maintains a fleet of cargo ships to provide surge sealift during war and national emergencies (the National Defense Reserve Fleet, or NDRF), and it helps to dispose of non-combatant government ships as they become obsolete.

WorkBoat Environmental Awards, 2:30 p.m.
The WorkBoat Environmental Awards recognize businesses and government agencies, operating in the U.S. maritime industry, which exemplify innovative and effective environmental process initiatives in daily operations. Two awards will be presented:

1. Comprehensive Environmental Management Plan - designed to showcase a wide-ranging, all-inclusive environmental program that is part of the company-wide culture and goes well beyond State and Federal mandates.

2. Environmental Initiative - designed to showcase a specific initiative, process and/or project that has a beginning and an end.

WorkBoat Magazine's 10 Significant Boats of 2011, 3 p.m.
WorkBoat's editorial staff reviews scores of boats that appeared in the magazine during the previous 12 months (December 2010 to November 2011). Of these, the editors choose 10 that deserve special recognition - with some chosen for design or technological advances, while others are selected for speed, style, and uniqueness.

WorkBoat Professional Series, November 30 - December 2
"Through keynote addresses and panel discussions, this year's Show features a very strong and comprehensive professional series that will help marine businesses keep on top of the latest industry and regulatory issues," said Krapf.

A Professional Series Conference Pass is $225 if purchased before November 30 and $250 at the Show. Individual session passes can also be purchased for $50 prior to November 30 and for $75 per session at the Show.

To register or for further information, visit www.WorkBoatShow.com. Pre-registration for the exhibit hall is free, onsite price is $50.

Information Links:
The International WorkBoat Show Web site: www.workboatshow.com
Online Registration: www.workboatshow.com/register
Exhibitor List: www.workboatshow.com/exhibitorlist

The International WorkBoat Show
The International WorkBoat Show is North America's largest maritime trade show and conference. For more than 30 years, the WorkBoat Show has proven to be the premier marketplace for businesses working on the coastal, inland and offshore waters. It is the place where attendees can meet face to face with thousands of colleagues and suppliers. With over 1,000 exhibiting companies, this is the biggest opportunity to find the hottest new ideas and products in the industry.

To attend the show, pre-register online at www.workboatshow.com or call 1-800-454-3007. Pre-registration for the exhibit hall is free, onsite price is $50. To exhibit call Chris Dimmerling at 207-842-5666.

The International WorkBoat show is produced by Diversified Business Communications.

For details, visit www.workboatshow.com.

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