Development of Coastal Shipping and Inland Water Transport (IWT) is a golden opportunity for India’s future economic development. To discuss the inherent advantages and challenges pertaining to Coastal Shipping & IWT, Kerala Sea&TradeTM is organizing The Coastal Shipping and IWT Summit on May 6, 2013 at Crowne Plaza, Kochi, Kerala. The Summit will bring  together key stakeholders from the national maritime industry and trade spectrum and dwell and deliberate over the major areas and issues that need to be turned around to assist in utilizing the sector’s potential and in driving the State’s and Nation’s economic growth.

The Coastal Shipping & IWT Summit will witness experts with a global understanding and leaders with in-depth knowledge of Kerala to create a vision for the state and fuel similar initiatives across the country for an all round maritime development. The summit will be a perfect platform for Policy makers, Shipping lines & Ship owners, Cargo owners, Freight forwarders, CHA’s, Transporters and other key stakeholders.

The Summit will include the inaugural and three business focused sessions –

Inaugural Session – The need for development of an integrated multimodal transport infrastructure with emphasis on Coastal Shipping & Inland Water Transport. Coastal shipping and IWT has not received adequate attention despite being a major link in the integrated transport infrastructure system. this session will focus on the need for appropriate planning and policy support to develop an integrated multimodal transport network with optimum utilization of each of our transport resources. It will also highlight the need for a comprehensive and futuristic thinking and the need for an serious commitment to harness and develop coastal shipping and inland water transportation.

Session I – Creating an understanding, awareness and a pragmatic and sustainable plan for Coastal Shipping & Inland Water Transport. The session will emphasis on the structure and empowering state’s policy framework for an all round development and growth. It also talks about how to reach out to larger stake holding community to create awareness and a serious understanding to generate interest and to engage them towards a shift.

Session II – Understanding the Cargo Owner perspective to align, engage and build a commitment towards an instant shift. One of the key discussion points at the forum would include, a holistic and futuristic vision with a commitment to effectively use Coastal Shipping and IWT besides creating a seamless and well integrated shipping operations, which are consistent, scheduled, safe and entrust hassle free and on-time delivery.

Session III – Engaging the Ship Owners and Service Providers to encourage and empower them in creating assets and service value. The industry experts will talk about the development of river-sea cargo movement by adding floating assets to meet the requirement and also focus on the appropriate policies required to provoke interest and boost vessel building and ownership.

The Coastal Shipping & IWT Summit is be open for all key stakeholder of the industry and to participate in the summit, the interested corportes and business personalities can visit and register at www.kerelaseantrade.com.