Among officials taking part in the opening ceremony were Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communication deputy undersecretary Ahmet Selçuk Sert, IMEAK president Metin Kalkavan, Turkish Shipbuilders’ Association (GISBIR) president Murat Kiran and UBM EMEA (Istanbul) chairman Serkan Tiglioglu.

More than 150 companies representing 627 brands from 43 countries are exhibiting at the event, which is expected to receive some 11,000 visitors over the four days until 24 March . A hosted buyers’ programme arranged by the organisers has attracted participants from as far afield as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Singapore, South Africa and UAE.

In addition, more than 30 international and Turkish speakers will be addressing at a two-day Global Maritime Summit conference programmed by Seatrade that runs in parallel with the exhibition.

In his opening speech the GISBIR president Murat Kiran pointed out that Turkish shipyards were “modern, technology advanced and internationally certified,” offering a wide range of commercial and military vessel types. Due to the current shortage of commercial newbuilding orders globally, maintenance and repair activities and naval work formed the mainstay of their activities, he added.