Event - Marine Safety Conference 2010

The National Marine Safety Committee (NMSC) says it is pleased with the expansion of its Marine Safety Conference 2010 program held in Perth from August 22 to 24.

Organisers said the launch of the final report for the first national recreational Boating Usage Study is now confirmed to take place at the conference gala dinner on August
23, and a free half-day recreational boating forum on August 25.

On the second day of the conference, a number of themed sessions and panels will encourage an interactive audience and will attract, for instance, those interested in:
* the fishing industry with experts Professor George Kailis (WAFIC) and Gina Johansen (Fish Safe, Canada);
* marine surveying (including Russ Behan, Capt Stephen Beale and Denis Brookes);
* marine industry economics (Dr Ed Mahoney, Michigan State University); and,
* technology in navigation (including Bureau of Meterology's Peter Dexter).

More than 350 guests from Australia and the Asia-Pacific are expected to attend the conference at the Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth.

The Early Bird offer has been extended until June 18 to allow local and visiting delegates more time to consider the expanded program, organisers added.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
The conference program promises to bring delegates the latest in marine safety. This edition's highlights include:

JEFF HOEDT - Jeffrey Hoedt is Chief of the Boating Safety Division of the US Coast Guard. He’s responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of the National Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Program and oversees the Coast Guard’s efforts at reducing fatalities, injuries, and property losses in recreational boating in the US. At the conference he will share his ‘best practice’ on boating safety in the US.

COLIN CHAMBERLAIN - ABC TV's New Inventors 2009 Inventor of the Year Colin Chamberlain is currently developing his Environmental Safety Propeller for a world market. He invented the safety propeller in response to hearing about serious injuries during boating incidents.

LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL RECREATIONAL BOATING USAGE STUDY - The study is a world-first and reveals how people really use their boats and how the amount of time spent on the water is linked to incidents and accidents. The study tracked more than 2000 boating volunteers for 18 months. Volunteer Greg Beanland clocked up more than 700 hours on one trip!

At the conference, NMSC Research Manager Dr. John Bentley will release significant findings from the study including information about boaters, boat usage, boating behaviour, boating incidents and the boating experience.

DENIS BROOKES - Long coastlines and scattered waterways: a challenge for marine surveyors particularly in Western Australia. Denis Brookes, WA Transport's Senior Marine Surveyor, looks at the problems and some solutions when complying with survey requirements in remote areas of WA.

For sponsorship opportunities,
contact: Nancy Dabliz, accountant, phone (02) 9247 2124 or email:
secretariat@nmsc.gov.au

For Exhibition opportunities, contact:
Thomas Howden, ICMS, phone (02) 9254 5000, fax (02) 9251 3552 or email:
thomash@icmsaust.com.au