CIMC 2015

Colombo International Maritime Conference which was held from 24th -26th September 2015 was attended by over 450 delegates & 42 international speakers. This was Sri Lanka’s first ever mega maritime event which was supported by the government of Sri Lanka declaring the first ever maritime week to coincide with the world maritime day. The event was supported by the IMO, The Commonwealth Secretariat/ UNCTAD/ Federal Maritime Commission, Global Shippers’ Forum, The government of India and many other international institutions & organisations.

The outcome of the CIMC was extremely encouraging and it was observed by many international speakers and delegates as one of the top maritime conferences that they have participated. The conference covered a large area of subjects related to the maritime industry, regionally and globally. Sri Lanka’s emergence as a cost effective destination for shipping and logistics was a highlight of the event. The high rating received for the event and as an emerging shipping and logistics hub, the government of Sri Lanka has endorsed and supported the Colombo International Maritime Conference as an annual event that would promote the development of the shipping and logistics industry in South Asia and Sri Lanka’s role in the maritime economy of the world.

Testimonials

I had the opportunity to attend the CIMC 2015 held on 24-25 September 2015 in Colombo. CIMC covers various issues on shipping industry, maritime cross border challenges, logistics and supply chain, bunkering industry, regulatory aspects, cruise tourism, ports, ship building & ship repair etc. The sessions on these topic are carefully structured to be more informative and useful for policy makers, technocrats and others working in the maritime sector. CIMC provides unique opportunity to meet and exchange ideas. I wish the conference all success.

"Thank you for hosting such a wonderful and successful international maritime conference in South Asia. The quality of the speakers, and topics were excellent as well as very relevant to the maritime cluster. Food and accommodation were outstanding and atmosphere of conference was just perfect for participants to interact and get to know each other.

Frankly, I met some wonderful persons from different countries who are now friends and connected with mine (Linkedin& Facebook) and perhaps friends for life."

CIMC provided an excellent stage for major industry players to discuss the opportunities and challenges within South Asia's container shipping market. The event also helped highlight Colombo's rapidly growing transshipment business."

The CIMC 2016 promises to be a truly remarkable event if it can maintain the same high standard it set itself in 2015. The CIMC 2015 was the first international maritime conference to be held in Sri Lanka, despite the island being a major trans-shipment port and significant exporter of semi and finished goods. Participants and speakers learnt not just about the ambitious plans for Sri Lanka's continued economic development, but also about regional and global events which could have an impact locally. Thanks to an array of generous coffee breaks, side cocktail events and gala dinners there was ample opportunity to mingle with old and new acquaintances. The annual conference is supported with input from the United Nations Conference on Trade and development (UNCTAD) and is timed to coincide with its sister organization, the International Maritime Organizations (IMO), annual World Maritime Day. The 2016 theme for World Maritime Day is "Shipping: indispensable to the world". The CIMC 2016 will no doubt show just how indispensable Sri Lanka's role, both now and moving forward, is in regional trade.

It was, indeed, a great honour to be invited to speak at CIMC 2015 held at Colombo. My topic was focused on security issues in connection with maritime transport and shipping in the Indian Ocean with special attention to the waters around the South Asian sub-continent.

The Conference was very logically structured and the sequence of topics highlighting issues concerning ports, shipping, and trade flowed flawlessly. In addition, what made the Conference even more interesting and intellectually stimulating was the quality of speakers who were the best in the field and experts on the topics that they spoke on.

The Conference was organised extremely well and all the connected functions were superb.

I wish CIMC 2016 all the very best and I am certain that it will be even better than CIMC 2015 as all lessons learnt would be incorporated.

The CIMC2015 conference provided an opportunity to expand the knowledge about the Port of Colombo, its strategic location, current posture and endless possibilities for increased international trade and tourism. Valuable information was provided by the guest speakers and the tour of the port supported the discussions on growth throughout recent years. The “lessons learned” shared by many of the local and foreign guest speakers provided great insight and ideas to all participants.

CIMC 2015 was great. It was a platform to network with the people in maritime industry across the globe in the island country…

The Colombo International Maritime Conference is a must attend event for those seeking to learn about how ports in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan sustain and support each other, and how the Port of Colombo has emerged as a major relay point for the world’s major ocean carriers and alliances. Featuring guest speakers who represent various governments, ocean carriers, ports, terminals, economists, and various other industry stakeholders, the forum allows those attending to gain new insights on the maritime industry as it pertains to South West Asia, and to network with leading professionals in their fields. It is a MUST attend event on the global maritime conference calendar.

“ When I received the CIMC 2015 program, I believed the organizers were overly ambitious, given the relatively short lead time at their disposal. I was, therefore, very impressed when the entire program was executed to perfection. Having attended several international maritime conferences and being involved with the organization of some, I have a keen appreciation of the logistical challenges, particularly when the majority of the speakers are from overseas. This was a very creditable first attempt, which bodes well for future events, that provide a much needed forum for Sri Lankan and other regional maritime organizations and concerned individuals to share information and enhance the overall level of knowledge of the crucial maritime industry”.

"This was a well-run program with a tremendous future. The smart cruise lines will be attending."

It is my firm view that the CIMC 2015 was a roaring success. I am saying this in comparison to many such conferences organized by well-known International companies with immense experience, financial and other resources. Many did not realize the significance of this event as the first such forum based in Colombo which was long overdue.

In spite of being the first time, every event was well organized and professionalism was evident.

Thank you for letting me participate in it and as a member of the Sri Lankan Maritime community. I am proud of being a participant.

CIMC 2015

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