The modern fishing fleet and related infrastructure are extremely important for a stable and safe fishery. To save the process of modernization from external circumstances, the industry needs to make systemic decisions and follow them together. Seafood Expo Russia always tries to create ideal conditions for joint work. Year by year it brings together all areas of the fishery industry within one place and offers participants ideas for solving the most challenging and important issues. This year special attention will be paid to shipbuilding and ship repair sector.

Not only the catch is important, but also the process

One of the main customers for the shipbuilders in Russia are fishing companies interested in improving and expanding the fishery fleet. The largest of them are constant exhibitors of Seafood Expo Russia and the landmark of the exposition. Since the start of its operation, the exhibition has become the center of attraction for the entire infrastructure around the fishing industry - from fishing companies and vessels helping with catch, to delivery to the end consumer. Companies directly engaged in fishing amount in 38.4% of the participants. The rest of the exhibitors helps to provide smooth and efficient work of the industry including shipbuilding (renewal and strengthening of the fishery, transport and scientific fleet) and ship repair. Therefore, Seafood Expo Russia unites the representatives of all areas of the fishing industry and companies of the entire chain from designing a ship to its equipping and operating: design bureaus, shipyards, manufacturers of equipment.

Bearing in mind the importance of shipbuilding and ship repair for the stability and development of the entire industry, this year the organizers decided to dedicate a separate pavilion F with an area of 13,000 square meters to such enterprises. Special attention will be paid to domestic producers. This year together with the constant exhibitors such as United Shipbuilding Corporation, AgroBaltProject, Valkom, VNIIR-Progress, MT-Group, SudoRybTechMash, Rostr, several Russian companies like Avrora Concern and Yaroslavl Shipbyard will join the show for the first time. 

Meeting place with consumers of fishery, transport and scientific fleet

Combining the exposition of the largest industry players with an expert discussion in the business program, the exhibition creates ideal conditions for the cooperative search for solutions of main problems in fishing industry. Today, issues of shipbuilding and ship repair stepped forward. Among the main topics for discussion will be:

• increasing home production of the necessary equipment in modern realities - an open dialogue with regulatory authorities, shipyards, design bureaus;

• providing the fishing industry with related infrastructure: port facilities, ship repair, research vessels, transport vessels (dry-cargo ships);

• continuation of the state program for the renewal of the fishing fleet and coastal processing;

• establishment of a continuous cold chain during the delivery of fish products from the vessel to the counter.

46% of the exhibition's audience are decision makers – business owners and top management. This year, a lot of technical specialists will visit the event. They will esteem the equipment and advantages of its usage in the production line.

“We urge our exhibitors to bring to the exhibition not only sales managers, but also technical directors, engineers, ship captains, trawl masters. This is the audience who influences on the decision to buy products, services and equipment of shipbuilders. The interests of our clients and the industry are the most important for us and such approach will help them make the right decision,” said Ivan Fetisov, CEO of Expo Solutions Group.

Investment quotas are coming!

Recently, the head of the Federal Agency for Fishery, Ilya Shestakov, confirmed that the modernization of the fishery fleet will continue, and the second stage of investment quotas campaign will take place. At the same time, the regulator realizes that the implementation of projects can be prolonged. Renovation of the fleet requires preserving the technologies for the design, construction and service of fishing vessels and coastal processing plants. Now most of them are implemented by European companies and some of them have temporarily terminated their participation. At the same time, 70 fishery vessels are already being constructed at various stages at the shipyards. New suppliers can provide their equipment and Seafood Expo Russia will help to find new them.

“Last year, within the roundtable at Seafood Expo Russia fishermen and shipyards discussed the main difficulties in implementing investment quotas’ projects. This helped to remove the contradictions and share the experience with colleagues. Together with partners, we will continue to organize a dialogue between different categories of participants to help them find and better understand each other. Thus, making the participation in the exhibition as effective as possible for everyone. Today is the best time to act and solve complex and interesting tasks together,” said Ivan Fetisov.

Last year, despite numerous restrictions, forum and exhibition confirmed their international status. 7000 specialists from 78 regions of Russia and 55 countries came to Saint Petersburg to visit the show. This year Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo Russia will have an anniversary - the event will be held in St. Petersburg on September 21-23 for the fifth time and will be the largest in its history. The exhibition area will occupy 26,000 square meters in the EXPOFORUM EC. The exposition of shipbuilding and ship repair will be located in pavilion F.