OPENING CEREMONY

Chaired by Mr David Gordon, Senior Manager: Lighthouse Services, Transnet National Ports Authority.

   

There was a spirited presentation of creative theatre with magic, tumbling, a lady being sawn in half, dance, a light show and powerful contemporary music by members of a six strong cast from the Cape College of Magic led by Monica Nyakatya and Nzumbuzo Nkonyana.

Each IALA member’s national flag was faded in on to the screen above the stage.  Towards the end the 54 strong Tygerberg Children’s Choir sang a cheerful Xhosa song as they trooped down the aisles from the high level entrance towards the front of the auditorium.

As a finale to these brilliant performances a single act employed a multitude of coloured scarves which, blended together, delivered the 2010 IALA Conference logo.  In all, a grand start to the day’s proceedings and loudly applauded.

Mr David Gordon welcomed delegates to South Africa and Cape Town, in particular, before welcoming the VIPs. He then invited Mr Khomotos Phihlela, Chief Executive, Transnet National Ports Authority, to address the Conference.

Welcome by Conference Host – Mr Khomotos Phihlela, Chief Executive, Transnet National Ports Authority

Captain Liu Gongchen, China MSA, IALA President

Honourable Mrs Barbara Hogan, Minister of Public Enterprises, Delegate and Colleagues.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all here to Cape Town and the 17th IALA Conference. First of all I would like to thank South Africa and especially Transnet National Ports Authority for the offer to host our Conference.

The planning of the Conference has been going on for the last four years and the cooperation in the Steering Committee has been excellent and fruitful. The programme for the presentations is of a very high standard thanks to the numerous abstracts from the membership, actually several more than we could find room for.

The Paper Selection Committee had a very difficult task to select the papers to be presented and it was with bleeding hearts that some had to be rejected. I want to thank the Committee for their hard work.

Our Industrial Members have prepared an outstanding exhibition with the latest technology and solutions. The exhibition is impressive and informative so I recommend you spend a lot of time there.

The hosts have prepared a social programme which I think will meet all your expectations and the IMC have planned the Industrial Members’ evening in a way that I believe will be as unforgettable as in past conferences.

Thanks to the initiative of the IMC of the Industrial Members it was suggested to provide funding for sponsorship for five delegates. Therefore ten African countries can benefit from this sponsorship and participate in this conference. I hope they will be inspired and take the experience into account in building up their aids to navigation services when they get home.

Unfortunately our planned Keynote Speaker has had to cancel his participation because the IMO MEPC committee also begins today. With the outcome from COP 15 he had no other choice than to address the IMO Committee on day one. In addition the address from the IHO President has had to be in written statement form as he had to attend to urgent IHO matters.

However, this may be a blessing in disguise as we have managed to get the most well-known and qualified writer on maritime affairs, Michael Grey, to give us the Keynote and wake-up call instead.

Finally, I would like to thank you, the delegates for taking the trouble to come all the way to this beautiful and friendly corner of the maritime world. I hope you will take the opportunity to take on board the many fine presentations and learn of best practices with new and old technologies. The conference is also the perfect place for building networks and friendships.

It is your conference – use it, to make the best of it.

I wish you a fruitful and pleasant conference.

Opening of the Conference – The Honourable Minister Barbara Hogan (MP), Minister of Public Enterprises, South Africa

The Minister welcomed delegates and said that Cape Town was delighted to host the Conference.

She went on to assure them of a wonderful stay and was sorry that they would be unable to attend the forthcoming World Cup where Green Point, with its grand stadium and its lighthouse would be the focus of interest.

In outlining the historic importance of Cape Town she quoted Sir Francis Drake who said of the feature, “ …the finest cape I have ever seen in all the circumference of the earth…” She referred also to the Cape by another name, “ the Cape of Storms” with its resultant shipwrecks which have been all too familiar down the years.

The colonial history of South Africa was referred to, particularly now that South Africa is free and independent. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island and Robben Island Lighthouse was regarded as the light of the incarcerated and the sign of the spirit of hope for South Africa. She wishes delegates fruitful collaboration during their stay.

South Africa is a leader in commerce on the continent of Africa and Mrs Hogan congratulated Transnet National Port Authority for their organisation of this event.

In declaring the Conference open she hoped that visitors would have a wonderful time in the city.

Message from the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO)

Dr. Mike Hadley read a letter from the IHO, which had been received just before the Conference.

Keynote Speaker – Mr Michael Grey, Lloyd’s List

Michael Grey spoke about the challenges being faced by the maritime industry and the way in which many are not being tackled or are being ignored. He touched on manning, technology and IALA’s role in encouraging harmonisation.