JSMEA attends OTC 2017

Japan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association
(JSMEA) advertised the efforts that Japan makes to advance offshore development projects at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2017. With financial support by The Nippon Foundation, JSMEA took 11 member companies to Houston, Texas, where the event was hosted on May 1-4. The JSMEA team, which was led by Mr. Masaharu Ono, vice-chairman of the association (chairman of Fuji Trading Co., Ltd.), joined forces with the following six partners: INPEX Corporation; the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC); Japan Drilling Co., Ltd. (JDC); Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC); the National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology (MPAT) and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK). The team of 17 enterprises and organizations set up the Japan Pavilion with cooperation from the Japanese ministries
of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT),
It was the fifth time since 2013 that JSMEA had
attended the OTC, one of the world’s largest conferences and exhibitions on offshore development, while Japan ran its own pavilion for the second time, following the OTC 2016.
Due to continuous drops in oil prices, the number of
visitors had been expected to again decrease from the prior year, as it did in 2016 from 2015. In fact, the OTC 2017 just welcomed a total of 64,700 visitors (68,000 in 2016), according to the organizer, but it only incurred a minute year-on-year decrease. The overall area of exhibitions was smaller, too, covering 599,295 square feet, which shrank from the 672,300 square feet that it
had in 2016. Nevertheless, as many as 2,470 exhibitors from 43 countries and regions were present at the OTC 2017, including 267 newcomers, enabling the event to still be worthy of being called one of the largest offshoretechnology
conferences and exhibitions in the world.
In contrast, the Japan Pavilion, which was located at the center of Pavilion at NRG Park, was visited by more people than when it took part in the OTC 2016. The members promoted their respective services, products and other features, using catalogs and other publications carrying up-to-date information on offshore developmentrelated
machinery and equipment that JSMEA has
produced. Visitor interest in them was so great that almost all copies on hand were taken.
JSMEA conducted a survey among the 11 affiliated
manufacturers after the OTC 2017 came to a close. The result indicated that they had conducted more business negotiations than ever while the onference was in session.
The JSMEA delegation carried out the following sideline activities while in Houston for the OTC 2017.

April 30: JSMEA held a meeting with compatriot ship-, oil- and gas-related companies having business footholds in Houston, which were represented by 63 individuals, encouraging members of its delegation to exchange information.

May 1: Mr. Ono; other JSMEA executives; and Mr.
Shigeharu Oda, head of JSMEA’s Offshore Development Strategy Review Board (president of Ushio Reinetsu Co., Ltd.), paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Tetsuro Amano, Japanese consul-general in Houston. The JSMEA delegation briefed on its activities to and exchanged views with the consulgeneral.

May 1: The abovementioned JSMEA delegation called at MODEC International, Inc. together with the 11 member companies. The JSMEA members made introductions and conducted dialogs with the North American affiliate of MODEC, Inc.
May 1: All of the Japan Pavilion members gathered
for a rally, which were represented by 67 individuals. Mr. Atsushi Iwasaki, deputy consul-general, was present at the rally.

May 2: Mr. Ono, other JSMEA executives, Mr. Oda and representatives from the 11 companions visited the head office of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. (MHIA), a U.S. affiliate of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Inc. (MHI), to exchange opinions.

May 2: JSMEA organized a networking reception at
Minute Maid Stadium in partnership with U.S. publication Maritime Reporter & Engineering News. The event venue was wall to wall with the attendance of 200 people, which was larger than the two previous times, 180 people and 160 people, respectively. There were more applications
submitted from those wanting to attend the reception than capacity allowed and therefore many were placed on a waiting list.

May 4: Mr. Ono, other executives and representatives from the 11 members made a call at BW Offshore Management America Inc., a U.S. business base of BW Offshore Ltd. The JSMEA delegation held discussions with representatives from BW Offshore Management America who were in charge of procurement on the products that
the members manufacture for floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facilities.
The OTC will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year at the OTC 2018. JSMEA intends to secure a space in NRG JSMEA attends OTC 2017 Arena, which usually boasts the second most visitors to NGR Center. Covering 4,000 square feet, which will
be nearly as spacious as the space it had at the OTC 2017, the JSMEA site would be situated right next to the entrance, which links the arena with the center.
JSMEA’s Offshore Development Strategy Review
Board, which governs the Mobile Units and Support
Vessel working groups under its umbrella, is responsible for discussing exhibitions to be shown at the OTC 2018.
It will also exchange views on the business activities to be conducted by JSMEA this fiscal year.

Japan Pavilion(1)

Japan Pavilion(2)

Japan Pavilion(3)

Japan Pavilion(4)

JSMEA pay courtesy visit to Japanese Consulate-General in Houston(1)

JSMEA pay courtesy visit to Japanese Consulate-General in Houston(2)

JSMEA calls at MODEC international(1)

JSMEA calls at MODEC international(2)

JSMEA visits MHIA

JSMEA calls at Offshore Management America