JSMEA makes presence at OTC 2018

Japan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association (JSMEA) attended the 2018 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas on April 30-May 3 as a project financially supported by The Nippon Foundation. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018, OTC is the world’s largest international conference and exhibition organized for the offshore development business. This was JSMEA’s sixth time attending OTC since 2013. From JSMEA, Mr. Shinzo Yamada, chairman; Mr. Masaharu Ono and Mr. Shigeki Kinoshita, vice-chairmen; and Mr. Shigeharu Oda, leader of the Offshore Development Strategy Review Board, took 11 of its affiliated companies to OTC. JSMEA members were joined again by their regular 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); and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK).

Including a new member, JX Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration Corporation, the delegation of 17 enterprises and organizations erected the Japan Pavilion where it conducted sales and marketing activities together with compatriot upstream enterprises and other parties engaged in offshore development. OTC 2018 welcomed a total of 61,300 visitors. Although the number was smaller than last year, when 64,700 people came to the conference, more than 2,300 exhibitors from 44 countries created a much brighter, vibrant atmosphere in the venue, taking advantage of recent recoveries in oil prices.

When a survey was conducted among exhibitors at the Japan Pavilion, all answered they had more visitors and business negotiations than they had at OTC 2017. On April 30, or Day 1 of OTC 2018, 73 representatives fromexhibitors, organizations and other members of the Japan Pavilion
met for a networking event and rally. During the event, JX Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration gave a seminar on offshore development projects, while the attendees were active in exchanging information.

On May 1, a ceremony was held by The Nippon Foundation at the Hotel Zaza to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of an international cooperation program for the development of marine energy (petroleum and natural gas). To build relations with offshore developers and relevant parties from other economies, JSMEA organized a lunch reception—with financial assistance from the foundation—that was joined by some 110 individuals.In the evening of the same day, JSMEA organized a networking reception at Minute Maid Park, at which approximately 200 people from the offshore development industry mingled and deepened relationships. As the association held a reception at the ballpark, the home field of the Houston Astros, for three consecutive years, the Major League baseball team told it to throw out a first pitch before a home game. Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, chairman of The Nippon Foundation, threw the first pitch at the game played on the day with the New York Yankees, on behalf of the JSMEA delegation. On May 4, JSMEA held a get-together with some 20 individuals from Japanese ship owners doing business in Houston and other parties.

During OTC 2018, bookings were accepted for space at OTC 2019. JSMEA reserved a 300-square-foot (approximately 28-square-meter) space at NRG Center, where the United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands and other major offshore developer nations will gather for national pavilions. Now, it intends to host twoJapan pavilions next year: one in the space at NRG Center and one (approximately 300 square meters) at NRG Arena. This year, the Japan Pavilion was only located at the arena. JSMEA’s Offshore Development Strategy Review Board, which has the Mobile Units and Support Vessel working groups under its umbrella, will continue to evaluate the current fiscal activities of the association and discuss how it will use the spaces in the main hall at OTC 2019

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Please see JSMEANEWS number 116(Autumn 2018) for more information.

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