JSMEA makes debut at IFC in Russia

Japan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association (JSMEA) attended the International Fishery Congress (IFC) in Vladivostok, Russia for the first time on Oct. 5-6, 2017. With financial assistance from The Nippon Foundation, Mr. Katsuhiko Fujiwara, vice-chairman, JSMEA/chairman, JSMEA’s Overseas Market Development Committee (executive officer, Yanmar Co., Ltd./general manager, Yanmar’s Tokyo Office) and Mr. Shuzo Ueda, leader of JSMEA’s Overseas Fishing Vessel Market Development Working Group (general manager, Marine Business Department, Marine System Division, Japan Radio Co., Ltd.) led a delegation of nine member companies. It was the third time that JSMEA had organized a market development project in Russia, with the previous two being seminars in Vladivostok and St. Petersburg, in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The 12th IFC welcomed 770 attendees over two days (496 on Day 1 and 272 on Day 2), which attested to the popularity of the event. Many individuals in the public and private sectors came from all over Russia, including officials of the central and local governments engaged in the seafood business, representatives of fisheries organizations and fishing vessel owners. The attendees also included those from 15 other economies (refer to the outline of the 12th IFC below). JSMEA was a sponsor in the congress.

At the opening session on Day 1, Mr. Noboru Ando, managing director, JSMEA, introduced Mr. Fujiwara, Mr. Ueda and member companies, giving the speech entitled “Innovations in the Fisheries Industry—Momentum of Effective Use and Conservation of the Global Sea Wealth”, which was the main topic of the 12th IFC. Mr. Ando emphasized that Japanese ship machinery and equipment manufacturers can contribute to the modernization of fishing vessels and technologies in Russia.

A roundtable session was held on Day 2, focusing on prospects for investment in and development of the fisheries industry. Mr. Fujiwara gave the opening address, followed by the attending members introducing the latest of their respective technologies and products. JSMEA had a Japan desk near the conference hall on both days, and attracted so many visitors that members quickly ran out of the catalogs they had brought from Japan. The association continued to work during a reception that it organized after the event to build relations with interested parties from Russia and market members’ products by distributing their catalogs. JSMEA had produced a Russian-language booklet to introduce the attending member companies, which was included in the package of materials prepared by the IFC and distributed to attendees.

Taking advantage of the trip made to attend the 12th IFC, a JSMEA delegation visited Mr. Pavel Shikov, new chief operating officer at the Far East branch office of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS). JSMEA also visited Mr. Tatsuhiko Kasai, consul-general of Japan in Vladivostok, at the consulate-general. At that time, the consulate outlined the economies of coastal areas in Russia. Members asked consulate staff questions about local fisheries affairs and exchanged views on similar subjects. JSMEA will report findings from its trip to Russia to discuss future related actions when convening meetings of its Overseas Market Development Working Group, Overseas Fishing Vessel Market Development Working Group, Overseas Market Development Committee, Global Strategic Plan Review Board and other in-house units.

**********************************************************

Please see JSMEANEWS number 115(Spring 2018) for more information.

************************************************************