More than 70 per cent of exhibitors at the Ausmarine 2000 event have already confirmed that they will participate in Ausmarine 2002. The organisers, Baird Publications, are confident that 2002 will see the biggest and best Ausmarine yet. While the Australian shipbuilding and marine industries have always strongly supported Ausmarine, many overseas suppliers have held back. They are now realising that it is an event worth participating in.

Ausmarine 2000 attracted 150 exhibitors and more than 2,000 high quality visitors. A majority of the visitors were owners or operators of commercial and government vessels. Those vessels included ferries, cruise ships, tourist boats, tugs, offshore service vessels, fishing boats, aquaculture service boats, patrol, pilot and rescue craft, warships, general work boats and, various kinds of cargo ships.

Exhibition director, Michael Orr commented: “To have this many pre-committed exhibitors before we have even published the brochure is amazing. “Our only worry is that with changes to the venue, the Fremantle Passenger Terminal, we only have 162 stands available for exhibitors. With more than 100 of those already committed, any other companies wanting to participate will need to move fast,” he concluded.