SNAME, in conjunction with its Annual Meeting in 2003, will host the first International Marine Technical Conference & Exposition (IMTCE) to be held in San Francisco on October 17-20, with a theme of "Globalization in the New Environment". SNAME will invite many of the international marine technical societies to join them as principal sponsors and participants in this first-time-ever event. A Conference Technical Program Committee will be responsible for developing a superior technical program designed to attract a wide marine audience of international presence.

SNAME's goals of enhanced technical exchange and improved communication and coordination among the societies while significantly growing the conference through international participation in 2003 may lead to a triennial event in the future. This event is likely to be hosted by another of the co-sponsoring marine societies outside of the U.S. Each principal sponsor will be invited to nominate representatives to serve on the Technical Program Committee to insure a balanced program of technical papers, presentations, and workshops covering current and topical subjects in all sectors of the international marine industry. Four tracks, each with plenary sessions, are envisioned including:

• Ship Operation (Security, Safety & Quality, Environmental Protection, Innovative Propulsion Systems)
• Ship Design and Technology (Recent Innovative Ships and Offshore Platforms, Interactive Ship Design and Intermodal Transportation, R&D Needs and Activities)
• Ship Production (Major Advances in Shipbuilding, the Ship Production Symposium)
• The Role of Marine Technical Societies in Globalization and the New Environment (Education, Consultation with Int'l Maritime Organizations, Acceptance of Professional Qualifications, Sharing Technical Information).