His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM GBE

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh opened the World Maritime Technology Conference (WMTC 2006) at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on the afternoon of Monday 6 March 2006. “We are delighted that His Royal Highness will be taking part in the opening ceremony for this week long event,” says Keith Read CBE, Chief Executive of The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) who are hosting and organising this, the second event in the global triennial WMTC series. “As an Admiral of the Fleet, Master of Trinity House, Honorary Fellow of IMarEST and with his long maritime associations – as a naval officer; his ongoing connections and interest in Naval life; and as a recreational yachtsman - also through his long relationship with WWF, he is the ideal Patron for this milestone event. We greatly look forward to his opening address.”

Mr Efthimios Mitropoulos, Secretary General, International Maritime Organization

Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos was elected Secretary-General of the Organization by the ninetieth session of the IMO Council on 18 June 2003 and his appointment was approved by the twenty-third regular session of the IMO Assembly on 27 November 2003. He will serve the Organization as its Secretary-General for an initial four-year term which started on 1 January 2004.

Commissioner Joe Borg, Directorate General for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, European Commission

Commissioner Joe Borg’s main objective in regards to fisheries, is to ensure the long term future of European fisheries.

Commissioner Borg is committed to sustainable EU fisheries management in environmental, social and economic terms and the vision that will guide his actions is of a competitive, prosperous and responsible fisheries sector.

As for maritime affairs, Commissioner Borg is in charge of the Task Force which will have the responsibility to produce a Green Paper that takes stock of the situation within the European Union with regard to the maritime dimension and that identifies potential for development.

Choo Chiau Beng
Senior Executive Director, Keppel Corporation
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
Keppel Offshore & Marine
Member, Executive Committee

Mr Choo is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (formerly known as Keppel FELS Energy & Infrastructure Ltd) and he is also the Chairman of Singapore Petroleum Company and Singapore Refining Company. Mr Choo sits on the board of directors of Keppel Land Ltd, k1 Ventures Ltd and is a board member of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. He is also Chairman of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Council and member of the Nanyang MBA Advisory Committee.

He is also Chairman of Det Norske Veritas South East Asia Committee, International Enterprise Singapore’s (formerly known as Trade Development Board) Infrastructure Business Advisory Group, Council Member of the American Bureau of Shipping and member of the American Bureau of Shipping’s Southeast Asia Regional Committee and Special Committee on Mobile Offshore Drilling Units.