Maritime Minister, Nusrat Ghani, the first Muslim woman to speak from the House of Commons despatch box, will make a keynote speech on a new initiative for women in the maritime sector.
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State will also tour the show, meeting exhibitors and women in the commercial marine industry. The opening will take place at 1000 on the first day of Seawork (Tuesday 3 July).
On the second day of Seawork (Wednesday 3 July) a networking reception for women in the marine industry will be attended by over 50 women. They will be addressed by Katy Ware, Director of Maritime Safety and Standards at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and one of the commercial marine industry’s leading business women, Suzanne Blaustone, CEO of Barton Marine Equipment Ltd.
Seawork first and foremost serves the commercial marine business; from supply of equipment to vessel builders and repairers, to the design and supply of the vessels themselves and the surrounding industry technology.
A new feature of Seawork is Speed@Seawork, a conference focusing on fast vessels operating at high speed. One of the key speakers is Holly Phillips MBE, Principal Naval Architect at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Holly forms part of the RNLI’s Design Authority working group and manages the naval architecture team responsible for the structural and stability aspects of the RNLI’s fleet of all weather and inshore lifeboats, lifeguard equipment and other assets.