The International WorkBoat Show is again taking place at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, from Wednesday, December 4, to Friday, December 6.
The event is a trade-only conference and exhibition for commercial vessel owners, operators, and builders, as well as the vendors and suppliers that serve them.
Five Educational Sectors
This year's conference will be broken out across three days. The conference’s educational track includes breakout sessions in categories such as “Maintenance and Repair,” “Tugs and Coastal Towing,” “Shipyards,” “Inland Waterways and Passenger Vessel,” and “Offshore.”
The maintenance and repair track includes two presentations on Wednesday that are directly related to the coatings industry, led by Robert Dahlstrom of Apellix from 11:45 a.m. until 12:20 p.m. and by Kash Mahmood of ABS from 12:25 until 1:00 p.m.
Dahlstrom's presentation on aerial robotics focuses on how robotic technology is engineering safer occupational environments for the coatings industry, while Mahmood's presentation on artificial intelligence (AI) and vessel corrosion detection examines AI models currently being used to detect the breakdown of marine coatings on various vessels.
All sessions are custom designed to provide high-level education and networking opportunities in a comprehensive format. The cornerstone of the program is intensive half-day sessions, which allow participants to dive deeper into the challenges and opportunities facing commercial mariners today.
Led by industry experts, the programs are designed to encourage critical thinking as attendees work through issues, ask questions, and receive actionable information that they can quickly put to work.
Hundreds of Exhibitors
On the show floor, exhibitors of potential interest to coatings contractors may include AkzoNobel (International), Belzona of Baton Rouge, Carboline Co., CertainTeed Corp., Desco Manufacturing Co., Dustless Blasting, FLIR Systems, Hempel Coatings, Ingersoll Rand, Jotun Paints Inc., Mascoat, Montipower Americas, PPG Protective & Marine Coatings, Sherwin-Williams, Sponge-Jet, Inc., TEMP-COAT Brand Products, and Wooster Products, Inc.
The complete list of exhibitors, along with booth numbers and locations, is available at the conference website. Show hours are from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday and Thursday, and from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Friday's closing day.
Of last year’s attendees, 92 percent discovered new products or vendors at the show, while 70 percent planned to make a purchase as a result of attending, according to event organizers.
In all, about 15,000 members of the commercial marine industry are expected to attend. Held annually in New Orleans, the show attracts attendees from around the world who come together to network, learn, spot new industry trends, and uncover innovative products and solutions.