16 September 2010
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
A delegation of 15 Atlantic Canadian companies from the ocean technology industry will travel to Seattle, Washington to participate in the Oceans 2010 MTS/IEEE conference and trade show. The event runs from September 20- 23, 2010. Financial support for the mission is being provided by the federal and provincial governments through the Canada/Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development (IBDA).
Organized by the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronical Engineers (IEEE), Oceans 2010 is one of the world’s leading events for the marine science, technology and engineering sectors. The Atlantic Canadian delegation is being led by Nova Scotia Business Inc.
"Our Government’s investment in this trade mission is one of many demonstrations of our commitment to Atlantic Canada’s ocean technology industry," said the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway. "We believe in the strength and future of Atlantic Canada’s ocean technology industry and are proud to support Atlantic Canadian delegates at this event where they can demonstrate their capabilities to an international audience, learn about new technologies and research, and meet with prospective buyers and partners."
"With internationally-recognized expertise in the areas of maritime surveillance, marine simulation, and ocean observation, Newfoundland and Labrador has assumed a leadership position in the global ocean technology sector," said the Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. "A preeminent industry forum, Oceans 2010 provides the platform for the Newfoundland and Labrador delegation to further entrench the local sector as an industry leader and create the necessary linkages to advance new export opportunities."
The annual international technology conference and exhibition is held in different venues around the world and draws upwards of 2,000 international delegates. Oceans 2010 will provide the Atlantic Canadian delegates with a wide range of training and marketing opportunities, highlighted by exhibiting at an Atlantic Canadian Pavilion and hosting a networking reception to raise the Atlantic industry’s international profile and to strengthen global trade relations.
This is the third Atlantic Canadian trade mission to the Oceans fall conference and exhibition. Past missions have been extremely successful for Atlantic Canadian companies. Last year’s mission alone generated more than $80,000 in on- site sales and an estimated $1.3 million in sales over the past year.
"The Oceans trade show enables companies to highlight the expertise and capabilities that exist in our region," said Stephen Lund, president and CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc. "With the success we’ve had in previous years, we’re pleased to continue to support initiatives that position our companies as global competitors in the industry."
According to a recent study, Atlantic Canada's ocean technology sector exports over 50 per cent of its products and services, with the US being the biggest export market.
The Pacific Northwest region of the US represents a strategic market for Atlantic Canada. The region includes the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. Taken together, these states would rank 19th among the world's leading economies with an annual gross regional product close to $500 billion and a combined population of 13 million.
A total of $91,000 in funding for the Oceans 2010 trade mission is being provided through the IBDA. The IBDA is a federal/provincial agreement between the Government of Canada (ACOA, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and Industry Canada) and the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada, and is designed to help Atlantic Canadian businesses enter, explore and succeed in international markets. The IBDA is the leading component of a pan Atlantic effort to foster business relations, attract foreign investment and nurture technological co-operation.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
A delegation of 15 companies representing Atlantic Canada’s ocean technology industry will travel to Seattle, Washington to participate in the Oceans 2010 conference and trade show, from September 20-23, 2010, with financial support from the federal and provincial governments through the Canada/Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development (IBDA).
ACOA Minister Keith Ashfield said that Oceans 2010 is an important trade building event, allowing the Atlantic Canadian delegates to demonstrate their capabilities to an international audience, learn about new technologies and research, and meet with prospective buyers and partners.
A total of $91,000 in funding for the trade mission is being provided through the IBDA, a federal/provincial agreement between the Government of Canada (ACOA, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and Industry Canada) and the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada. The IBDA is designed to help Atlantic Canadian businesses enter, explore and succeed in international markets.
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INFORMATION:
Rose May Gallant
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
506-851-3034
Rose-May.Gallant@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Scott Barfoot
Director of Communications Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
709-729-4570
ScottBarfoot@gov.nl.ca
MEDIA BACKGROUNDER
Following is the list of the Atlantic Canadian companies and organizations taking part in the trade mission to the Oceans 2010 trade show and conference in Seattle, Washington:
New Brunswick
CARIS (Fredericton)
IVS 3D Inc. (Fredericton)
Newfoundland and Labrador
Compusult Limited (Mount Pearl)
Marport Canada Inc. (St. John’s)
PanGeo Subsea (St. John’s)
School of Ocean Technology (St. John’s)
Nova Scotia
Focal Technologies Corporation (Moog Components Group) (Dartmouth)
Hawboldt Industries Ltd. (Chester)
Instrument Concepts-Sensor Software Inc. (Great Village)
JouBeh Technologies Inc. (Dartmouth)
MetOcean Data Systems (Dartmouth)
Pro-Oceanus Systems Inc. (Bridgewater)
ROMOR Ocean Solutions (Dartmouth)
Satlantic Inc. (Halifax)
Xeos Technologies Inc. (Bedford)
