SA COMPANIES OFF TO SOUTH KOREA TO SHOWCASE COUNTRY’S BOATING CAPABILITIES

SA COMPANIES OFF TO SOUTH KOREA TO SHOWCASE COUNTRY’S BOATING CAPABILITIES

 By BRIAN AKJENGO

South Africa will get an opportunity to showcase its boat manufacturing capabilities in East Asia when five companies and an industry association participate in the popular Korea International Boat Show taking place in Goyang, South Korea from 12-15 June 2014. The companies will exhibit boat models, engines and engine systems, marine equipment and accessories, and related engineering and manufacturing services in a National Pavillion that managed by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).

The Korean Boat Show has become the third largest boating show in Asia after Dubai and China. Last year, more than 30 000 people visited the exhibition stands of 446 companies from various parts of the world who participated in the show.

According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, the show presents a perfect platform to position South Africa’s boating industry and related offerings, and to capture the emerging market share in the South Korean and Asian marine leisure markets.

“The assistance that the dti is providing to the companies that will be exhibiting in South Korea underscores the department’s commitment to providing opportunities and opening up export markets in different parts of the world for our businesspeople in various sectors of the economy to explore. The exhibition will expose South African companies to export opportunities and will be a good platform to promote the South African boat-building and associated industry offerings,” said Davies.

He added that the event will also expose the South African exhibitors to potential customers and opportunities in the boat-building industry and associated market. It will offer exhibitors an opportunity to engage with industry leaders and stakeholders from different parts of the world. This will enable the South African companies to identify potential buyers, distributors and agents, as well learn more about prevailing market opportunities and environment.

South Korea has been the world's leading ship-building nation for the past decade. South African exports in the boat building and associated industries sector to South Korea have totalled R3 billion from 2008 to 2011. Trade in sail boats that include yachts and vessels for pleasure increased by 15% from R670 million in 2010 to R770 million in 2011. Exports of tugs and pusher crafts increased from R11 million in 2010 to R16 million in 2011.

“This year will be South Africa’s second participation in the show. We are optimistic that it will go a long way in consolidating South Africa’s image in the region as a world-renowned industry player in the boating market and achieve further market penetration into the region and beyond,” said Davies.

The participation of the SA exhibitors made possible by the dti through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) scheme. One of the scheme’s objectives is to develop new export markets for South African products and services.  

Four dti-sponsored companies will be travelling to South Korea together with a representative of the Marine Industry Association of South Africa are from the Western Cape. The other company is from the Eastern Cape.