The third edition of the Saudi International Marine Exhibition (SIMEC) concluded with a huge attendance of up to 15,000 visitors. The three-day exhibition, which was held from February 4-6, witnessed more than 1,500 business meetings, 20 workshops as well as the signing of nine cooperation agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Some of the major signings were the joint venture agreement between Neom and Tabuk Fisheries Company, an MoU between TOPIAN and Pure Salmon, an MoU between TOPIAN and the National Livestock & Fisheries Development Program, as well as an MoU between TOPIAN and the National Aquaculture Group (NAQUA). The agreements focused on localizing modern aquaculture techniques and the marketing of fish products farmed in inland waters.
The exhibition aims to highlight the Kingdom’s fisheries industry and the sustainability progress in the Red Sea coasts and the Arabian Gulf which extends over 3,000 kilometers. In the past year, the marine production in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reached up to 70,000 tons and the farming of various species of fish and shrimp reached 140,000 tons. Through the various initiatives carried out by the National Livestock & Fisheries Development Program to support investments, by 2030, the production of farmed fish and marine fish is expected to reach 600,000 tons.
In this edition of SIMEC, the Saudi Arabian Chefs Association organized a cooking contest titled Seas Chef in which more than 30 chefs competed to create diverse seafood dishes that were evaluated by a group of expert judges. There was also the Master Class live cooking event which allowed more than 60 trainee chefs and exhibition visitors to cook along with professional chefs. More than 20 delicious Saudi and International seafood recipes were made and shared with an audience to be tasted and evaluated.
The CEO of City Events, Ammar Al Ziter, and the organizer of the exhibition, pointed out that the success of the third edition has exceeded attendance expectations. “Our ambitions are great for the Saudi International Marine Exhibition (SIMEC) and we aim to become a landmark not only in the Kingdom but also in the Middle East. SIMEC is the only aquaculture exhibition in the region and we look forward to attracting more international exhibitors in our upcoming edition.”
With the major MoU signings, seafood cooking events and various workshops specialized in aquaculture technology, algae and key investment opportunities in the Kingdom, the exhibition has achieved great success and was able to attract remarkable local and international attendance.
