Written by MaryAnne Edwards, GMBA Australia and New Zealand
The Australian Commercial Marine Group (ACMG) held its inaugural Conference on 1 August 2024 onboard the M/V Starship in Darling Harbour.
Jeremy Spear
AIMEX, some years ago, started the Australian Commercial Marine Group. This was initiated during the GFC when many in the recreational marine and superyacht sectors had to pivot their business towards the commercial sector, where government departments, especially the defence sector, were still spending money. The organisation ACMG is going from strength to strength, as evidenced recently when they held their inaugural conference, which, as with everything AIMEX undertakes, was extremely successful.
AIMEX now has three strong divisions: its export arm, the superyacht sector, and the growing commercial marine sector. The foresight of the AIMEX board to expand their operations to future-proof the organisation was impressive and is now paying dividends with growth in membership numbers, growth in relevance and a strong position when lobbying at the government level.
The ACMG conference, targeting commercial vessel operators and marine industry professionals, drew a substantial audience, with 72 attendees representing 42 marine businesses. It brought together ferry operators, tourism vessel operators, marine technology innovators, naval architects and designers, shipbuilders, component manufacturers, and safety regulators. The conference delivered valuable insights to commercial operators on critical topics such as the latest marine technologies, pollution regulations, lithium battery risks, and decarbonisation strategies.
ACMG Chairperson- Nick Lester
David Good, CEO of AIMEX, stated, “Given the success of this conference, it will now become a regular feature within the AIMEX calendar.”
