Vessels sail into Abu Dhabi for defence exhibition

Naval vessels from around the world sailed into Abu Dhabi for the launch of one of the region’s largest defence exhibitions, which begins on Monday.

Navdex 2023 will be held alongside the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until Friday, February 24.

The conference will bring together the defence industry, governments, armed forces and military personnel from more than 60 nations to display the latest hardware and weaponry.

To mark the event, seven ships from Pakistan, Bahrain, the UK, Italy, China, India and the UAE entered the Mussaffah Water Canal and travelled all the way to Adnec Marina.

The naval vessels will be on display at Adnec Port and Zayed Port for the duration of the exhibition.

Commodore Rashid Al Muhaisni, chairman of the Navdex 2023 organising committee, said more exhibitors were expected at this year’s event and it would feature the latest innovative technologies in the maritime defence industry.

“Since the launch of its first edition 12 years ago, Navdex has succeeded in reaffirming its position as one of the leading global platforms that brings together experts and specialists from all over the world, to establish partnerships and explore opportunities to promote vital sectors,” he said.

At 153,000 square metres, Adnec is the largest conference centre of its kind in the Mena region, allowing for large displays and indoor and outdoor exhibitions.

In 2021, Idex recorded the largest total of financial deals in its history, with close to Dh21 billion worth of contracts agreed.

The 2023 event will feature Idex next generation – a platform dedicated to start-ups, and a series of free to attend talks and discussions.

Meanwhile, the Idex Think Tank sessions will gather leading defence and security experts from around the world for strategic conversations covering a range of critical topics.

Saeed Al Mansoori, chief executive of Capital Events, a subsidiary of Adnec Group, said the size of the venue had helped to attract new exhibitors.

“For the first time, Navdex will be held in the new Adnec Marina Hall, which covers an area of 10,000 square metres, making it the largest of its kind in the Middle East,” he said.

“This contributed to attracting new companies to take part in the current edition of Navdex, recording a 206 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors compared to the previous edition.”