MIAMI (March 13, 2008) —

The fourth annual International Superyacht Symposium closed today following what participants termed a very successful event. The two-day series of panel discussions featured the return of the International Superyacht Pavilion in conjunction with the 24th annual Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention and Exhibition.

The symposium opened with the State of the Superyacht Industry panel with a full house. The mood was positive, with the only negative notes being the shortage of crew, boatyards and dock space due to the rapid rate of growth the industry is experiencing. Other sessions covered design, marina development and crewing.

Symposium attendees included large-yacht builders, designers and naval architects, brokers and project managers, government representatives, marina developers and contractors, yacht captains and crew, insurance and financial institutions, surveyors and consultants.

The Superyacht Pavilion returned for a second year to the exhibition and featured suppliers of products and services exclusively to the large-yacht industry. The combined exhibition offered symposium participants opportunities to network and meet suppliers of products and services used in the design, construction, operation and supply of both superyachts and cruise ships, as well as leading seaports and destinations.

The next International Superyacht Symposium is scheduled for March 18-19, 2009, at the Miami Beach Convention Center .

The 24th annual Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention closed today with participants calling it a resounding success. The global exhibition and conference drew nearly 11,000 attendees and more than 1,000 exhibiting companies from more than 111 countries.