A commercial marine expo moves from Providence to New
Bedford
New Bedford hooks lucrative marine trade show
NEW BEDFORD — A major marine trade show will be coming
to the city in June, bringing thousands of visitors and
potentially generating more than $1 million in economic
activity, according to city and event officials.
The Commercial Marine Expo, formerly named the Fish Expo
Atlantic, will be held June 9-10 at State Pier, a change
in venue from years past when the event was held in
Providence.
"It provides a much more economical venue for people to
exhibit and attend the show," said Ted Hugger, the show
director. "But more importantly, it also gives us a
waterfront location."
Hugger, who bought the trade show in 2007, has broadened
the event's scope from commercial fishing to all
marine-related commercial activities, from tugs to
fireboats to related service industries.
The new location will give exhibiting companies direct
access to the water, allowing them to tie up boats and
to conduct demonstrations outside, Hugger said.
About 80 percent of the exhibition spaces already have
been sold, according to Hugger, who said there should be
about 175 companies at the show.
The 2008 show attracted people from 30 states and 15
countries, and 3,000 to 4,000 people are expected to
attend this year's event, Hugger said.
"The economic impact of a show like this is really
huge," said Hugger, citing a study that said attendees
of this type of event typically spend about $297 a day
on travel, lodging and other costs.
If those numbers hold true, the expo could generate more
than $1 million in economic activity over those two days
in June, Hugger said.
Kristin Decas, executive director of the city's Harbor
Development Commission, said the expo will complement
the city's working waterfront and help put the city on
the map as a major marine hub.
"It gives us the opportunity to sustain our posture as
the number one value fishing port as well as diversify
and look at new options on the horizon," she said. "It's
a high-profile event; it's a great draw."
The event also will bring new life to underutilized
space at State Pier, Decas said.
"It's a facility that certainly has room for growth,"
she said.
Mayor Scott W. Lang said the event will provide an
economic-stimulus boost to the city at the beginning of
the summer season.
"Those are the type of patrons and this is the type of
event that we want to host," Lang said. "We think it's a
natural fit, and we're going to continue to seek more
and more of these opportunities."
The marine expo will expand the track record the city
has developed with its successful hosting of different
festivals and the Bioneers by the Bay conference,
according to Lang.
"You start building this reputation to do exhibitions,
or expos, conventions," Lang said. "I think you build
another sector of your economy."
Matthew Morrissey, executive director of the New Bedford
Economic Development Council, said the marine expo will
help the city highlight its harbor in a new and
different way.
"It's an opportunity to leverage an important asset of
the city's — the State Pier building — to showcase the
harbor to a whole new universe of people," he said.
A commercial marine expo moves from Providence to New
Bedford 
