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IUMI arrives in the Mother City – our conference blog part 1

16th September 2018 | Print version

Today is the official launch of this year’s IUMI annual conference and the first in 144 years of IUMI history to be held on the African continent. Marine and energy underwriters from across the globe are descending on the stunning city of Cape Town, fondly known as the Mother City, to discuss the current issues and challenges facing the marine insurance market. This year’s common theme is “Managing emerging risks and exposures – think the unthinkable”.

The world class Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) has opened its doors and registration is already taking place. With a keen eye on sustainability and the need to give the country’s poorest people a helping hand, delegates are being given handmade conference bags and bespoke lanyards. The bags have been designed and stitched by Baroka Basasdi, a women’s community development project that is part of the SMME empowerment programme. They create unique corporate and conference gifts using recovered waste plastic, old banners and South African sourced fabrics. And they look fantastic!

As the day progresses more and more of the 500 attendees are arriving in the city and the buzz in the local hotels is electric. IUMI committee members and the IUMI President and Secretariat are already hard at work attending committee meetings and preparing for the main event. As ever the IUMI conference will embrace the changes and challenges within the industry and provide opportunities to learn, debate and discuss.

But before all that, and as the African sun slowly sets, it is time for conference goers to ready themselves for the opening reception, hosted by the SAIA, at the Grand Africa Café & Beach. One of Cape Town’s favourite venues, the Grand is located on the sea-front with magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean and Robben Island. Without question, the perfect setting for delegates and their partners to renew friendships and make new acquaintances before kickoff tomorrow.

Time to sit back, enjoy a glass of South African wine and admire the view.

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