TRANSED 2010 Special Session on Accessible Cruise Ships, Ferries and Terminal Designs

For the first time in TRANSED history, a unique technical session has been organized on accessible marine travel featuring cruise ship, ferry vessel and terminal design as part of the Accessible Tourism Track.

An expert in accessible ferry transportation, Ms Katherine McGuinness, Kessler McGuinness and Associates, LLC, Newton, MA, USA will discuss key issues in accessible ferry docks, and a successful negotiated rulemaking process that resulted in state and national standards for accessible water transportation.

Prominent cruise and ferry terminal designer/manager in North America, Mr. Douglas R. Playter, Principal Project Manager of CH2M HILL, Seattle, US, will outline salient factors in accessible cruise terminal design and operation. Drawing on his extensive experience in over 35 ferry and cruise terminal improvement projects in North America, he will provide examples of cruise terminals embodying system-wide and intermodal transfer accessibility in accordance with the applicable ADA standards and guidelines.

An expert on passenger vessel accessibility, Mr. David S. Chapman, Program Manager for AMSEC LLC, a naval architecture and marine engineering design firm, will provide the companion technical piece on accessibility factors in cruise ship design. Mr. Chapman will describe cruise ship universal design and construction features in adherence with the applicable US ADA accessibility standards and guidelines.

Ms Wanda Harbin, Customer Relations Officer, Marine Atlantic, Canada will discuss the importance of staff and personnel training to enhance accessibility in the marine transport systems.

Mr. Clement Lau, Assistant Commissioner (Tourism), Tourism Commission, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, SAR Government of Hong Kong will discuss “The Hong Kong Cruise Market and the New Cruise Terminal at Kai Tak”

WHY should you attend?
Hong Kong is about to embark on a major project to construct a state-of-the-art cruise terminal. In view of the recent passage of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the construction, acquisition and operation all cruise and ferry terminal and vessels of signatory nations should comply with its accessibility provisions.

This timely gathering aims at increasing awareness and promoting knowledge transfer on cruise ship and ferry accessibility standards and best practices. Its objective is to promote better understanding of the responsibilities and opportunities of key actors in the marine transport system.

In TRANSED 2010, there will also be many tourism related presentations and numerous conference papers on the demographic profile and travel patterns of the well-travelled baby boomers and persons with disabilities. Greater understanding of this emerging market segment will help the marine transport industry respond to their growing needs through adopting innovative designs, products, services and staff training.
 

WHERE will this take place?
The main conference and exhibition will be held at the Hon g Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

WHO should attend?
Cruise ship and ferry terminal developers, regulators, designers, operators, ship builders, users and the general public will benefit from the discussions. The hospitality industry and port authorities should benefit from the knowledge exchange and networking opportunities at the conference.
Over 800 local and international delegates consisting of researchers, policy-makers, transport operators, consumers, social services specialists and students worldwide will arrive in Hong Kong to share innovations and best practices to make transportation accessible to everyone.

HOW can you contribute and benefit?
As presenters and discussants, delegates will benefit from the technical exchange and networking opportunities with visitors worldwide. The conference proceedings will be a treasure trove of scientific findings, tools and best practices on accessible marine transportation, universal design and accessible tourism.

LANGUAGE of the Conference
The conference will be held in English with simultaneous interpretation in Putonghua for the plenary sessions. All written communication, abstracts and proceedings will be in English only.

Register NOW
For registration and hotel booking, see http://www.transed2010.hk/front/Registration.php?font=14