EUROPE'S biggest commercial marine exhibition of its kind is set to attract thousands of industry representatives and delegates to South-ampton's waterfront next week.

Seawork 2006 International, now in its ninth year, should generate at least £10m for the local economy, with more than 6,000 visitors anticipated, many of whom will use hotels and restaurants. It runs from Tuesday until Thursday.

This year the exhibition, organised by Andrew Webster's Fareham-based Mercator Media, is even larger with more than 350 exhibitors from 20 countries and in excess of 60 different craft berthed at the purpose-built marina in the city's Western Docks, which is owned by port owner ABP. The choice of the port of Southampton as the venue strengthens the city's reputation as being the UK capital of the leisure yachting and boating sector, as well at the commercial marine industry.

Add to this the thriving cruise industry, strong vehicle import and export activity together with high levels of container throughput in the docks, and the importance of Southampton as a maritime and marine hub to the local economy and jobs market cannot be emphasised enough.

Seawork has become such an important date in the commercial marine world that this year, for the first time, the whole 10,000 square metres of the Canary Island Fruit Terminal is being used. The Innovations Showcase will once again occupy a prime site and present more than 50 of the newest products, vessels and projects introduced to the market in the last 12 months.

Sponsored by Marine South East, the regional marine industry initiative of regional development agency Seeda, one entry in this section will carry off the Spirit of Innovation Trophy at a gala dinner held on the evening of the exhibition's opening day.

Mr Webster said: "Seawork is a tremendous showcase for the marine industry."