This year’s International Tunnelling Association‘s (ITA) World Tunnelling Congress, to be held in Amsterdam from the 12th – 17th April, promises to cap many of it’s predecessors with regard to exhibitors and the range of international papers presented by industry experts from all corners of the globe. T&TI recently met with the organising committee and was told that presently this year’s event has the support in excess of some 40 exhibitors, already looking set to outnumber that of the previous three events in Durban (2000), Milan (2001) and Sydney (2002).
I imagine geography plays no small part in this, with Amsterdam presenting a convenient meeting place for most of the European fraternity, coupled with the international up-turn in work for the industry. As for papers, well in excess of 100 have already been submitted to the panel on the myriad of subjects associated with the conference theme ‘(Re)claiming the underground space’. Of interest is the high content submitted from Japan, a country of enormous potential for technological advance, with an almost insatiable thirst for innovation. Some of the TBMs currently boring through Japan border on science fiction, with their triple headed TBMs, mother and daughter machines and the like. Unlike many other countries Japanese innovation is fortunate to receive massive support from its government in the form of funding (figures of up to 90% have been heard!). And here is a classic example of one of the joys and in-fact necessities of attending the ITA World Congress. Such machines, and this goes for new methods and practices presented as well, are real and based on experience, they have already been funded and are not just pipe dreams.
The ITA World Congress is your chance to meet, listen to, talk to and learn from the innovators. It must be the premier place for the transfer of information that we hear about, and promote so much here at T&TI. If you haven’t yet organised yourself or your company entry to the event, we suggest you make it a priority! Details can be found by clicking on the ITA World Congress 2003 logo on the T&TI website www.tunnelsonline.info
Hopefully see you in April in Amsterdam.
Tris Thomas
