Hello everyone---

ICETECH 08 held in Banff, Canada at the Banff Conference Centre from July 20 TO 23 was a resounding success. Exceeding expectations in number of delegates, quality of papers, and overall seamless and enjoyable operation!

I would like to thank all those who contributed to its resounding success---to the sponsors and exhibitors and to SNAME, to our organizing committee, audiovisual team, and tour guides, to the Banff Centre staff, and most of all to the delegates and accompanying persons who ensured its success.

The conference positively exceeded expectations with 207 technical delegates and 35 accompanying persons, full sponsor and exhibitor subscription, 8 plenary and over 70 technical papers presented, and an exciting social and accompanying persons program. The presentation program, the events, the setting, and the attendees and sponsors made it a very enjoyable and technically sound event!

The technical program each day began with two plenary papers followed by one plenary at the start each afternoon, covering the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaking operations, offshore structures, Sakhalin II , the changing Arctic, Arctic Marine shipping Assessment (AMSA), Arctic EER, icebreaking tankers, and effects of global warming on the Arctic. Panels on EER and AMSA rounded out the technical program. A post conference proceedings CD is in preparation and will be mailed out to all registered delegates with additional copies available for purchase.

The social and tour programmes—the icebreaker reception on Sunday evening, banquet on Monday featuring entertainment by singing waiters and the Beaufort Boys, the western BBQ on Tuesday, tours of Banff, Lake Louise, and as a finale, Columbia Icefields on July 23 afternoon--all contributed to a full and successful extracurricular menu.

The conference was such a success that delegates requested a repeat in 2010 rather than the originally planned 2012---and we have begun looking into Icetech10 possibly at a different venue such as Anchorage, with a return to Banff for Icetech12. We will keep you posted on new developments using this website.

We look forward to your participation in the next Icetech!

Thanks again and best regards!

Frank G. Bercha
Chairman
ICETECH-08

And the Icetech08 Organizing Committee:

Left to right: Ben Seligman, Roger Pilkington, Alex Brovkin, Colin Revill, Frank Bercha,
David McGonigal, Merv Edgecombe, Karen Muggeridge