As the curtains closed on the third Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2012) yesterday.The next edition of the maritime event is now scheduled for March 25-27, 2014. “We are very proud to say that we will be returning in 2014 for what we hope will be the biggest and the best Dimdex to date”, Dimdex 2012 chairman Staff Brigadier (Sea) Mohamed bin Nasser al-Mohannadi said.He mentioned that Dimdex has received positive feedback with a few requests to register for the next show also already being received. “We will do our best to further cement our reputation as a leading international maritime defence exhibition and conference,” he said. Dimdex is considered the only fully-integrated exhibition and conference of its kind in the region, bringing together the world’s leading navy commanders, industry leaders, thinkers and academics to exchange experiences, expand networks and develop future strategies for the maritime industry. The 2012 edition attracted close to 9,000 visitors from military, naval, government and corporate sectors and over 150 companies from 25 countries. Exhibitors took full advantage of the opportunity to showcase the latest developments in maritime technology, to build business connections and discuss the latest trends in the industry. Due to the success of previous editions, expectations were high for this year’s Dimdex, and participants were not left disappointed. A member of the Moroccan Naval Forces expressed his satisfaction with the exhibition and conference, stating: “We found Dimdex 2012 to be very sophisticated, responding to the actual needs of militaries and navies around the world. This exhibition, attracting some of the most advanced companies in the industry, is proof that Qatar is on a steady march towards excellence in this field, and we are immensely proud to see an initiative of this standard in the Arab world.”