SOUTHAMPTON waterfront is to be transformed into the venue for a major global marine exhibition set to attract thousands of visitors to the city next week.

Work is under way to create a huge quayside exhibition hall and specially constructed floating marina at the Canary Islands Fruit Terminal in the Western Docks.

For three days from Tuesday to Thursday, it will become the home for seawork2004, the annual marine display and conference.

Since the first seawork exhibition in 1998 the event has grown dramatically in size. Now there are 350 exhibitors, including companies from Canada, USA, Italy, Norway, France, Finland and the Netherlands, together with more than 60 vessels on show.

Andrew Webster, managing director of Fareham based Mercator Media, organisers of seawork2004, said: "The momentum the event has maintained since its inauguration has accelerated yet again and this year we have grown by 30 per cent.

"Firmly established as the world's leading showcase and forum for the commercial marine industry, the exhibition will be a magnet for visitors from both this country and abroad searching for the latest developments and opportunities in this sector.

"The event highlights the many technologies and disciplines vital to the operation and maintenance of ports and terminals, their associated infrastructures and the enormous variety of vessels engaged in tasks arising from dredging, surveying, towage, pilotage and safety services.''

So many manufacturers are wanting to be at seawork2004 that organisers have been forced to enlarge the marina area to cope with the number of pilot boats, tugs, catamarans, high speed launches, commercial pleasure craft, hovercraft and angling vessels that will be on display.

Up to 5,000 exhibitors, delegates and industry representatives are expected to converge on the exhibition and the seminar that runs sidebyside with the displays.

This year the conference will feature a team of experts covering topics such as waterfront maritime projects, commercial marine safety, the environment and Ministry of Defence boat procurement.

For the first time at a seawork show there will also be special exhibition areas dedicated to rigid inflatable boats and commercial diving.

The exhibition is due to be officially opened by Steve Curtis, the five-times world powerboat champion, who is due to arrive in port on a 40knot gunboat that will feature in the blockbuster adventure film Sahara in the cinemas next year.