51st Annual Meeting

51st Annual Meeting21 23 May 2014Bourgas, Bulgaria

EUROPEAN TUGOWNERS ASSOCIATION

Multraship Towage & SalvageHosted by:

The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state.

In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908.

Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

BULGARIABuilt by the sea and surrounded by lakes, Burgas offers relatively mild weather characterized by cooler summers and warmer winters. Three lakes surround Burgas Vaya (also known as the Burgas lake), Atanaskovsko lake and Mandrensko lake. There are historical evidences that the lands that today Burgas occupies were inhabited since ancient times. However at that period most of the lands that today Burgas covers were small fisherman villages and fortifications. It was hard to flourish under the pressure of the better developed at that period trade centres Nesebar and Sozopol. At the end of the 19th century the city had less than 3000 inhabitants.

Burgas is a city on the Bulgarian Southern Black Sea coast. It developed more actively in the beginning of 20th century and today it is a large industrial centre with many tourist attractions in the region. The City of Burgas

Burgas BayThe Burgas Bay turned out to be very favourable for the navy and the Port of Burgas developed in the beginning of 20th c. The trade and the industry are the driving force of the city even today. The oil refinery was constructed in mid 20th c. and produces many plastic and oil products, as well as gas. More than 300 000 inhabitants live in Burgas today. The tourism is not particularly developed in Burgas but the city is a stop for the picturesque century old towns Nesebar and Sozopol. Many large luxury holiday resorts were constructed in the Bay of Burgas.

Grand Hotel & SpaPRIMORETZThe VenueGrand Hotel & Spa Primoretz 2 Al. Batenberg, 8000 Burgashttp://www.hotelprimoretz.bg

Grand Hotel & Spa PrimoretzGrand Hotel & Spa Primoretz

LeisureThe beach

Grand Hotel& Spa Primoretz

Standard RoomJunior Suite

AccommodationsPiano BarSpa

Grand Hotel & Spa Primoretz

Programme: Day 1 21 May 201412:30 Executive Committee Members lunch at the Hotel, Salini Restaurant15:00 till 17:00 Executive Committee Members Meeting at the Casino Meeting Room19:00 Welcome Drink at the Pier on the beach20:00 Welcome Dinner at Restaurant VodinitzaThe recently renovated Pier

Programme: Day 2 22 May 201410:00 - 11:30 Annual General Meeting Full Members at the Primoretz Hotel 11:30 - 11:45 Coffee break11:45 - 12:45 Continuation Annual General Meeting Full Members13:00 - 14:30 Lunch for all Members and Associated Members at Restaurant Primoretz 14:30 16:30 Conferences, Full, Associate Members and Guest Speakers. Topic Training ( to decide on)19:30 - Gala Dinner at Restaurant Neptun

Programme: Day 2 22 May 2014Preliminary Partner Programme (to be decided) Visit to Ravadino Castle, Sozopel

Programme: Social Day 23 May 2014Nessebar Island9:30 Gather in the lobby10:00 Sailing Trip to Nessebar Island13:00 Lunch at Restaurant Captains Meeting Kapitanska srehta16:00 Return by bus

The Port of Burgas

51st Annual MeetingSupported by Mr. Dimitar Nikolov Mayor of the Municipality of Burgas

Welcome to Burgas

EUROPEAN TUGOWNERS ASSOCIATION18