Tokyo—The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today that it will exhibit new products in marine hoses and pneumatic fenders at the 2006 Offshore Technology Conference on May 1 to 4 in Houston. Activity in offshore oil and gas exploration and development is booming worldwide, and demand is surging for related equipment. Yokohama is a leading supplier of hoses for loading and unloading crude oil onto and off of tankers and of floating pneumatic fenders for mooring tankers at offshore development sites.

Highlighting Yokohama's exhibits at the Offshore Technology Conference will be the Super Stream Hose. That product features improvements in buoyancy, in leak prevention, and in durability, along with plastic covers for the metal joints to reduce the risk of damage to ship hulls during reeling. Also on display will be Yokohama's new Fender Watch system for monitoring the air pressure in pneumatic marine fenders by remote sensing.

The Offshore Technology Conference takes place annually at Houston's Reliant Center. Its exhibition is unsurpassed in scope as a showcase of products for offshore exploration and production, including technologies for environmental protection. The event attracts prominent and influential figures from the leading companies in the oil and gas industries. More than 2000 exhibitors from 110 nations will participate in the 2006 exhibition. Yokohama returns this year after a highly successful appearance in 2005, which occasioned a wave of new interest in its marine hoses and marine fenders.

Along with exhibiting the Super Stream Hose and Fender Watch products in Houston, Yokohama will display its Globuoy inflatable buoys for mooring ships at offshore oilfields and will demonstrate its Integrated Approach Mooring and Operation Simulation (IAMOS) software system. Panel displays will illustrate products in Yokohama's Seaflex line of marine hoses, including hoses equipped with flashing lights powered by solar cells to improve nighttime safety and double-carcass hoses that allow for prompt, visual detection of any leakage through their inner liners.

Yokohama, a leading tire manufacturer, is the world's largest supplier by far of pneumatic marine fenders. It supplies some 80% of the pneumatic marine fenders sold worldwide. The company ranks among the industry leaders in marine hoses, too, and its product also includes high-pressure hoses, sealants, conveyor belts, golf equipment, and aircraft components.