SMM 2012 Sets Positive Signs for Future of Maritime Industry (Germany)

The exhibitors were satisfied, and there were streams of trade visitors from all parts of the world – SMM impressively confirmed its position again, as the number one stimulus event for the maritime industry in 2012.

The 25th shipbuilding, machinery & marine technology international trade fair hamburg ended on 7 September, after four days of action with 2,100 exhibitors and more than 50,000 trade visitors, including numerous international delegations and representatives from government and the scientific community – the most successful SMM yet. “We are of course delighted that our anniversary event met with such a fantastic response,” said Bernd Aufderheide, President and CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC), adding that the high level of interest showed how important it is, especially in times of economic difficulty, to exchange ideas, to present products and services, and to highlight innovations. “SMM is the ideal platform for that,” he said. “SMM has set clear signals for the future, and has completely met the expectations of the industry as the leading trade fair for the maritime industry. Good business was done at SMM. Our customers took orders for new ships and for marine equipment.”

The largest group of visitors was from shipowners and shipping companies, followed by the shipbuilding and shipyard industry, and machinery and plant builders. The naval and defence industry moved up to fourth position. SMM 2012 had 35% of its trade visitors from abroad, up two percentage points from the previous SMM. The share of Asian visitors was double the number at SMM 2010, now 16%.

Great interest, great expertise

A total of 90,000 square metres of exhibition space was available for the companies. “Our baby has grown up a lot,” said a delighted Jürgen Witte, Chairman of the Hamburg Association of Marine Engineers (VSIH). The Association is a concept supporter and founder of SMM, which started out as a small internal event, with some 35 members exhibiting in 1963, and has grown into the most important showcase of the maritime industry worldwide.

“The tremendous appeal of the event for international participants was very striking, especially participants from Asia,” said Dr. Alexander Nürnberg, Managing Director of Hatlapa and Chairman of the Working Group on Shipbuilding and the Offshore Supply Industry in the German Engineering

Federation (VDMA). He noted that, despite cautious forecasts for new building of ships, equipment suppliers were confident of achieving satisfactory sales in the coming years, thanks to interesting solutions for ship operation.

Bernard Meyer, CEO of Meyer Werft and Vice President of SEA Europe (Ships & Marine Equipment Association) underscored the close relationship between SMM and the major specialist events such as gmec, the global maritime environmental congress – “SMM is the top event for the maritime industry worldwide. Hamburg is the meeting place for all the relevant shipbuilders, shipowners and suppliers, to discuss new technologies and innovative ship projects and to take action. And gmec has once more given vital stimuli for implement­ation of new propulsion technologies and more efficient forms of energy generating on board.”

The shipowners see SMM as a unique opportunity to keep up with the latest state of the art, at a dedicated event. “Rising fuel prices have always been an incentive for efficient propulsion systems and smart ship design. But today, the general objective is to make shipping as clean as possible. These innovations are driven by tougher environmental standards, and also the desire of many shipowners to use green technologies,” said Michael Behrendt, President of the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) and CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.

At difficult times like these, it is particularly important to look forward, said Werner Lundt, Managing Director of the German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association (VSM). “The industry has to present itself really well – a trade fair is for marketing, and marketing is the future.”