Introduction to SMM 08

The 23rd Shipbuilding, Machinery & Marine Technology Trade Fair is expected to attract some 47,000 visitors to the lively German port city of Hamburg on 23 through 26 September. With its impressive numbers overriding global concern about rising fuel costs, SMM 2008 will nonetheless have energy saving and environmentally friendly technologies as its central focus.

Michael Glos, Germany’s Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, will open SMM 2008 at a ceremony in the CCH-Congress Center Hamburg at 7:00 PM on 22 September, the evening before the exhibition opens. With his portfolio including economics, the Minister will be aware that the German Engineering Federation Marine (VDMA) has valued the world market for maritime equipment at up to ¢65bn, and a significant percentage of the contracts that volume represents will be initiated and/or signed at SMM.

The architecture for Hamburg Messe’s newly completed exhibition halls gives a light and airy feel whilst providing some 30% more space, conducive to the record breaking exhibitor numbers committed to SMM 2008. Workshops, symposiums and conferences taking place at SMM 2008 include the Ship Finance Forum, the International Conference on Maritime Security and Defence, and the Marine Coatings Conference.

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) and the Community of European Shipyards Associations (CESA) are staging a joint workshop on environmental and climate protection. It will be orientated towards the needs of shipyards and marine equipment suppliers and is intended to highlight ways they can translate those new challenges into business opportunities and continuing growth. The VDMA and the German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association (VSM) will launch the ‘ThinkING’ campaign aimed at attracting bright youngsters to the shipbuilding industry.

Much of the vast array of technology on show is directed towards shipbuilding. Germany’s Tracto-Technik will show innovative machine technology and efficient software solutions for tube and pipe fabrication. The company has developed a complete automated system solution for the fast and economic production of template pipes which integrates the measurement of planned pipe courses, isometric sketching, the determination of bending data and correct flange welding of the template pipes.

Marine electronics will also be in abundance, including the presence of Holland’s Alphatron Marine, which will be showing its Alphabridge modular bridge console concept, available in a small vessel version. A compact version for a fast crew supplier will be on display.

The Imtech Marine Group of companies will also be on hand to offer synergies in electrical, electronic, mechanical and ICT disciplines.

The UK’s Cosalt marine safety company has expanded to 25 port locations throughout Europe, 19 of which are approved life raft and lifejacket service stations. SMM is an ideal venue for the company to launch the Cosalt Personal Recovery Device (CPRD) and the Premier 2010 life jacket.

The shipbuilding dimension at SMM is by no means confined to large, ocean going vessels. France’s Bernard Shipyard, which debuted its ORC 180 cutter for St Nazaire Pilots at Seawork last year, is now building six pilot cutters for the Ports of Bremerhaven and Hamburg and will be looking for more orders on its SMM stand in Hall B4. With that sort of success to be had, the entire French shipbuilding and repair cluster Bretagne Pole Naval, representing some 70 companies, has decided to have a united presence at the French Pavilion.

National pavilions are a popular feature at SMM and few countries do it better than the Dutch. With German shipyards, OEMs and ship owners the number one international client of the Dutch equipment industry, Holland Marine Equipment is organising a range of activities. This includes the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs visiting the exhibition and the Dutch Air Command frigate ‘HNMS Evertsen’ hosting a networking reception whilst moored in Hamburg harbour.