More of everything at SMM 2014

It is set to be a record year for SMM; that much was clear four months ago when Maritime Journal attended the fair’s advance press conference in May along with over 50 Journalists from all over the world. The show promises more exhibitors, more participating nations, more visitors than ever: “We have been fully booked for months. More than 2,000 exhibitors will be showcasing innovative products from this market,” promised Bernd Aufderheide, president and CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress.

In their opening address, HMC President and CEO Aufderheide, and Dr Herbert Aly, CEO and managing partner, Blohm & Voss shipyard, and a member of the SMM Advisory Board, gave an assessment of the state of the industry and a preview of the highlights of SMM 2014. “Our industry has reached a critical point. The market is getting more challenging and diversified. Anyone who wants to be part of the game in the future must take action now,” said Aly. His speech mainly focused on the current situation in the container shipping and shipyard segments. Shipowners are under enormous pressure, he said: “Fewer ships are being built, but they are getting larger. This is a clear indication of an especially fierce competition,” said Aly. Key markets with growth potential include offshore wind, cruise ships, naval ships, superyachts and offshore oil and gas. “All major niche markets will also be represented at SMM. Visitors will thus be able to get first-hand information that will help them position themselves for future challenges,” Aly added.

FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS
For this year’s event, each day of the fair will be highlighting one specific topic. This concept allows SMM to focus on the truly important issues of the industry, and cover them in-depth. In conferences and workshops highly distinguished experts from around the world will introduce the audience to the most recent trends in each of the featured fields of expertise.

The offshore market is obviously in good health. But what does the industry need, and which shipyards are able to benefit? What does this mean for suppliers of marine equipment? Answering these and other questions will be the purpose of the Offshore Dialogue on 11 September, part of the designated ‘Offshore Day’ of SMM 2014. More than 500 experts will discuss the synergies, development potential and challenges of the offshore segment. As in previous years, this year’s SMM Offshore Dialogue will be supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy.

Apart from Offshore, the five featured topics at SMM will include Finance, Maritime Environmental Protection, Recruiting as well as Security and Defence.

THE SEARCH FOR TALENT
Another urgent topic challenging the industry is the severe shortage of skilled staff for the shipbuilding and supply industries.

SMM’s Recruiting Day on 12 September will join trainers, employers and applicants, providing a job service platform to help human resources executives from the industry attract job seekers and provide information about industry-specific education and training programmes offered by employers. Companies and institutes will present themselves on the ‘Maritime Career Market’. As a special service, secondary school and university-level students will be admitted to the fair free of charge on 12 September.

The event will be covering the entire space available at Hamburg’s fair site: eleven exhibition halls (B1 to B7 and A1 to A4) plus a new hall called B8. Each hall will be dedicated to one particular field of the shipping world.

A WEALTH OF INNOVATIONS
Halls A3 and A4 will accommodate exhibitors from the segments of ‘Prime Movers and Propulsion Systems’ and ‘Lubrication’, including such manufacturers as Caterpillar, Rolls Royce and MAN. In view of the recent passing of the IMO Tier III emission control regulation, efficient use of energy resources will be a key topic for MAN this year. “We are looking forward to this great industry gathering in Hamburg. SMM is the most important fair and our visitors can expect fascinating exhibits and groundbreaking technologies at our new stand,” said Dr Jan-Dietrich Müller, head of corporate communications & marketing at MAN Diesel & Turbo.

Halls B2 to B8 will feature exhibitors from the ship building, production equipment, ship outfitting, safety equipment, navigation and communication, maritime security and defence and other segments. For example, in Hall B6 visitors will find the stand of SAM Electronics, ASP, a subsidiary of the US company L-3 Marine Systems International. “L-3 Marine Systems International will present a huge array of systems and products for automation, communication, navigation, positioning, propulsion, energy generation and distribution as well as entertainment,” said Ulrich Weinreuter, President of L-3 Marine Systems International. “What is more, we are very focused on eco-friendly, low-emission solutions and are proud to show our products.”

In addition to the fair’s generous conference programme revolving around SMM’s five featured topics, industry visitors from all over the world are set to benefit from the comprehensive special-events programme with more than 150 individual events (workshops, symposia etc.).

The motto of this year’s event will be ‘Innovation’. Once again the event will welcome the Who’s Who from all segments of the global maritime industry. At SMM they will highlight current trends and developments, offering fascinating insights into the future of the industry. The patron of the event will be German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

By Jake Frith