Germany: SMM Highlights Key Issues of Maritime Industry at its 25th Anniversary Event

SMM Highlights Key Issues of Maritime Industry at its 25th Anniversary Event (2)

World’s leading shipbuilding industry fair highlights key issues of maritime industry at its 25th anniversary event 25th SMM, shipbuilding, machinery, marine technology international trade fair hamburg, at Hamburg Fair site from 4 to 7 September 2012

The 25th SMM focuses on four major areas next year, covering the whole range of the maritime industry with its current key issues – Maritime environmental and climate protection, Maritime security, Offshore, and Finance. Each of these subjects has its own dedicated forum for outstanding in-depth coverage at the international conferences and workshops of the 25th SMM, shipbuilding, machinery, marine technology international trade fair hamburg, to be held at the Hamburg Fair site from 4 to 7 September 2012.

gmec, global maritime environmental congress will be a premium event at SMM 2012 – an environmental summit. It starts with a Round Table Discussion by leading experts, and continues with practical conference sessions. This will be the second gmec hosted by Hamburg Messe und Congress, and will have a new structure in 2012. As Chris Hayman, Steering Committee gmec, Chairman Seatrade, explains, “It will discuss the latest solutions and technologies that help to meet the environment goals in shipping. It brings the international experts to Hamburg to report from their practical experience.” The sessions so far scheduled will address the following subjects:

· Session 1: CO2, carbon trading, etc.

· Session 2: ECAs, scrubber technology

· Session 3: Ballast water and sewage

· Session 4: Green initiatives

gmec and SMM combine software and hardware solutions in a unique form – with gmec giving a forum for exchange of knowledge and experience on maritime green technologies, and SMM presenting the corresponding solutions and exhibits.

Security has become one of the major challenges for the maritime world in today’s global situation. It has to deal with asymmetric threats from terrorism, piracy and political crises, and to protect shipping routes and ports. 90% of world trade is carried by sea, and the requirements for shipbuilding and shipping are getting tougher, making it essential to achieve close cooperation between civil and military organisations. So it is only logical for MS&D, international conference on maritime security and defence hamburg, to be integrated in the new SMM structure. The MS&D conference will be run by Hamburg Messe and the new partners DVV/Griephan and the German Maritime Institute (DMI). The Chairman in 2012 will be Hans-Joachim Stricker, Vice Admiral (ret.) of the German Navy, and Commander-in-Chief of the German Fleet until July 2010. “We are delighted to have Vice Admiral Stricker as Chairman,” says Bernd Aufderheide, President and CEO Hamburg Messe und Congress. “He has unmatched first-hand experience of the main issues. These changes will enable the MS&D conference to make a real impact again in its fourth year.”

Offshore will be another major area, including Offshore Oil & Gas, Offshore Wind Energy and Marine Technology. The second SMM Offshore Dialogue will be the ideal forum for exchanges between international experts, shipyards and the marine equipment industry to discuss opportunities and challenges for the future.

The Ship Finance Forum hosted by Hamburg Messe and Financial Times Deutschland will be held for the fourth time. This Forum with leading international experts will give answers to global financing issues in shipbuilding and shipping.

For its 25th anniversary next year, SMM will be more up-to-date, more concentrated and more comprehensive than ever before, underscoring its position as the world’s leading trade fair for the whole of the maritime industry. Current registrations suggest that exhibitor participation will be even higher than for the previous SMM in 2010. At the same time, the maritime spectrum of SMM is widened in the exhibitor sector, to include “Maritime Security and Defence”. The increase in subjects and in demand for exhibition space at SMM is so great that an additional temporary hall will be set up to provide extra capacity for SMM 2012.

SMM celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2012. The world’s leading shipbuilding fair, the undisputed number one in the maritime industry, will be held from 4 to 7 September 2012, with expected participation by more than 2,000 exhibitors and 50,000 trade visitors from all continents.

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Source: SMM, November 1, 2011;