Strong turnout for SMM 2016 in Hamburg
Hall A5 was a new addition to SMM 2016, focusing on green propulsion (Photo: HMC / Nicolas Maack)
“The overwhelming turnout is proof of a general sense of anticipation that was palpable during the four days of the fair,” said Bernd Aufderheide, president and CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH, the organiser of the fair.
Considering the difficult situation that the industry is in, this was an especially encouraging fair, he added.
Uwe Beckmeyer, parliamentary secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and the federal government’s coordinator for the maritime industry, underscored SMM’s importance an innovation driver.
“SMM is a very special platform,” Beckmeyer said. “The world loves to gather here for this event.”
Digitalisation had been chosen as one of the main topics at SMM 2016.
“SMM is the first maritime trade fair globally to turn the spotlight on ‘Industry 4.0’. This theme harbours enormous potential for the shipping industry,” said Dr Alexander Nürnberg, chairman of the board of the Marine Equipment and Systems working group at the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), and managing director of MacGregor Hatlapa.
Another major topic addressed by this year’s event was “green” propulsion. Fair organisers erected a dedicated, 3,500m2 exhibition hall to feature relevant products and services.
Never before had SMM been as international as this year. More than two-thirds of the exhibitors hailed from countries other than Germany. Despite the fair’s greater number of exhibitors and increasingly international character, it hasn’t lost its familiar atmosphere.
Again this year, many business deals were signed at the exhibition stands. To name but three: Carnival Corporation signed a billion-dollar contract with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft for three LNG-powered cruise ships, Siemens was chosen to equip a newbuild cruise liner for British-based operator Saga Cruises with the SISHIP eSiPOD propulsion system, and MTU will supply four gas engines for two new 70m aluminium catamarans owned by the Netherlands’ Doeksen.
The SMM conference programme once again saw high-profile speakers address the fair’s key topics, from future trends (Maritime Future Summit) and environmental protection (gmec) to security and defence (MS&D) and the offshore segment (Offshore Dialogue).
According to an independent survey, 96% of the responding visitors said they found the fair “good” or “very good”.
