Smart shipping and eco-efficient technology are the »hot topics« of this year’s SMM. With a festive event at Hamburg’s City Hall, the week of the bi-annual fair officially started.
State Secretary Ulrich Nussbaum from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the[ds_preview] Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Kitack Lim, attended the ceremony. The host, Hamburg’s First Mayor Peter Tschentscher, thus acknowledged the importance of SMM for Hamburg as a shipping location, which becomes a centre of attraction for the global maritime scene every two years. »The 28th SMM gathers all relevant technological innovations of the value added chain under one roof and addresses key future issues in shipping, ports and oceans,« he said. Bernd Aufderheide, CEO of Hamburg Messe & Congress (HMC), was impressed with the high-calibre participants: »I am very grateful that Kitack Lim and State Secretary Nussbaum are honouring us with their presence. And I would especially like to thank our mayor for giving us this festive setting. This underlines the enormous importance that maritime issues have for Hamburg as a port city and important shipping location,« he said. Tschentscher said: »Hamburg port is a symbol of tradition and modernity.« He added, the location as being »home of the full range of the maritime industry.«
»The Maritime Future Summit was an excellent introduction of the fair«
Bernd Aufderheide
A total of 500 invited guests gathered in the Great Festival Hall. Kitack Lim pointed to the ambitious goals of the IMO saying, »climate change is the biggest issue facing the maritime industry«. After the exclusive interview with HANSA, he again added that »future trends will clearly be driven by future technologies.«
Environmental protection and the promotion of a sustainable maritime economy were also on Nussbaum’s agenda. »The SMM, Hamburg’s most important trade fair, is the platform for innovations and information that will take this sector to a new level,« said Aufderheide, referring in this context to the two overarching topics of digitisation and green shipping, which this year are particularly in focus of the trade fair and provide impetus for significant decisions in the industry. This year’s motto of SMM is »Trends in SMMart Shipping«.
The fair opens today – after the kick-off event yesterday, the »Maritime Future Summit«, co-organized by HANSA. Aufderheide said: »The Maritime Future Summit was an excellent introduction of the fair.« Across the maritime industry, the digitalisation process is in full swing. Most companies involved in shipping, shipbuilding and related disciplines are busily investigating ways of using smart solutions to improve efficiency and sustainability, and optimise work processes. As a topic relevant to all parts of the value chain, digitalisation was chosen as the overarching theme for SMM 2018. 2,289 exhibitors from 69 countries will present their products and services in 13 halls on 93,000 square metres of exhibition space until Friday. About 50,000 visitors from all over the world are expected. Five conferences form the supporting programme, special theme routes navigate visitors to the corresponding exhibitor highlights.
