The SMM 2024 commerce present will run from September 3-6 this 12 months, and organizers predict extra guests and exhibitors than final time; the exhibition halls are practically totally booked.
“We are expecting more than 2,000 international exhibitors from 70 nations,” says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress. “We are overwhelmed by the response. We are actually setting-up an additional hall to accommodate all requests. Ticket sales are likewise very strong and we are anticipating an attendance of over 40,000.”
This is partly attributable to the truth that extra Asian exhibitors and guests are reporting again after the pandemic. In explicit, China and Korea, the 2 main shipbuilding nations, could have a stronger presence once more at SMM 2024.
The most important subjects at SMM 2024 will handle key wants of the trade. In recognition of the quickly rising significance of good improvements, SMM will present a piece particularly devoted to synthetic intelligence for the primary time. At the AI CENTER, start-up firms will spotlight AI applied sciences and tasks for the maritime trade (Hall B6).
“AI essentially adjustments our financial system and our enterprise processes – throughout all industries. It harbors many alternatives for the transport sector, as nicely,” says Petra Vorsteher, Co-Founder and CEO of AI.HAMBURG and initiator of the AI CENTER. Examples embody progressive options enabling ships to function extra effectively.
At the worldwide maritime environmental congress (gmec) specialists will talk about the professionals and cons of varied different fuels. Great hopes are being positioned on hydrogen. Companies specializing on this clear expertise and its derivatives could have a devoted exhibition space of their very own for the primary time, the Future Fuels Arena (Hall A2).
“Shipowners have been reducing their emissions by as much as 30% through efficiency enhancements. An additional 10% is possible, but the rest must come from alternative fuels,” says Dr Martin Kröger, Managing Director of the German Shipowners Association (VDR).
MARINE INTERIORS @SMM (Hall B5) is a fixture at SMM. With a complete of 130 exhibiting firms from 20 international locations specializing in ship inside design, this particular exhibition part will probably be considerably bigger this 12 months. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), an official SMM Partner, will probably be represented for the primary time.
On the Cruise & Ferry Stage, the CLIA will maintain varied classes on sustainable cruises – a topic the cruise sector is putting nice emphasis on, as a take a look at the worldwide orderbook exhibits: from now till the tip of 2026, 41 new cruise ships will probably be delivered; 27 of them will probably be outfitted with different propulsion techniques. This consists of LNG-ready engines, and plenty of LNG-fueled ships may also be methanol-ready.
“The introduction of these new technologies and the many pilot programs and trials in place reveal how the cruise industry is an innovator and early adopter of technologies that are helping us sail to a more sustainable future,” says CLIA CEO Kelly Craighead.
The maritime trade is hoping that its eco-friendly mindset will appeal to the younger expertise it urgently wants. To assist the sector’s recruiting efforts, SMM 2024 will put the highlight on this matter. For the primary time, the Maritime Career Market and the Career Forum will happen on two days (Hall B2). “Young people are especially concerned about sustainability. At the Maritime Career Market, companies can demonstrate how much the maritime industry has to offer,” says SMM Director Christoph Lücke. Here, younger jobseekers can meet potential employers and obtain details about jobs on shore and at sea in addition to coaching packages, profession alternatives and job openings within the maritime sector.
SMM is made doable by its most important sponsor DNV and different sponsors together with: Reintjes, MAN Energy Solutions, NVL, China Classification Society, Inmarsat. Supporters embody: VDR, VSM, VDMA, GMT, VDS, CLIA and VDI. Conference companions: Schiffahrts-Verlag Hansa (Maritime Future Summit), Seatrade Maritime (gmec), DMI and Tamm Media (MS&D), GMT and DVV (Offshore Dialogue), TradeWinds (TradeWinds Shipowners Forum).
