Maritime safety key topic at the 25th SMM in Hamburg

"The integration of the MS&D as a maritime security and defence conference into the SMM as the world's leading trade fair for the maritime industry was the right step at the right time," summarised Bernd Aufderheide, Chairman of the Management Board of the Hamburg Trade fair and Congress GmbH, summed up the event positively. Even in the run-up to the conference, there had been a great deal of interest from industry and international military delegations. The very well-structured range of topics, which covered technical as well as strategic, economic and political aspects, was a success factor for the tightly organised conference, which was limited to one and a half days. SMM The expansion of the nomenclature for the world's leading maritime trade fair was one of the reasons for organising MS&D. "Through the integration of MS&D, the SMM We have gained a new, attractive and promising area. This has already proved its worth at this first event," said Aufderheide. Heinz Schulte, Editor-in-Chief at DVV Media / Griephan, event partner together with the German Maritime Institute (DMI), agreed: "It was a great opportunity for us to work with MS&D at the SMM have gone alongside. This basic concept, which MS&D has developed as part of the SMM "The MS&D offered the approximately 250 international participants the opportunity to 2012 In three consecutive panels, the conference covered all currently virulent aspects of the maritime sector, such as the rapidly changing maritime environment, the security of maritime logistics chains and future maritime developments in the technical, strategic and political fields. "The quality of the presentations, the technical soundness and the lively discussions with the very competent participants far exceeded my expectations," summarised MS&D Chairman Hans-Joachim Stricker, former Vice Admiral of the German Navy and President of the German Maritime Institute (DMI). This new conference concept was very well received by the participants. "We had a very interested audience," added the second MS&D Chairman Ulrich Otto, retired Rear Admiral and Vice President of the DMI. 14 military delegations from Asia, Africa, Europe and South America were among the international MS&D participants. Conference attendees were unanimous in their praise for the "total package" of MS&D and SMMas the trade fair provided the hardware for the conference software, so to speak. The MS&D participants took advantage of this proximity to find out about the technical aspects in the immediate conference environment from the SMM-exhibitors. "In terms of international networking between industrial companies, navies and scientific institutions, MS&D was exactly the right forum," summarised Stricker.

With the customisation of the topics, the MS&D 2012 the maritime zeitgeist. The changing maritime environment must be recognised by the public and politicians far more than it has been to date, Stricker summarised the discussions of the first panel. Changing this is a concerted task for all those involved. The new challenges posed by rising sea levels, changing coastlines and altered maritime economic zones require legal solutions, Otto added. Otto described the blurring of boundaries between the tasks of navies and other state security bodies and civilian organisations that deal with maritime security issues as an important outcome of the conference. "The requirements for comprehensive security are much more complex today," said Otto.

The fact that the exhibitors in the MS&D theme area at the SMM The fact that they felt they were in good hands is made clear by a number of voices. For Lürssen, the integration of MS&D into the SMM 2012 was an important argument in favour of participating in the leading trade fair for the maritime industry, said Jörg Ahrens, Sales Director at the Bremen shipyard, which is one of the top addresses for both naval vessels and large luxury yachts. "On the very first day of the fair, we had important visits from parliamentarians, state secretaries and naval delegations," said Ahrens. The new exhibitors also drew a positive balance. Sven Fürus, for example, who presented a protective device made of Nato wire with his company LexGabinia: "We had a very good response." Daniel Andersen from the Danish security consultancy Citadel Solutions, which exhibited at the SMM its programme of security and hostage survival training, considers the integration of MS&D into the SMM for "very good". Norbert Kahl, Managing Director of the SMM-newcomer Kahl Sicherheit Consulting: "We have received very positive feedback. Even the Brazilian military visited us," said a delighted Kahl. Chairman Stricker was very satisfied: "We will continue on this successful path to anchor MS&D even more firmly in the industry's consciousness." The next MS&D will take place as part of the SMM 2014, shipbuilding, machinery & marine technology international trade fair hamburg, 9 to 12 September.