Due to the coronavirus pandemic, SMM, the world's leading trade fair for the maritime industry This year for the first time as a purely digital conference - and with great success. Success. Over four days, SMM DIGITAL attracted participants with two streams, 60 hours of programme and more than 160 speakers. The leitmotif "Driving the maritime transition" determined the diverse conference programme: In addition to an exchange on the current corona crisis determined the overarching topics digitisation and environmental protection dominated the panels, sessions and interviews. In addition the high-calibre industry representatives took a look into the future of the maritime industry.
Host Bernd AufderheidePresident and CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress, was delighted with the great response, but also recognised that digital offerings cannot replace physical events and personal interaction between exhibitors and visitors. At the beginning of SMM DIGITAL, the patron, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkelencouraged the industry in a video message: "Especially in times of crisis, it is important to look ahead, focus on our own strengths and drive innovation". The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation IMO, Kitack Limspoke from London. He reported on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the maritime industry and emphasised the shipping industry's efforts to protect the climate.
More than 7,000 viewers from 80 countries watched the programme online. In order to make the content accessible to interested parties from other time zones, the two streams with all panels, sessions and interviews were repeated at night. Claus Ulrich Selbach, Head of the Maritime and Technology Fairs Division at Hamburg Messe und Congress, drew a positive conclusion and emphasised that the efforts had been more than worthwhile. The fact that the event was free of charge was a contribution to enabling the industry to transfer expertise, which is particularly important in these difficult times.
High-calibre panels
Climate protection was one of the dominant themes at several conferences - including, of course, the global maritime environment congress (gmec). IMO environmental expert Roel Hoenders outlined the industry's roadmap to decarbonisation. Enormous technological progress will be needed to achieve the 2050 target, says Georgios PlevrakisDirector Global Sustainability at the US classification society ABS. For the first time at SMM, there was also a platform for dialogue between NGOs and the international shipping industry. Here, representatives from Fridays For Future (FFF) and NABU met with representatives from the global shipping organisation BIMCO, the container shipping company MSC and the German Engineering Federation VDMA. FFF activist Arnaud Boehmann called on the maritime industry and politicians to do more to protect the environment. BIMCO Vice Secretary General Lars Robert Pedersen pointed out that the shipping industry is the only sector that has set itself ambitious climate targets - via the IMO. All in all, it became clear that the players from shipping companies, shipyards and suppliers must pull together to achieve the goal of climate-neutral shipping - and that they also need the support of politicians, for example when it comes to research into alternative fuels. Bud DarrExecutive Vice President of MSC, signalled that his shipping company wanted to become climate-neutral "as quickly as possible". However, there is simply a lack of suitable fuels. The big fuel producers have a duty here.
Varied programme in the Open Stream
Parallel to the conferences - in addition to gmec and MFS, the Offshore Dialogue, the MS&D safety conference and the Tradewinds Shipowners Forum - there was also an extensive and varied programme in the "Open Stream". One of the highlights was the presentation of the "Personality of the Year" award by the international maritime women's network WISTA. This year's prize was awarded to Anke Wiebel, head of the "Duckdalben" seamen's mission.
Another highlight was the presentation by Prof Markus Rex from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research. The coordinator of the MOSAiC expedition gave a first-hand account of the largest Arctic expedition of all time. SMM DIGITAL was moderated by Carmen Hentschel and David Patricianwho cheerfully led through the programme. The Hamburg Shanty Choir Albers Ahoy ensured a good atmosphere between the technical presentations.
However, the next SMM will hopefully be able to take place live and "with real people" in Hamburg again, according to the trade fair boss Bernd Aufderheide. The maritime community already has its sights firmly set on the launch date of 6 September 2022.
TEXT: SMM Press Service, Photo: Michael Zapf
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