Ausgabe zur SMM 2018

22 Ausg.Nr. 13/2018 Trends Trends in SMMart Shipping W ith more than 2,200 exhibitors from 66 countries, and ap- proximately 50,000 industry visi- tors from over 120 nations, SMM is sure to prove its status as the leading international maritime trade fair. "We want to offer real added value to enterprises of this sector – those who are rep- resented at SMM with a stand of their own, and those who are sending their decision-makers to Hamburg to get informed about new trends in innovative technologies," said Bernd Auf- derheide. The President and CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH welcomed several dozen top media representatives from around the world to the advance press conference in Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie building. In his keynote, Aufderheide mentioned numerous new features which will make SMM more attrac- tive than ever. For example, this year's fair will for the first time cooperate with the TradeWinds Shipowners' Forum in a confer- ence that will look into issues of paramount importance for the industry, such as financing. “The convenient clustering of exhibitor groups in the exhibi- tion halls, or the theme routes successfully introduced during the last SMM, will make it much easier for visitors to find what they need,” Aufderheide added. Challenging markets Disruptive markets where among the topics addressed by the well- known shipping expert DrMartin Stopford. During the panel dis- cussion, the non-executive Presi- dent of the maritime consultancy Clarkson Research provided an overview of the current market sit- uation. While some shipping seg- ments have recovered, he said, the overall mood was subdued. “Over the past two years shipbuilders have faced increasing pressure.” The tonnage entering the market in 2018 is going to amount to less than half of that delivered in the boom year 2011. South Korea in particular is losing market share. Contrary to the general trend, orders for cruise ships doubled between 2015 and 2017, reaching a volume of USD19.5 billion. It was mainly the Europeans who profited from this boom, conquering a 34 per cent market share, something the world hadn’t seen in decades. “European shipyards should have a well-deserved party,” said Stop- ford. Consistent with the motto of this year's SMM, “Trends in SMMart Shipping", Stopford believes digitalisation to be a key driver of increased efficiency within the sector. However, the expert cau- tioned, a stepwise approach is advisable: “It is better to do some- thing simple that delivers for your business, rather than getting dis- appointed with attempting some- thing too ambitious that fails,” he stressed. A “Smart Shipping Toolbox” could help build smarter ships, manage fleets smarter, and ensure logistics are really efficient, Stopford said. The goal would be an integrated transport service. As Kjersti Kleven, Co- owner and Board Member of the Norwegian shipbuilding group Kleven Maritime AS and Chair- woman of SEA Europe, the Ship- yards’ and Maritime Equipment Association, reported, shipbuild- ers are increasingly able to ben- efit from the enormous advances in the field of robotics. In the age of digitalisation, investments in research and development were of paramount importance for the industry, she said. As for 3D printing, the realisation of many ideas would still be a long way off, but the technology held a lot of promise and could give rise to new business models, Kleven added. Referring to 3-D printing, HMC CEO Aufderheide pointed out that SMM will include a special exhibition highlighting the potential uses of this technology. Strict environmental standards The COO of Hapag-Lloyd, An- tony Firmin, described what a shipowning company can do to overcome the current economic challenges. The sustained crisis had given rise to a rigorous con- solidation process among line operators. Stricter environmental regulations would put extra pres- sure, Firmin said. Nevertheless his company does a lot to operate its ships in the most eco-friendly manner possible over their en- tire life-cycle and supports other environmental initiatives such as sustainable ship recycling. Just recently the company published its first ever sustainability report, Firmin added. In his opinion the IMO Emission Reporting System is "the only and the right way to get meaningful global data about CO2 emissions" and is preferable to the regional EU MRV Directive which only accounts for one fifth of global emissions. "The collec- tion of commercially sensitive information must take place in an anonymized and confidential manner," said Firmin. Referring to the fact that new regulations on CO2 emissions and ballast water management are actually likely to stimulate the business of shipbuilders and suppliers, the SEA Europe chairwoman simply stated: "We will build everything the market demands”. However, it would not always be easy for customers to identify the most suitable tech- nology. Contributing the perspec- tive of a major supplier, Wayne Jones, Member of the Executive Board – Global Sales & After- sales at the engine manufacturer MAN Diesel & Turbo SE, called the recent decisions made by the International Maritime Organiza- tion IMO regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions "an enormous success", admitting that the goal was very ambitious. It is therefore very important for the entire industry to support this decision: “We have been promot- ing a maritime energy transition for years, and we are committed to driving a CO2-neutral global economy that includes shipping,” Jones emphasised. “We firmly be- lieve that the switch to low emis- sion gas fuels is the silver bul- let to decarbonize international shipping,” he added. Smart solutions Radiating confidence about the future of shipping, Knut Ørbeck- Nilssen, Chairman of the Inter- national Association of Classifi- cation Societies (IACS) and CEO of DNV GL – Maritime, was sure that the “digital transformation will forever change the shipping industry and pave the way to new business models.” For example, he said, detailed, real-time cargo and route information as well as data relating to the operation and condition of the vessel and its components will make future supply chains much more adapt- able and efficient. “The develop- ment and spread of cloud based technologies and computer power will change not only how we manage data but how we de- sign, build and test vessels, their systems and components.” Even today digital solutions are unfold- ing their economic potential in