SMM 2006 fully booked

The Hamburg trade fair is in the process of becoming one of Europe's most modern exhibition sites, with capital expenditure of 330 million euros. The SMM 2006 will welcome its exhibitors and visitors to the first three new exhibition halls to be completed, that is Halls A1 to A3, which feature the very best in functionality and fittings and total space of 21,000 sqm. Starting in March 2006, three old halls will be demolished (Halls 3, 4 and 5) to make room for the construction of further new halls. The modernisation process means that this year total exhibition space will be up 5000 sqm to a total of 70,000 sqm. In addition, exhibitors and visitors will be able to make use of the new multi-storey car park, with 900 parking spaces, for the first time at the SMM 2006.

The trend of recent years
has been further reinforced for the SMM 2006 – all the leading international companies of the shipbuilding and shipping industries will be in Hamburg this autumn. And there will be more shipyards at the SMM 2006 than at previous events. The propulsion machinery manufacturers have traditionally played a strong role, and the same applies to navigation, automation and information technology specialists.

The dynamism of the sector is also demonstrated by the fact that some 150 further companies will be exhibiting at the SMM, the industry’s premier show, for the very first time.

The largest contingents at the SMM this year, apart from the host country Germany, will be the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, the UK, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Turkey, and the world’s leading shipbuilding countries China, Korea and Japan.

Another indicator of the growing international orientation of the SMM is the increasing interest of the countries in presenting the performance capabilities of their own shipbuilding and equipment supply industries. Thus South Korea has more than doubled the space for its national pavilion at the SMM 2006 compared with the previous event. 22 countries will be represented by their own national pavilions.

Exhibitors and visitors
will be coming to the SMM 2006 with great expectations. Following the record year 2004, shipbuilding companies and equipment suppliers had no cause for complaint in 2005 either. And experts from the Korean shipbuilding association forecast “lively business” for the shipbuilding industry in 2006. Similarly optimistic views are expressed by the Europeans, too. Dr. Reinhard Lüken, Secretary General of CESA, said that “International shipbuilding is riding a very high wave.”

The SMM has developed to become the industry’s trendsetter, with its comprehensive range of maritime technologies. It is an outstanding platform for innovations and knowledge transfer. The SMM 2006 will show innovations in all areas of shipbuilding, in line with increased expectations for competitive ships. That applies in particular to suppliers of information and communication technology, who traditionally make their presentations every two years at the SMM, with new software and hardware modules. The main focus here will be on systems to improve safety, cost effectiveness and manoeuvrability. Engine manufacturers will present further developments and innovations for reduction of fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. And there will also be new technologies from the shipyards, for example in container ship building, and from the suppliers of ship equipment and machinery.