SMM, one of the world’s most important international shipping fairs, with about 40,000 visitors and 2,000 exhibitors from around the world, takes place in Hamburg, Germany on 3-6 September 2024. Accelleron’s Managing Director for Germany Barend Thijssen and his team will host the Accelleron booth. Global Accelleron business leaders will join them to talk to marine customers about the way turbocharging, fuel injection, digital solutions and services are helping them to accelerate their sustainability journeys.
We asked Barend about the German shipping industry and the SMM experience.
Germany, says Barend, is a major force in the marine sector. “With 1800 ships, and an aggregate capacity of 47 million gross tons, the German fleet ranks 7th largest in the world, and following a decline during the years 2012 to 2023, it is now growing again.”
“Container vessels account for more than half of that tonnage: 27 million tons, across 621 ships, making it the largest container fleet in the world, just ahead of China. Bulk carriers account for a further 19%, and general cargo vessels, tankers, and cruise ships make up about 20% of total capacity.”
Given Germany has a relatively small coastline with respect to its size, it’s no surprise that the industry is centered around ports in the north of the country, especially Hamburg, home to two-thirds of Germany’s shipping capacity. The city and the other nearby ports on the coastline have a long and proud history in marine trade, dating back to the Hanseatic League, a collective of city states in the region that dominated North and Baltic Sea trade routes for over 400 years.
Accelleron’s stand at SMM 2022
The center of shipping
History and the continued influence of Hamburg on global shipping make it a natural port of call for SMM, which brings together shipowners, shipbuilders, and suppliers to discuss the latest challenges faced by the industry and the new solutions aimed at overcoming those challenges.
International shipping is, by its very definition, among the most widely dispersed industries in the world. There are ports, shipyards, and suppliers in almost every country. This means that face-to-face contact between partners is rare, as are opportunities to learn about what’s new in the broader industry. Hence, the enduring popularity of trade shows and exhibitions in shipping.
Barend says: “I love interacting with our customers and hearing first-hand about what they’d like to see from us. SMM is a fantastic opportunity to talk in depth to lots of people in a very short time. It is the largest European event of its kind. Almost all the world’s shipyards and marine suppliers are expected to be there.”
The 2022 turbochargers on display -- Check out the hands-on 3D model of our next-gen turbocharger to see how it works, at SMM 2024!
Hot trends for SMM
Barend says marine customers are always on the lookout for efficiency savings. “Although the industry is generally doing well, customers always face time and cost pressures. Container ship operators, in particular, have suffered a series of setbacks in recent years – with the COVID pandemic, followed by congestion in the Panama Canal, and now conflicts in the Red Sea – so they’ve been forced to take longer routes around the capes. This means they’ve had to rethink and replan their operations, and Accelleron, of course, has supported them with the required degree of service flexibility.”
“The requirement for good service remains a constant, along with quick and easy access to spare parts,” says Barend. But it’s far from business as usual: “Customers are looking for solutions to help them transition to future carbon-neutral fuels efficiently, so that they can simultaneously meet environmental targets and improve their financial sustainability.” Decarbonization will be a dominant theme in conversations at the show.
For the first time at SMM, Accelleron’s stand will feature OMT, its recently-acquired fuel injection business, which is playing a major role in supporting marine customers in the energy transition by enabling the trend towards dual-fuel engines. “We will show the latest range of high-precision fuel injection systems and our next-generation axial turbocharger. I think customers will be particularly interested in our upgrade opportunities that allow them to install state-of-the-art turbocharging components for immediate fuel and emissions savings. Also, digitalization has become an important driver for decarbonization, and we’ll be talking about our digital solutions that support efficiency optimization, emissions reporting, and an overall move to data-based planning for global fleets.”
Learn more about Accelleron’s offerings at SMM 2024 and visit us at Hall A3; Booth 210. Barend and the team will be sure to offer a warm welcome.
Header image: copyright Hamburg Messe und Congres/Michael Zapf