SEPTEMBER's leading international maritime trade fair SMM has been rescheduled for February 2-5, 2021, because of the Covid-19 crisis, but with 90 per cent of 2,000 exhibitors planning to participate on the new date, say organisers.
'Together we will overcome this crisis,' said Claus Ulrich Selbach, business unit director, Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC).
Leading exhibitors at the fair shared their thoughts on the pandemic and its impact in an HMC press release
'Seeing many countries reopen gradually is encouraging,' said the HMC press release. 'China's economy is stabilising, and many countries are reopening their borders.'
Said London Clarkson Research president Martin Stopford: 'We know we cannot predict the future. But we can try to prepare for changes that are clearly on the cards. Not preparing can be riskier and more expensive than the safe' option and doing nothing.'
Said classification society DNV GL's chief executive Knut Orbeck-Nilssen: 'The crisis has the potential to trigger many innovations and new ideas throughout the entire maritime world, ultimately leading the sector to a renaissance.'
DNV GL, the main sponsor of SMM, is a pioneer of remote digital surveys and the use of digital twins and data analytics, say organisers.
'This also benefits green shipping. At the gmec, the global maritime environmental congress, and the Maritime Future Summit during SMM next February, experts will discuss how the industry can utilise this technology boost to advance the development of sustainable propulsion solutions,' said the press release.
Said VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems CEO of SKF Martin Johannsmann: 'We are generally in good shape in the sector. That paid off in the corona crisis. We very quickly learned how to respond to the pandemic.'
Production continued nearly without interruption, and orders could be completed. On the other hand, German suppliers are living off a 3.4 per cent increase in orders received during the past fiscal year, he said.
Said Head of the Maritime at the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) Estelle Brentnall: 'In some cases seafarers have been kept on board their ships. They are directly affected by the failure of governments around the globe to act, and the lack of coordination between them. Let them go home!'
Equally impatient was German Shipowners' Association president Alfred Hartmann: 'Several weeks ago we joined hands with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), providing governments around the world with a detailed procedure to enable safe crew exchanges during the coronavirus crisis.'
Said International Monetary Fund chief economist Gita Gopinath: 'The recession this year will likely be more severe, and recovery in 2021 will be slower than we anticipated two months ago.'
The SMM trade fair takes place at the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC) exhibition complex every two years. In response to the coronavirus crisis, the 29th issue of the trade fair has been rescheduled.
SeaNews Turkey
'Together we will overcome this crisis,' said Claus Ulrich Selbach, business unit director, Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC).
Leading exhibitors at the fair shared their thoughts on the pandemic and its impact in an HMC press release
'Seeing many countries reopen gradually is encouraging,' said the HMC press release. 'China's economy is stabilising, and many countries are reopening their borders.'
Said London Clarkson Research president Martin Stopford: 'We know we cannot predict the future. But we can try to prepare for changes that are clearly on the cards. Not preparing can be riskier and more expensive than the safe' option and doing nothing.'
Said classification society DNV GL's chief executive Knut Orbeck-Nilssen: 'The crisis has the potential to trigger many innovations and new ideas throughout the entire maritime world, ultimately leading the sector to a renaissance.'
DNV GL, the main sponsor of SMM, is a pioneer of remote digital surveys and the use of digital twins and data analytics, say organisers.
'This also benefits green shipping. At the gmec, the global maritime environmental congress, and the Maritime Future Summit during SMM next February, experts will discuss how the industry can utilise this technology boost to advance the development of sustainable propulsion solutions,' said the press release.
Said VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems CEO of SKF Martin Johannsmann: 'We are generally in good shape in the sector. That paid off in the corona crisis. We very quickly learned how to respond to the pandemic.'
Production continued nearly without interruption, and orders could be completed. On the other hand, German suppliers are living off a 3.4 per cent increase in orders received during the past fiscal year, he said.
Said Head of the Maritime at the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) Estelle Brentnall: 'In some cases seafarers have been kept on board their ships. They are directly affected by the failure of governments around the globe to act, and the lack of coordination between them. Let them go home!'
Equally impatient was German Shipowners' Association president Alfred Hartmann: 'Several weeks ago we joined hands with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), providing governments around the world with a detailed procedure to enable safe crew exchanges during the coronavirus crisis.'
Said International Monetary Fund chief economist Gita Gopinath: 'The recession this year will likely be more severe, and recovery in 2021 will be slower than we anticipated two months ago.'
The SMM trade fair takes place at the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC) exhibition complex every two years. In response to the coronavirus crisis, the 29th issue of the trade fair has been rescheduled.
SeaNews Turkey