See you in Hamburg
This issue (September 2010) sees us preparing for SMM. With the Hamburg-based show claimed to be bigger than ever before we have to admit that it is something of a daunting prospect – we could spend all four days walking round the show talking to companies we know and still run out of time.
Even attempting the four-day tour would prove impossible for us, as the first two days, at least, are fully occupied by press conferences and events that run late into the evenings.
We often hear people in the industry complaining that there are too many events. I can see their point, but have to be careful as Mercator Media is in the business of running maritime events as well as publishing magazines and providing web sites. SMM has certainly established itself as the major show in our particular market sector, so its future is assured. It will be interesting to see if all the promised exhibitors turn up, and how many visitors, particularly from overseas, make the trek. We are all still in cost-cutting mode, and Hamburg – particularly in September – is a very expensive place to be.
Having half-agreed that there are too many events, I have to acknowledge that there are still emerging technologies that deserve inclusion in the calendar, and remind readers of a new event. Mercator Media’s Gas Fuelled Ships conference is also in Hamburg – October 20th is the date. We have a good programme, with a selection of knowledgeable and influential speakers, so it promises to be well worth attending, particularly by ship owners who are seeking to reduce costs and emissions, primarily when operating in coastal areas.
There is much scope for reducing fuel usage, and thus lowering emissions, in ships using any type of fuel. Slow steaming is probably top of most operators’ lists, though few seem committed to ordering tonnage with the smaller engines which will operate most efficiently at lower ratings. Even if slow steaming is here to stay, there will still be a demand for specialised high-speed ships for time-critical cargo and passenger traffic to compete with the airlines. Moreover, smaller high speed craft tend to be at the cutting edge of technology, and developments from that sector often transfer to larger, slower ships. That’s one reason why in this issue we are pleased to welcome an old friend, high speed craft expert Dag Pike to the select band of Motorship contributors.
