The maritime economy is in the midst of the green transition, and advanced technologies are the enablers of this sweeping transformation. At SMM, international exhibitors will showcase the latest products and ideas paving the way into the future of shipping.

From wind jammers to steamships, and then to diesel engines: the maritime industry has had to re-invent itself at several instances in its history. But never has it seen change as radical as today. "Decarbonisation offers the industry the historic opportunity to take a leading role in the global efforts to combat climate change. It is an unbelievable innovation driver," says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director Maritime and Technology Fairs at Hamburg Messe und Congress. At SMM, from 3 to 6 September, exhibiting companies will demonstrate in a compelling way how innovative solutions can increase efficiency, cut emissions and improve safety and security at sea. "Through new formats and exhibition sections, such as the Future Fuels Area, we want to give a boost to the innovative capabilities of our industry while establishing SMM as the key platform for sustainable maritime technologies," says SMM Director Christoph Lücke.

Future fuels: not an option but a must
In the new Future Fuels Area, the award-winning French developer of hydrogen-based energy systems Genevos will highlight its recently-certified 250 kW H2 fuel cell module (HPM-250) for maritime applications. "Our modular drop-in solution offers high scalability and redundancy, whilst operating with no vibration, reducing maintenance requirements and conforming to zero emission regulations," says Phil Sharp, CTO and Co-Founder of Genevos.

The Norwegian manufacturer Bergen Engines will promote its new engine generation. "The ready-to-sell offering of a 25% hydrogen blend engine is a testament to our dedication to providing cleaner and more efficient energy solutions. We are proud to offer our customers engines that not only meet their performance needs but also contribute to a greener future for our industry," says Jon Erik Røv, Managing Director of Bergen Engines. Roughly 20 companies are participating in the Future Fuels Area: SMM | Future Fuels Area - SMM (smm-hamburg.de)

Refitting: upgrading the fleet in service

Demand for eco-friendly and energy-efficient ships is increasing steadily, and refitting the fleet in service is a major topic for shipowners. It also harbours substantial business opportunities for shipyards and component manufacturers. There are intriguing retrofitting options, including inventions like the eSails offered by the Spanish start-up Bound4Blue. "Our solution enables shipowners and operators to reduce their environmental footprint while cutting fuel costs. Because 'good for the planet' can also mean 'good for your business'," says Co-Founder and COO Cristina Aleixendri. Her company's wind-assisted propulsion solution can reduce fuel consumption by up to ten per cent.

The rotor sail, also called Flettner rotor, could be called the mother of all wind propulsion technologies. The finish company Norsepower has developed a radically modernised version of a concept originally invented in Germany roughly 100 years ago. "Thanks to high-tech materials and sophisticated automation, our Norsepower Rotor Sails have become a key technology for decarbonising global shipping. They are both powerful and reliable," says CEO Heikki Pöntynen. For example, during their first year of operation on board Maersk Pelican, these rotor sails reduced fuel consumption by 8.2 per cent.

Digitalisation: heading for autonomous shipping

Integrating digital technologies is the second big item on the maritime industry's agenda. Innovation is advancing at breathtaking speed. "From automation of wind-assisted propulsion devices to rapid, error-free energy management, we want to discuss at SMM how standardisation can support increased safety and fair competition, and we are looking forward to receiving feedback on our autonomous shipping technology," says Ronald Epskamp, Maritime Business Unit Manager at automation specialist Bachmann electronic.

Autonomous shipping is on the menu of Avikus too: The classification society Korean Register has confirmed that the solution sold by the Korean software house does save fuel. "This certification is significant in that it proves that it is possible to actively respond to carbon emissions regulation through the use of autonomous navigation technology," says Avikus CEO Lim Do-hyeong. "Autonomous ships represent a new turning point in the sustainable development of the shipping industry."

Artificial Intelligence: Solutions supporting sustainable success‍

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is definitely a game changer for the industry. This is why SMM is putting this technology front and centre this year. The new AI CENTER will be an all-embracing showcase of advanced AI technologies and their potential for maritime applications. Numerous established and start-up companies will present their AI solutions addressing a variety of challenges, from optimising fuel consumption to improving operational efficiency. One of them is Bearing AI, a Silicon Valley company established in 2019. "Our vision is to not only ease the industry's transition towards green shipping but also enable it to harness AI to make confident decisions that support commercial and sustainability goals", says Kristofer Maanum, Senior Product Leader at Bearing AI. Global players such as Hapag-Lloyd and K Line are already using this software.

But their economic success also depends on efficient port logistics. This is where Conbo.ai wants to start a revolution of its own. To avoid backups at terminals and in their immediate surroundings, the American-Israeli company offers a traffic analysis system that can increase the operational performance of these key nodes of the global supply chains significantly. "Our innovative solution delivers meaningful insights that help rationalise processes, reduce costs, increase revenues, improve safety and cut emissions," says Eran Pereg, CEO and co-founder of the start-up. As an added benefit, Conbo.ai uses existing camera systems at terminals. "Implementing our platform solution takes only a few days," says Pereg.

"SMM addresses everything that matters for the future of the industry by highlighting a wide range of forward-looking innovations. I am convinced that SMM 2024 will deliver a strong impetus for the transformation of the shipping sector," says Claus Ulrich Selbach.