Towards A Green Future

gmec, the global maritime environmental congress, will be held in Hamburg on 9 September as part of the leading international maritime trade fair SMM. Experts will discuss ways of further improving the environmental footprint of ships.

In terms of cargo transported, ships are the most eco-friendly means of transport. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), an UN institution, the international shipping industry's contribution to global carbon dioxide emissions is a mere 2.7 per cent. In response to stricter environmental regulations, shipping is going to get even 'greener'. More than 60,000 vessels previously propelled by Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) must either switch to a low-emission fuel or clean their exhaust gases if they want to avoid stiff fines. Among the available alternative fuel options, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is favoured by many operators because its SOx emissions are close to zero. In many parts of the world ships are being retrofitted for LNG propulsion. Yet, a number of questions remain unanswered: What will it cost to retrofit a particular ship? How can you tell whether a refit will pay for itself? And what ship types are better suited for an exhaust gas scrubber?

These and other questions will be addressed by the panel experts at gmec, the global maritime environmental congress on 9 September. The conference, which will again be part of the leading global maritime trade fair SMM, will take place on Environmental Protection Day. Its motto will be "Setting the Green Course" and it is once again hosted jointly by Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH and Seatrade Communications Ltd. "Once again we have succeeded in lining up a number of top-flight experts for this conference. They will tell us about the best innovative technologies available to ensure compliance with international regulations," says Bernd Aufderheide, CEO and President of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. Conference participants will learn about new industry trends, find plenty of opportunities to network and examine innovative equipment in the exhibition halls.

Highly topical programme

The conference programme will focus on current topics and feature top-level experts. Following the official welcoming address by the CEO of Hamburg Messe and the Chairman of Seatrade Communications Ltd., Chris Hayman, the Round Table, chaired by ITN Channel 4 host Matt Frei, will include Rüdiger Pallentin (Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven AG), Paul Woodwall (DFDS A/S) and other leading industry representatives. The first panel will be headed by Intertanko's Katharina Stanzel and address topics such as ship retrofitting and ship emissions. Under the title "Operating Efficiency", the second panel will consist of Dr Carsten Wiebers (Global Head Maritime Industries, KfW IPEX-Bank), Jan Otto de Kat (Director Energy Efficiency, ABS), Lars Robert Pedersen (Deputy Secretary General, BIMCO) and Noah Silberschmidt (CEO, Silver Stream). They will be joined by other experts to discuss many current topics. Shipowners will learn about ways to optimise the efficiency of their vessels sustainably. The discussion panels will examine technical and mechanical options for enhancing the efficiency of ships and of operations on board and on land.

SMM will take place at the Hamburg fair site from 9 until 12 September 2014. For further information please visit: www.smm-hamburg.com.