By Peter Prest
Another successful SMM Hamburg has drawn to a close, and it was as insightful, productive and fun as ever. With my communications hat on, the key themes from the event were decarbonisation, security and ports. So, let’s duck, dip, dodge and deep dive into the conference.
Decarbonisation: The Return of the Jedi or The Empire Strikes Back?
After a brief hiatus, the IMO Net-Zero Framework (NZF) was the blockbuster theme in maritime decarbonisation again. The host of greener and cleaner shipping experts at SMM highlighted how important a global regulatory framework for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is to their business. Decarbonisation conversations were more commercially focused than ever too, which is vital to them resonating with the shipping industry’s decision makers.
At the Energy Efficiency Stage, I heard how the NZF can improve clean technology payback periods and return on investment. I heard how it will reward companies that have already made significant investments in decarbonisation in anticipation of the regulation. And I heard how it will offer greater certainty and a clear market signal – GHG emissions are costs and polluters will pay – helping to flip the script from generic buzzwords into concrete final investment decisions.
Those with IMO consultative status then whizzed off from Hamburg to London for the 22nd session of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 22) – catchy title! This is an important test screening before all eyes turn to the IMO for the full premiere, MEPC 85, at the end of November. It remains to be seen if this will be a triumphant return for the NZF or not. Let’s just hope there are no hydration breaks or halftime shows at least.
Whatever happens, it was encouraging to hear from the experts at SMM that they are focusing on vessel and operational efficiency regardless. The industry clearly recognises that even incremental efficiency gains make both sustainability and commercial sense. Lower GHG emissions, lower fuel use, lower costs: it’s a no brainer. With this in mind, my hope is that soon things like hull efficiency modifications and voyage optimisation will be standard across the global fleet.
Security: Seafaring should not be like The Odyssey
It was telling that the new hall for the Maritime Security & Defence Conference (MS&D) was at the centre of SMM, surrounded by commercial shipping. Adding to an already complex maritime storyline, it was noticeable that security is becoming increasingly intertwined with other maritime themes. From the Black Sea to the Strait of Hormuz and beyond, seafarers are in the eye of the geopolitical storm and need protecting.
Security at sea covers many different topics too. There’s the aforementioned and vital safety and security of seafarers, cyber security, national security, securing freedom of navigation, securing the international rules-based order, and energy security to name just a few. While they got into it all at The Naval Stage, that’s far too much to delve into here. At SMM, the energy security and alternative fuels plotline particularly interested me.
The energy transition is offering an opportunity to reduce reliance on one energy source or trading partner. In a nutshell, domestic bio- or e-fuel supply to maritime and other hard-to-abate industries can offer greater energy security, independence and, via access to lots of local producers, fuel supply chain resilience. Bio can also support vital domestic industries like farming, yet Europe, for instance, still imports around 55-60% of its energy.
The argument to scale up alternative energy sources and expand the energy mix is even more powerful with disruptions to conventional fossil fuel trading in the Middle East, the U.S. and Russia. The EU, for example, is now committed to phasing out Russian LNG, with short-term contracts ended from 25th April this year and all long-term contracts from 1 January 2027. Replacing this with a mix of new fuels and technologies was regularly pointed out as key at the event.
Ports: The Superhero Team of Decarbonisation
The All About Ports conference at SMM was particularly engaging, not only for the ‘silent disco’ style stages, but also for the topical conversations that impact far beyond just shipping. Ports are clearly vital links in supply chains and a meeting point between shipping, bunkering, cargo handling and onward logistics. This makes them a large and varied source of GHG emissions and local pollution but also a super enabler of wider decarbonisation.
Discussions covered how, with regulatory support and the right technologies, ports can reduce greenhouse gas, noise, and harmful local emissions across their operations today. They can, for example, adopt fuel cells in equipment such as forklifts and to support onshore power supplies (OPS). While the Port of Hamburg is a leader in OPS infrastructure, there is major work to be done worldwide to ensure ships don’t use their polluting auxiliary engines for hotel-load or cargo operations.
At the Global Maritime Environmental Congress (GMEC), part of SMM, we also heard from one of our very own clients on how green corridors can help ports realise their potential as alternative fuel bunkering hubs. Part of the argument was that shipping does not necessarily need more green corridors, but it needs to follow-through on existing ones. This includes progressing the important technical details of decarbonisation – such as chain of custody models, continuous scaling up of infrastructure, and refining key regulatory specifics.
Collaboration: A Cast of Industry Friends
Media teams were also out and about at SMM, and it was great to catch up with the usual suspects, as well as journalists from all around the world that we get to see in-person less often. We had exciting chats about how trade media is often highly visible on AI Search, while mainstream media is as relevant as ever, reminding us of the value of collaborating on authentic, insightful and credible news and thought leadership.
We had more clients than ever at SMM too, spanning across the entire maritime and energy industries, with everything from classification societies to naval architects and water treatment to green fuel suppliers featuring in the cast. It was fantastic to meet new people and see familiar faces, many of whom have become firm friends. As Gen Z might say, our clients always have ‘main character energy’. Thank you to everyone who made SMM a fantastic show.