Amie Pascoe reports back on another successful SMM Conference for BLUE Communications.
The shipbuilding, machinery and marine technology international trade fair, better known as SMM, has become a landmark event in the marine calendar. The exhibition has continued to grow over the years with 2012 the 25th SMM, attracting a record 55,000 trade visitors and 2,100 exhibitors from all parts of the world to the Hamburg Messe und Congress.
Not only were many of BLUE’s clients attending in some capacity, the event also provided the opportunity for the team to catch up face-to-face with industry colleagues, journalists and friends.
The following are just three examples of how BLUE supported clients in leveraging their presence at the event and disseminating key messages:
Wärtsilä
With approximately 30 media interviews undertaken during the course of the week and a continuously buzzing stand, the Wärtsilä team was certainly kept busy! Focusing on operational efficiency, environmental excellence, fuel flexibility and services, the aim was to bring these to life through ‘real-world’ success stories, explaining how Wärtsilä’s tailored solutions are dedicated to optimising lifecycle value.
Carbon War Room
BLUE secured a keynote-speaking slot for Carbon War Room President, José María Figueres on the first day of the Global Maritime Environmental Congress (GMEC) – the traditional opener to SMM. The event, chaired by the BBC’s Nik Gowing, was attended by over 150 invited senior maritime executives and debated the issue of maritime climate change mitigation and environmental protection.
Mr. Figuerers announced that Carbon War Room is now working on three potential financial models aimed at surmounting the barrier of the initial capital expenditure outlay to retrofit fuel-saving technologies onto existing ships. BLUE secured interviews for Mr. Figuerers with one German national newspaper and three key shipping and maritime trade publications to maximise the impact of his attendance at the event.
NAPA
BLUE also supported NAPA Group both independently and alongside ClassNK to promote their new SEEMP solution ‘ClassNK-NAPA GREEN’. Interviews were secured with half a dozen key media over three days to discuss both NAPA’s own solutions for design and operation, as well as the collaboration with ClassNK. BLUE’s extensive stakeholder network was also leveraged to raise awareness of daily info-sessions at both the ClassNK and NAPA exhibition stands.
BLUE’s managing director, Alisdair Pettigrew concluded: “SMM continues to be a key event for many of our clients and the record attendance of this year is testament to the opportunity that it presents. I think it’s fair to say that it was an exhausting but valuable week for everyone involved and BLUE will undoubtedly be back again – in force – in two years time!”
