The course has been charted: "Increased automation in shipping has the potential to enhance safety, to improve environmental performance, and to ensure more efficient and sustainable shipping,” says Kitack Lim, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization IMO. And indeed, the digital toolbox is full of technologies: Weather monitoring allows crews to optimise their routes and minimise fuel consumption; digital twins provide an efficient way to detect the root causes of ship performance issues; and remote surveys enable safe inspections without having to be physically present – a great advantage especially during the Covid 19 pandemic. Finding ways to combine all these digital tools effectively is the topic of the Maritime Future Summit. Featuring top-ranking experts, the conference will take place on 5 September, one day before the launch of the leading international maritime trade fair. "Connected Technologies On The Rise” is this year's motto for the meeting of the international digital experts. “Forming smart alliances and developing multidisciplinary solutions is the order of the day," says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director – Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC). "At the Maritime Future Summit, the maritime industry will enter the next stage of the digital transformation."

Smart hulls
The shape of a ship's hull decides about its stability, cargo capacity and fuel consumption. No wonder hull condition is a key area for monitoring technology. The French company notilo plus combines subsea robots with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to perform hull inspections. "Our autonomous underwater drone Seasam not only allows you to inspect the hulls of boats, but it can also, thanks to artificial intelligence and image analysis tools, do predictive maintenance to prepare for the next drought,” says notilo plus Vice President Solène Guéré who will present the system at the Maritime Future Summit. The leading ship classification society DNV pursues a similar approach for ship hull inspections. In his speech, Pierre Sames, Senior Vice President Group Research & Development, will explain what technologies DNV relies on. Hull monitoring frequently reveals an annoying form of ballast: In extreme cases, plankton, algae and muscles growing on the bow and propeller can increase a ship's fuel consumption by more than 50 per cent. Hasytec has developed an effective method to avoid biofouling. The company, nominated for the German Environmental Award 2022, will highlight its innovative ultrasonic anti-fouling technology at SMM.

Towards a transparent future
Saving fuel to minimise costs and emissions is one of the top goals for the fleet control centres of ship operators. At the Maritime Future Summit, Sean Fernback, CEO of the leading ship engine manufacturer Wärtsilä Voyage, will discuss how the digital transformation can unlock the full potential of shipping. “The maritime world is entering the digital era where mutualising our investments into common platforms and standards is a prerequisite to successful innovations for a more sustainable and efficient maritime industry.” For Patrick Müller from Siemens Energy Marine, data transparency is key to achieving this goal. In his presentation he will advocate an open digital ecosystem. "It is important to have a holistic view on all your assets, available in real time, from machinery to navigation, combined with environmental conditions," says Müller.

Digital security
More transparency and data traffic increase efficiency – but also risks. Data networks are favourite targets of cyber criminals. Not long ago Hapag-Lloyd fell victim to a cyber attack. Donya-Florence Amer will describe how her shipping company defends itself against these kinds of attacks and charts its future digital course. The IT specialist has been Chief Information Officer at Germany's biggest container liner operator since the beginning of the year. For autonomous shipping in particular, an effective cyber security management system is of utmost importance. The on-board sensors must be able to function error-free to avoid collisions on the water. The team of the CAPTN project focuses on sensor fusion and deep learning. Initiated by Kiel University in 2018, they develop low-emission, autonomous ferries for the Firth of Kiel. The team will present the current status of the project at SMM. "Digital transformation, climate change and the maritime energy transition – what better headlines fit our initiative, which, with its collaborative projects and numerous partners from the maritime industry and excellent research institutions, focuses on precisely these topics," says Dr. Wiebke Müller-Lupp, General Manager of Wissenschaftszentrum Kiel GmbH and the coordinator of CAPTN.

Numerous high-tech innovations will be featured at the Maritime Future Summit and can be viewed by visitors at the stands of SMM exhibitors on the days after the conference.

The entire programme for the Maritime Future Summit can be found on the SMM homepage. The conference will once again be sponsored by HANSA – International Maritime Journal.

About SMM
The leading international maritime trade fair will take place in Hamburg from 6 to 9 September 2022. Around 2,000 exhibitors and more than 40,000 visitors from over 100 countries are expected to attend. In eleven exhibition halls, SMM covers the entire value chain of the maritime industry. As a platform for innovation, it brings together decision-makers from around the world. The 30th SMM focuses on digital transformation, climate change and the maritime energy transition. The 2021 SMM was held as an online event due to the COVID pandemic. This year, the maritime community will once again gather live on the exhibition campus and in conferences featuring top-ranking panellists.