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inInternational Shipping News,Shipping: Emission Possible04/09/2026 Shipping must move beyond individual fuel procurement strategies and aggregate demand for alternative fuels if it is to unlock the investment needed to scale zero-emission shipping, according to EmissionLink. Managing Director, Philippos Ioulianou. Speaking during the panel session, “Cracking the Code: Demand Aggregation as a Catalyst for Zero-Emission Shipping”, at SMM in Hamburg this week, Mr Ioulianou said the maritime industry should draw on lessons from previous energy transitions, rather than attempt to solve the supply-and-demand challenge from scratch. The limited availability and high cost of alternative fuels remain among the biggest barriers to maritime decarbonisation. Shipowners are reluctant to commit without sufficient supply at commercially viable prices, while fuel producers require greater certainty over long-term demand before making major investment decisions, leading many to surmise this is a chicken and egg situation. “I think the chicken-and-egg question is something we have been talking about for many years,” he said. “Today, we are moving in the right direction. We have seen in other industries how regulation and incentives can help bring costs down and accelerate adoption, such as the solar power industry, and shipping is now going through that same transition. Regulation is already having an impact, and we are seeing growing uptake of bioenergy and biofuels, alongside more solutions coming into the market to support compliance.” Mr Ioulianou said the introduction of FuelEU and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has already demonstrated the ability of regulation to stimulate demand for lower-carbon fuels and encourage greater collaboration across the industry. Philippos IoulianouEmissionLink Managing Director, speaking on panel at SMM Hamburg “Shipping’s growing experience with compliance through the likes of FuelEU and the EU ETS can play an important role in aggregating demand for new fuels,” he said. “By bringing shipowners and charterers together around shared compliance needs, we should be able to create the scale and certainty required to accelerate alternative fuel uptake and move towards a market where low-carbon fuels are available, accessible and affordable.” During the panel, Mr Ioulianou also called for revenues generated from maritime activity under the EU ETS to be reinvested directly into strategic maritime decarbonisation projects. With maritime EU ETS revenues expected to provide Member States with billions of euros, he argued that a greater proportion of this funding should be directed towards projects capable of removing barriers to maritime decarbonisation and accelerating the development of alternative fuel infrastructure, particularly in major bunkering regions. He also stressed that green shipping corridors could provide help to build the supply chain: “Green corridors should reward vessels that actively reduce emissions, whether that is through cleaner fuels or energy-efficiency technologies. We need to create an environment where investment in lower-carbon operations makes commercial sense.” Mr Ioulianou added that shipping should recognise that previous energy transitions took years to achieve meaningful scale, and that maritime decarbonisation should be viewed in the same context. Rather than seeing this as a reason to delay action, he added that the industry must use regulation, collaboration and aggregated demand to accelerate the transition and provide fuel producers and investors with clearer signals about where future demand will come from. The panel was moderated by Chief Correspondent Gary Howard. Other speakers included Hanno Bromeis, Head of Port Energy Solutions at Hamburg Port Authority; Alex Hueser, Senior Advisor and Procurement Lead at the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA); Arne Maibohm, Director Decarbonisation at Hapag-Lloyd; and Dr Charlie McKinlay, Fuels and Technologies Lead at the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub.Source: EmissionLink

CBP proposal could force earlier loading deadlines and raise port demurrage risks shipping companies September 3, 2026 USCustoms and Border Protection (CBP) is launching a broad effort to modernise trade data collection and close enforcement gaps across international supply chains with potential updated regulations. AnAdvance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking(ANPRM) published by CBP on Tuesday titled “Heightened Import Disclosures for Supply Chain Visibility”,directly supports anexecutive ordersigned by US President Donald Trump in June instructing the Department of Homeland Security to tighten customs oversight to prevent bad actors from exploiting outdated reporting mandates. “CBP seeks to more effectively detect and interdict illicit importations, especially those that are illegally transshipped to evade compliance with U.S. customs and trade laws,” the ANPRM states. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott asserted that, by strengthening visibility into the supply chains behind US imports, “CBP can better identify high-risk shipments, stop illicit trade, and ensure that American businesses are not undercut by those who evade our customs laws.” Related:Indian Register of Shipping plants flag in Hamburg Responses from ocean carriers – as well as from importers, customs brokers, and freight forwarders – to a list of 64 questions among a group of proposals aimed at bolstering supply chain visibility will be used, potentially, to draft a formal Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The rulemaking would in turn propose regulations to implement those proposals or others suggested in response to the notice. Key proposals for which CBP is requesting feedback include: Party Identification and Business Identifiers:Standardising and upgrading business identification data to better track raw material suppliers, foreign manufacturers, and intermediate logistics nodes. Foreign Export Documentation:Potential requirements for trade participants to collect, retain, or submit foreign export documentation as part of the US import record. Tracing Technologies:Leveraging digital tracing and data-interoperability technology to track goods from origin to destination. For ocean container shipping lines and non-vessel operating common carriers, overhauling customs data requirements could have operational impact, including the need to push back documentation deadlines at foreign loading ports. Enhanced automated screening could also increase holding of cargo, targeted inspections, and detention at US marine terminals for shipments with incomplete supply chain information, heightening demurrage risks for cargo owners and carriers. CBP’s Executive Assistant Commissioner Diane Sabatino emphasized, however, that by modernising how trade data is collected, “we are sharpening our ability to target high-risk shipments and interdict illicit goods – such as counterfeit items and dangerous substances –before they enter the country.” Related:Shipping’s net zero ambitions at a crossroads Read more about: John Gallagher US Correspondent Based in Washington, D.C., John Gallagher covers regulation and legislation affecting the maritime sector for Seatrade Maritime News. John has specialised in reportage of the US transportation industry for the past 30 years, having previously worked as Washington correspondent for US-basedFreightWaves, Americas correspondent for UK-based maritime business publicationFairplay, and covering the US trucking and rail industries forRail Business,Traffic Worldand theJournal of Commerce. John began his business reporting career in 1993 covering the radio, TV, and cable industry forBroadcastingmagazine. Subscribe and get the latest industry news, analysis and more straight to your inbox.

Equipment makers enter SMM with a strong outlook, but China’s shipbuilding rise is reshaping the contest for technology and industrial value. August 31, 2026 SMM 2026 opens on 1 September 2026 to the strongest shipping markets seen at the trade show and an orderbook almost one third larger than last time Hamburg Messe opened its doors to the industry. ClarksonsResearch’s Clarksea index is more than 70% higher than two years ago at $42,710 per day, while the analyst’s figures show the global orderbook is 32.6% larger at 405.5m GT and valued at $666.4bn, 60% of which will flow through to suppliers as yards work through backlogs averaging four years. Clarksons Research managing director Stephen Gordon said that rising shipyard output could lead to record-breaking production in 2027, and picked out 2026 as a 50-year high forVLCCorders, record VLGC orders, and potentially another record-breaking year for container ships. Few records will be broken in European yards in terms of volume and ship numbers, however. A trade show in the heart of Europe’s shipping industry will be all too aware ofChina’sdominance in shipbuilding. China increased its output by another 10% in 2025, accounting for more than half of the world’s tonnage. Since SMM 2010, Chinese output was up 39% while the rest of the world’s output fell by 38%, according to Gordon. Related:Höegh Autoliners adds six car carriers at China Merchants China also accounts for the largest share of international representation at SMM, according to organisers Hamburg Messe und Congress, and the nation’s participation has expanded again in 2026. Europe’s years of competing with China, and Asia more broadly, in terms of sheer shipbuilding volume are over. However, European yards do retain considerable expertise and capacity for high-value, complex projects. Cruise is one such success story, with European yards holding 96% of the sector’s $72bn global orderbook. Across commercial shipbuilding, the crucial question for SMM’s European equipment manufacturers and technology providers is whether they can retain their share of the value generated by ship orders wherever they are placed. Chinese imports of key equipment such as marine engines have morphed into licensing agreements to produce equipment locally. European companies competing in a global market face difficult decisions around where manufacturing should be located, with implications for profitability, long-term viability, and domestic industrial capacity. The situation has attracted the attention of policymakers in Europe. This year’s SMM is the first since the publication of the European Commission’s EU Industrial Maritime Strategy. The European Council has expressed its concern over trade distortion and unfair subsidisation in third countries affecting EU industry, calling for research into the protection of European industries against unfair competition. Related:RCL returns to Huangpu-Wenchong Shipbuilding for four boxships The tension between protecting European industry and maintaining relations with the world’s largest shipbuilding nation will be the backdrop of the China-Europe Maritime Summit at SMM, hosted by DNV, the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR), and the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI). Equipment manufacturers and technology providers at SMM 2026 may take comfort from the orderbook and the strong outlook that comes with it, but their share of the next shipbuilding cycle is not guaranteed. Europe’s equipment manufacturers and technology providers have created value and maintained relevance through innovation, their strengths in digitalisation, decarbonisation, and ship efficiency align with shipping’s trajectory. SMM serves as an industry showcase for progress, and previews for the exhibition highlight developments in AI applications, alternative fuels, energy storage, propulsion, and robotics, among others. This year’s SMM comes at a booming time for many exhibitors, but it remains to be seen where the long-term value, expertise, and industrial capability will reside for the ships of the future. Related:Everllence and Hudong-Zhonghua in joint LNG carrier propulsion development Read more about: Gary Howard Middle East correspondent Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events. Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Ports of Refuge: Strengthening Maritime Resilience, at Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East 2025 Debunking LEO and Cloud for Maritime Industry, December 2022 (watch on-demand recording) Making Data Work for Shipping at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is the Zero-Carbon Future a Slow Shipping Future?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is Ship Finance Transforming Faster than Shipping?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Subscribe and get the latest industry news, analysis and more straight to your inbox.

Persistent port congestion is effectively removing 1.7m teu of container shipping capacity from the global market, with climate-driven disruption and larger-vessel calls adding to schedule delays, according to analysts Sea-Intelligence noted in its recent report that the number and length of delays was increasingly absorbing capacity that would otherwise be available to shippers. The consultancy said the pre-pandemic baseline between 2011 and 2019 was 2.2% of global capacity absorbed by delays, a level that was “relatively stable” and therefore had limited impact on the supply-demand balance. By contrast, excess capacity absorption is now 2.8 percentage points above that baseline – in June it reached 5%, according to Sea-Intelligence. “We are therefore in a situation where the global market is “missing” 1.7m teu of vessel capacity, due to continuing delays,” it said. That 1.7m teu would itself represent a fleet larger than Evergreen’s, equating to roughly the world’s eighth-largest carrier fleet. . And Alphaliner said: “Congestion is and will remain a growing problem for the liner sector,. Climate change resulting in extreme weather with typhoons, heavy rainfall, but also periods of excessive drought, is increasingly playing havoc with liner schedules.” But the consultancy also highlighted the growing impact of larger-vessel calls on port infrastructure. Terminal operators have reported increasing pressure as ‘megamax’ ships bring more volumes into ports. It highlighted AIS data to illustrate resulting berth times: At Hamburg in July, Evergreen vessels spent between 137 and 187 hours – 5.7 to 7.8 days – at berth; HMM’s large ships spent 89 to 103 hours; ONE vessels were alongside for 98 to 111 hours; and Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk recorded substantially shorter stays, of 37 to 55 hours and 52 to 63 hours, respectively. The scale of individual calls varies sharply between carrier networks, Alphaliner’s analysis of the Far East-North Europe trade found. MSC’s Swan service, using ships averaging 15,000 teu and making six European discharge calls, has a theoretical average of 2,500 teu per port. At the other extreme, Evergreen’s CEM service, with vessels averaging 23,490 teu and only three westbound European calls, could generate 7,830 teu per port. Premier Alliance services have potential average volumes of 6,050 teu per port, while Gemini’s four loops average about 4,700 teu. Ocean Alliance loops average 5,440 teu, while MSC’s independent network averages 2,770 teu per port, because its 15,140 teu vessels make five or six European calls. Alphaliner stressed that these were theoretical assumptions of volumes, due to information on the exact call sizes being “commercially sensitive”, but said they demonstrated how network design and vessel size can concentrate large amounts of cargo at individual ports – adding to the congestion challenge facing the liner industry.

Hapag-Lloyd is confident the acquisition of Zim will be closed by the end of this year and also says there are further port deals to be done August 14, 2026 Zim’s sale to the German top five carrierHapag-Lloydis on track to close at the end of this year as the company looks to consolidate its position. Fuelled by the windfall profits of the last five years the shipping line will pay the $4 billion price for Zim, through its accumulated profits and a bridging loan. Speculation in the media as to whether the deal would go through with some Israeli officials concerned about the strategic nature of the carrier were swept aside by Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen, who pointed to the 97% approval by Zim shareholders for the deal. Although, the approval for the Golden Share that will be retained by FIMI Opportunity Funds remains under discussion with relevant stakeholders and key decision makers, said Hapag-Lloyd. “There's all kinds of stuff around it [the Zim sale] in the press every now and then. But we just continue to work diligently with the various authorities that we need to work with, and we still expect to close the transaction somewhere towards the end of the year,” Jansen said on a webinar announcing the company’s Q2 results on13 August. Related:Yang Ming Marine sees earnings recovery in Q2 If the acquisition of Zim is keeping Hapag-Lloyd executives busy, then the work around Hanseatic Global Terminals, (HGT), it’s terminal business must be keeping them all awake. Having completed the acquisition of a 51% stake in the Indian terminal company JM Baxi, which operates five terminals, and that business is being consolidated now. The five terminals include Kandla, Haldia, Visakhpatnam, Tuticorin and inland container depots across India. Meanwhile, operations at the 3.3 million teu capacity Damietta began in February with Jansen noting: “We opened up in Damietta terminal [which] has been off to a good start, even if a little bit slower than originally planned, but very helpful now with all the stuff that's going on the East Med.” Further terminal expansion in Europe is taking place with HGT taking a 20% stake in Container Terminal Hamburg (CTH) which puts Hapag-Lloyd in partnership with Hamburg-based terminal operator Eurogate. In addition, the carrier has increased its stake in the Tanger TC3 project in Morrocco, which is a partnership between Morocco port operator Marsa Maroc, Eurogate and its subsidiary Contship Italia and Hapag which increased its holding by 10% to 20%. Across the South Atlantic HGT also has a 50% stake in Brazil’s 1.2 million capacity Aracruz terminal around 200km north of Rio de Janeiro. It joint venture partner at Aracruz is the Brazilian conglomerate Grupo Imetame. Related:Fronthaul volumes push Hapag-Lloyd back into the black in Q2 The 1.2 million capacity terminal is due to open for freight in 2028, but HGT and Grupo Imetame signed the agreement in December with official completion of the joint venture company, Hanseatic Global Terminals Aracruz S.A., completed in June. Read more about: Nick Savvides Europe correspondent Experienced journalist working online, in monthly magazines and daily news coverage. Nick Savvides began his journalistic career working as a freelance from his flat in central London, and has since worked in Athens, while also writing for some major publications including The Observer, The European, Daily Express and Thomson Reuters. Most recently Nick joined The Loadstar as the publication’s news editor to develop the profile of the publication, increase its readership and to build a team that will market, sell and report on supply chain issues and container shipping news. This was a similar brief to his time at ci-online, the online publication for Containerisation International and Container News. During his time at ci-online Nich developed a team of freelancers and full-time employees increasing its readership substantially. He then moved to International Freighting Weekly, a sister publication, IFW also focused on container shipping, rail and trucking and ports. Both publications were published by Informa. Following his spell at Informa Nick joined Reed’s chemical reporting team, ICIS, as the chemical tanker reporter. While at ICIS he also reported on the chemical industry and spent some time on the oil & gas desk. Nick has also worked for a time at Lloyd’s Register, which has an energy division, and his role was writing their technical magazine, before again becoming a journalist at The Naval Architect for the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. After eight successful years at RINA, he joined Fairplay, which published a fortnightly magazine and daily news on the website. Nick's time at Fairplay saw him win theSeahorse Club Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year 2018 awards. After Fairplay closed, Nick joined an online US start-up called FreightWaves.

Improved spot rates and market conditions have prompted the container line to raise its full year earnings forecast August 14, 2026 Hamburg-headquarteredHapag-Lloydreversed a first quarter loss to report an EBIT of $176 million in Q2 of 2026. In its quarterly earnings report Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said that the first quarter of this year was “unsatisfactory”, but the second quarter performance showed a marked improvement. In the first quarter the company reported a loss of $157 million. The improvement in the second quarter ensured that the shipping company was marginally in the black for first half of 2026 with an EBIT of $18 million, however this compared to an EBIT of $677 million in the first half of 2025. Revenues for the first half of 2026 of $10.76 billion up $169 million on the same period last year. The company said spot rates had “picked up significantly in the second quarter” and the line reported an average freight rate of $1,475 per teu for the period compared to $1,330 per teu in the first quarter of 2026. Related:Wan Hai in $980m container ship order at SWS Buoyed by the boost to recent spot rates Hapag-Lloyd said that this pointed to “improved conditions for the second half of 2026”, prompting the company to raise its full year EBIT forecast to a range of $100 million to $1.1 billion compared to a range of a $1.5 billion loss to a $500 million profit previously. According to Jansen volume growth for the first six months of this year was 5.2%, year-on-year, while the growth on the dominant legs of most trades was around 6-7%, and it is the fronthaul that has kept capacity tight. However,DrewryShipping consultants claimed, “Carriers are actively restricting space by utilising blank sailings on the pacific trades. The consultant pointed to the fact that carriers had cancelled 10 sailings a week for the past two weeks and planned a further seven cancellations in the coming week. Although Drewry also pointed out that congestion in Asia, tropical storms and low water on the Panama Canal were also playing a part in the increases in spot rates across other trades. Rate inflation since February has seen Far East to US West Coast rates increase 271%, East Coast is up 287% while spot rates to North Europe are up 121% and to the Mediterranean by 76%, that has impacted contract rates according to Xeneta. “The knock-on effect of almost half a year of disruption caused by war in the Middle East is now spreading into the long-term contract market. Average long-term rates from Far East toUSWest Coast and US East Coast are up 41% and 40% respectively since the end of February,” said chief analyst Peter Sand. Similar contract rate increases were seen on North European trades, but the Mediterranean increased at the slower pace of 17%. Related:Maersk’s container business profits on 'heightened volatility' According toXenetathe Middle East conflict is becoming a deep structural problem that will persist. “This is the fire spreading from the short-term market where we have seen massive, triple digit rate increases,” said Sand, “So carriers are in an extremely powerful position to call the shots across both long-term and short-term markets.” Jansen views the situation somewhat differently, he pointed out that the contracting season typically starts at the end of the year through to April or May, “So you don't see much of an effect on that right now.” Sand, however, argues that this is the “longer financial tail of supply chain shocks.” “Shippers should not go out into a rising market like this and lock themselves into a one-year deal. This is a market for contracts with a shorter tenure, securing space for the coming quarter, but with an adjustment mechanism if/when the short-term market turns,” added Sand. Jansen, however, believes that there is no evidence that shippers are asking for shorter contracts. “I would say most people still go for annual contracts,” he concluded. Read more about: Nick Savvides Europe correspondent Experienced journalist working online, in monthly magazines and daily news coverage. Nick Savvides began his journalistic career working as a freelance from his flat in central London, and has since worked in Athens, while also writing for some major publications including The Observer, The European, Daily Express and Thomson Reuters. Most recently Nick joined The Loadstar as the publication’s news editor to develop the profile of the publication, increase its readership and to build a team that will market, sell and report on supply chain issues and container shipping news. This was a similar brief to his time at ci-online, the online publication for Containerisation International and Container News. During his time at ci-online Nich developed a team of freelancers and full-time employees increasing its readership substantially. He then moved to International Freighting Weekly, a sister publication, IFW also focused on container shipping, rail and trucking and ports. Both publications were published by Informa. Following his spell at Informa Nick joined Reed’s chemical reporting team, ICIS, as the chemical tanker reporter. While at ICIS he also reported on the chemical industry and spent some time on the oil & gas desk. Nick has also worked for a time at Lloyd’s Register, which has an energy division, and his role was writing their technical magazine, before again becoming a journalist at The Naval Architect for the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. After eight successful years at RINA, he joined Fairplay, which published a fortnightly magazine and daily news on the website. Nick's time at Fairplay saw him win theSeahorse Club Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year 2018 awards. After Fairplay closed, Nick joined an online US start-up called FreightWaves.

The international presence at SMM 2026 continues to grow. With 26 national pavilions – two more than in 2024 – eleven new exhibiting countries and growing participation from Asia’s leading shipbuilding nations, the world’s leading maritime trade fair confirms its role as a global meeting place for the maritime industry. August 12, 2026 26 national pavilions, eleven new exhibiting countries and new official country representations underline the global reach of the world’s leading maritime trade fair. Hamburg, 12 August 2026– The international presence at SMM 2026 continues to grow. With 26 national pavilions – two more than in 2024 – eleven new exhibiting countries and growing participation from Asia’s leading shipbuilding nations, the world’s leading maritime trade fair confirms its role as a global meeting place for the maritime industry. New official national pavilions from Cyprus and Brazil will be joined by first-time official representations from India and Vietnam. More and more countries are using SMM to showcase their maritime industries and access new markets. “SMM is more than ever the central meeting place for the maritime industry. Companies, associations and governments use the world’s leading maritime trade fair to jointly develop responses to the challenges facing the industry. The growing international participation shows that face-to-face exchange across national borders is more important than ever,” saysClaus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions Maritime & Technology at Hamburg Messe und Congress. India Significantly Expands Its Maritime Presence For the first time, theMinistry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways(MoPSW), together with theIndian Ports Association, is organising two official Indian joint pavilions at SMM – in Hall B3.OG and in the Naval Hall B8. India’s participation reflects its growing importance as a maritime industrial and technology nation. The country is pursuing ambitious expansion plans for port infrastructure, shipbuilding, and digital and sustainable maritime technologies. Around 35 exhibitors from India are expected at SMM 2026, includingChowgule & CompanyPrivate Limited,Buoyancy Consultants & Engineering,Swan Defence and Heavy Industries,Vedam Design & Technical Consultancy,Marine Electricals (India) LimitedandSynergy Shipbuilders N Dock Works Ltd. Beyond the joint pavilions, India will also play a role in SMM’s conference programme.Shri Vijay Kumar,Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, will take part in the Official Opening Conference, where his statement “India Perspective: Global Maritime Growth & Connectivity” will highlight India’s growing role in the global maritime economy. On the Open Stage, the session “The India Opportunity: Investing in Shipbuilding & Shipping Clusters” will focus on investment and development opportunities in Indian shipbuilding, maritime clusters and international cooperation. A high-level Indian naval and government delegation is also expected at SMM. In the Naval Hall B8, theIndian Ports Association,Cochin ShipyardandGarden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineerswill showcase their capabilities. India is also part of the programme atALL ABOUT PORTS: Shri Vijay Kumar will participate in the official opening of the new port conference. An Indian session will also focus on the development of Indian ports into competitive, technology-enabled and sustainable logistics hubs and the associated opportunities for international investment. New Country Representations from Brazil, Cyprus and Vietnam Brazilwill present an official national pavilion at SMM for the first time, organised by theBrazilian Association of Companies of the Blue Economy(ABEEMAR). The association promotes Brazil’s blue economy with a focus on innovation, sustainability and business development. Companies represented at the pavilion includeFlexprin IndustriaandDiesel Line. The national pavilion fromCyprusis organised by theMinistry of Energy, Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Cyprusin cooperation with theShipping Deputy Ministryand theCyprus Trade Centrein Berlin. Ten companies as well as government and maritime institutions will be represented, covering maritime services, ship repair and technical equipment, communications and automation, artificial intelligence, research and classification. Participants include theCyprus Marine & Maritime Institute(CMMI),Tototheo Maritime,Multimarine Servicesand theShipping Deputy Ministry. The programme also includes the “Cyprus Maritime Innovation Event”, featuring presentations and a panel discussion on innovation, technology and market opportunities in Cyprus’s maritime economy. “Cyprus' first official national pavilion at SMM Hamburg 2026 marks an important milestone for our maritime industry, showcasing the strength, expertise and global competitiveness of the Cyprus maritime cluster. Through our participation, we aim to reaffirm Cyprus’ commitment to quality, innovation and international cooperation. Cyprus offers a stable and attractive environment for international shipping companies supported by a business-friendly regulatory framework, a competitive and transparent tonnage tax system and a proactive maritime administration,” according to theMinistry of Energy, Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Cyprus. For the first time,Vietnamwill also be officially represented by theVietnam Shipbuilding Industry Association(VISIA). The association represents Vietnam’s shipbuilding industry and will also contribute to the programme: The Open Stage session “Digital Engineering Partnerships: Expanding Global Shipbuilding Capacity” will explore current developments and perspectives in the sector. Companies fromLuxembourg, Azerbaijan, thePhilippines, Andorra, theBahamas, theSlovak Republic, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, LebanonandCuraçaowill also be exhibiting at SMM for the first time. Asia’s Shipbuilding Nations Continue to Expand Their Presence South Koreais once again recording growth. Key Korean exhibitors includeKorean Register, Panasia, Bosung Engineering, Daeyang ElectricandKangrim Heavy Industries. Chinaremains SMM’s largest international country representation and is further expanding its presence in 2026. Another first is theChina-Europe Maritime Summit, jointly organised by theGerman Shipowners’ Association(VDR), theChina Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry(CANSI) andDNV. The conference will bring together high-level representatives of the Chinese and European maritime industries to discuss industrial cooperation, technological innovation and pathways for transformation. Japanis also expanding its presence, including through the joint stand of theJapan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association(JSMEA). More Exhibitors from Europe Among SMM’s top 20 exhibiting countries,Franceis recording one of the strongest growth rates.Austria, Spain, Norwayandthe Netherlandswill also have a stronger presence than at the previous event. High-Level Delegations from Around the World In addition to international exhibitors, SMM once again expects high-level delegations from government, business, navies and coast guards. Naval and government delegations have been announced from countries includingAlbania, Argentina, Brazil, Finland, France, Ghana, the United Kingdom, India, Qatar, Korea, Romania, SpainandTürkiye. The programme will be complemented by business delegations, including theMaritime and Port Authority of Singapore(MPA), theChina Shipowners Association, theCooperative Association of Japan Shipbuilders(CAJS), as well as delegations fromChina, IndiaandColombia. The delegation programme promotes direct exchange between companies, associations and public authorities. Jie Chen, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, is also expected to attend SMM. His visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of the partnership between Hamburg and Shanghai. An official evening reception will be held to mark the occasion, highlighting the close economic and maritime ties between the two cities. SMM 2026brings together established shipbuilding and shipping nations as well as emerging maritime markets in Hamburg. As “the world’s leading maritime industry event”, it provides a global platform for exchange, collaboration and shaping the future of the maritime industry. --------------------------------------------- Press accreditation Media representatives can register her: ForSMM 2026:Press Shop ForALL ABOUT PORTS:Press Shop About SMM SMM – the world’s leading maritime industry event– will take place from 1 to 4 September 2026 in Hamburg. Under the guiding theme“Driving the Maritime Transition”, it brings together international stakeholders from across the maritime industry to discuss key future topics and actively shape the development of the sector. More than 2,200 exhibiting companies from around 70 countries and approximately 50,000 participants from up to 120 nations are expected. Spanning around 90,000 m² across twelve exhibition halls, SMM showcases the entire value chain of the industry. The focus is on energy efficiency as a key lever of the maritime transition, complemented by maritime security and defence, artificial intelligence, decarbonisation, and digital technologies. SMM serves as a central platform for innovation, international exchange and business development. A comprehensive conference programme accompanies the exhibition, including TradeWinds Shipowners’ Forum, Maritime Future Summit, gmec – Global Maritime Environmental Congress, MS&D – International Maritime Security & Defence Conference, and Offshore Dialogue. Running alongside SMM, ALL ABOUT PORTS will launch as a new platform for integrated port solutions. The international conference and accompanying exhibition focus on port infrastructure, terminal technology and port logistics, bringing together port operators, technology providers and investors. Further information:SMM – Driving the Maritime Transition | 1–4 September 2026 Supporters of SMM 2026 Main sponsor: DNV Supporters: VDR, VSM, VDMA, GMT, VDS, CLIA Conference partners: gmec: Seatrade Maritime News; MS&D: German Maritime Institute (DMI); Offshore Dialogue: German Association for Marine Technology (GMT); Maritime Future Summit: HANSA – International Maritime Journal; TradeWinds Shipowners Forum: TradeWinds About ALL ABOUT PORTS ALL ABOUT PORTS is an international conference with an accompanying exhibition dedicated to the future of the port industry. The inaugural event will take place on 2–3 September 2026 at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg and will be held in parallel with SMM – the world’s leading maritime industry event. It positions itself as a new platform for integrated port solutions. The focus is on port infrastructure, terminal technology and port logistics, as well as key topics such as digitalisation, automation, sustainability and security. ALL ABOUT PORTS brings together international stakeholders from the port and logistics industry and fosters exchange on innovation and future-ready port locations. Further information:www.allaboutports.de Digital Press Kit The press release and a selection of photos are available for download via the link below. The use of image and video material is permitted only if the copyright notice is included (© Hamburg Messe und Congress / Author). Please refer to the relevant image or video details for this information. Download Digital Press Kit Industry Events Hamburg Messe Sep 1-4, 2026 Seatrade Maritime Our news reporters and editors draw on over 40 years experience of covering the maritime and shipping industries and bringing you the latest news and insights.

German shipowner exercises options for 7,900 dwt chemical tankers at China Merchants’ yard July 24, 2026 Hamburg-based shipowner John T. Essberger has activated a pair of vessel options under its 2+2+2 newbuilding contract signed with China Merchants Industry Yangzhou Dingheng in December 2025, adding two more 7,900 dwtchemical tankersto the orderbook. The firm order for this vessel series now stands at four units, with an additional two vessel options still reserved at the shipyard. These tankers adopt duplex stainless steel cargo tanks and comply with Ice Class 1A standards to serve European coastal chemical shipping routes. Each vessel measures 119.9 metres in overall length, 18 metres in beam, with a maximum draught of 6.85 metres and a total cargo volume of 8,950 cubic metres. The lead vessel of the series is set for delivery in August 2028. This latest option exercise lifts John T. Essberger’s total chemical tanker newbuilding portfolio to eight vessels: four 7,900 dwt units at Yangzhou Dingheng and four 13,800 dwt tankers under construction at Nantong Rainbow Offshore & Engineering Equipment. All eight vessels will be delivered sequentially from mid-2027 to September 2029. Related:Weekly tanker and dry bulk time charter rates - 22 July Founded in Hamburg in 1924, privately held John T. Essberger operates chemical tankers, dry bulk vessels and ship management services. Its chemical tanker fleet is run via E&S Tankers, a 2021 joint venture with Stolt Tankers that operates 46 stainless steel parcel tankers across the Baltic, Mediterranean and Northwest Europe. Read more about: Katherine Si China Correspondent China-based Katherine Si has worked in the maritime industry since 2008 is well-connected with local industry players including Chinese owners and yards. Having majored in English Katherine started at news portal ShippingChina.com where she rose to become a News Editor. In 2008 she moved to work with Seatrade and has since held numerous positions including China correspondent for Seatrade Maritime Review magazine. With extensive experience in writing, research and social media promotion, Katherine focuses on the shipping and transport sectors.

Ask a visibility vendor about ETA [estimated time of arrival] accuracy and you will hear the same figure: 90%. It appears in sales decks, RFP responses and conference keynotes – the industry has repeated it for so long that it has stopped asking what the number measures. We asked. Over the past year we undertook 25 interviews across shippers, carriers, forwarders, visibility vendors and finance leaders. At a major global e-commerce operator, ETA accuracy on trackable shipments did reach 90%. But only 60% of the operator’s inbound volume was trackable at all. Across everything the company actually moved, effective accuracy was 54%. Platforms report the first number. The second is the market reality. This is survivorship bias, and logistics has institutionalised it. Accuracy is measured only across shipments that report. The shipments that report are the easy ones: main lanes, mature carriers, well-instrumented modes. The cargo that goes dark is the awkward cargo, transhipped, consolidated, passed between smaller carriers, crossing borders where data sharing stops. It is also the cargo carrying the most financial exposure per container. The metric flatters exactly where the flattery costs least. The comfortable explanation is that this is a data problem, and more than 15 years of visibility investment should be closing it, but the evidence says otherwise. More than 300 vendors now sell supply chain visibility. Yet in McKinsey’s 2024 survey of supply chain leaders, tier-1 visibility reached 60% of respondents while tier-2 and beyond covered just 30%, down seven points year-on-year. Coverage is not converging on completeness. In places it is going backwards. The gap survives because nobody is paid to close it. A senior chief digital officer at a global container line put it to us plainly: “Stakeholders make money on inefficiencies. Nobody in the system is paid to close the gap between cargo events and financial settlement.” Visibility was built for operations, and that design choice set its ceiling. A late container appears as a dashboard alert for a logistics team. The alert changes a phone call, perhaps a booking. It changes nothing about the financing, the insurance or the working capital attached to the goods, because none of those positions can see it. Finance sees the same event very differently. For an iron ore trader, a 12-hour ETA variance changes the financing cost on a $50m cargo. A trade finance lead at a commodity trading house told us: “If I can see the goods are delivered at the buyer’s premises and the receivable is born, that is a completely different risk profile than if goods are still floating. That changes everything, the financing terms, the cost of capital, the collateral requirements.” Meanwhile the global trade finance gap stands at $2.5 trillion, roughly 10% of annual merchandise trade, and the Asian Development Bank’s 2025 survey confirms it has not moved since 2023 despite heavy digitisation. Banks still price risk from documents that arrive days after the cargo. Much of that gap is not a shortage of capital. It is a shortage of verified information a financier can act on without absorbing fraud risk. Consider what changes when a cargo event is treated as a financial event. A reefer on the Sumatra to Hamburg lane carries a consignment that secures a $4m working capital advance, under a cargo policy priced on the assumption the cold chain holds. Off Gibraltar the unit runs warm for six hours. The moment the breach is verified at source, three positions move at once. The insurer’s exposure rises and a parametric clause adjusts the premium reserve. The lender’s collateral value falls and the advance rate steps down. The treasury team watches the working capital line tighten before the vessel has docked. No document changed hands and no claim was filed. One verified cargo event repriced an insurance position, a credit position and a liquidity position in the same minute. No tracking platform delivers that today, and not for technical reasons. TradeLens had the technology: 300 ecosystem members, 10 ocean carriers, 1.5bn logged events. It shut down because Maersk owned the platform it was asking rival carriers to join. Competitors will not surrender commercial data to a structure controlled by a rival, and they are rational not to. The fix is governance: raw data stays with the party that generated it, and only the financial consequence, a repriced delay, a revalued reroute, an updated insurance position, travels upward to the parties whose money is at stake. The timing is no longer open-ended. The EU Data Act took effect in September 2025, mandating machine-readable portability from connected cargo devices. The Battery Passport arrives in 2027, CSRD Scope 3 reporting and the due diligence directive in 2027 to 2028. None of these were designed to create a cargo finance market. Together they force cargo-event data into exactly the auditable, standardised formats that the market requires. The window runs from now to 2028. The 90% figure will keep appearing in vendor decks. The useful response is a single question: across what share of total shipments? The 36-point gap between the number quoted and the number experienced is where insurance premiums, collateral values and a $2.5 trillion financing shortfall currently sit unpriced. A cargo event is a financial event. Until the industry measures it that way, it will keep grading itself on its best shipments and financing the worst ones blind. This is a guest post bySlawomir Wycislak, PhD, a researcher at Jagiellonian University, Kraków, andStefan Reidy, chief executive of Atexxa Group, Zug. Their white paper,The Floating Balance Sheet, reports findings from the SC-CEOP research programme.

inPort News10/07/2026 Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest container shipping company, has signed an agreement with the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) on the use of shore power in the Port of Hamburg. With this agreement, the company confirms that it will use the available infrastructure whenever possible and continue to integrate Onshore Power Supply (OPS) into operational vessel management. The agreement applies to shore power supply at all terminals. In recent weeks, the vessels “Al Muraykh” and “Tihama” have already successfully used shore power during their port calls in Hamburg. Both vessels operate on the Asia-North Europe Service NE2. “Shore power is an important element on our path toward lower-emission vessel operations in ports and towards our goal of achieving net-zero fleet emissions by 2045. All our newbuildings are already shore-power ready, and we are retrofitting suitable vessels in the existing fleet accordingly. Wherever the infrastructure is available and its use makes operational sense, we use shore power. Hamburg demonstrates how investments in lower-emission vessel operations can be put into practice,” says Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd. Shore power enables suitably equipped vessels to cover their electricity demand while berthed in port via the onshore grid. This can help reduce emissions in the port. Currently, around 35 percent of Hapag-Lloyd’s current fleet is fully equipped for shore power.Source: Hapag-Lloyd

The news that German terminal operator Eurogate has agreed to sell 20% of its flagship Hamburg terminal CTH is significant on a variety of fronts, including paving the way for a possible future takeover of Eurogate by its new partner. Under the terms of deal disclosed this week, Hapag-Lloyd’s terminal operating subsidiary Hanseatic Global Terminals (HGT) is set to acquire a 20% stake in CTH, and will likely join CMA CGM as a shareholder in the facility, after it similarly agreed ...

TOC Europe and CSC Live address automation deployment, geopolitical disruption and supply chain challenges. May 20, 2026 Hamburg, Germany– TOC Europe 2026 and its co-located event CSC Live opened yesterday with well-attended conference sessions and active engagement across the exhibition hall as professionals from the global ports, terminal and supply chain sectors gathered to address shared industry challenges. Automation and AI Dominate TOC Europe DiscussionsAutomation, AI and digitalisation formed the core of TOC Europe's conference programme. Speakers examined how terminals are moving from pilot projects to operational deployment of technologies that deliver tangible efficiency gains. TOC’s strategic partnership with TIC 4.0 and BCG showcased the advances on the Port Digitalisation Benchmark that they have developed and the benefits that it brings to the industry, which is aligned with both industry commitments and regulatory requirements. Safety, resilience and workforce development were also prominent themes, underscoring the sector's focus on sustainable innovation that maintains operational reliability. CSC Live Addresses Strategic Supply Chain ChallengesCSC Live attracted senior logistics and supply chain executives for focused discussions on leadership, risk management and strategic planning. Sessions covered essential competencies for Chief Supply Chain Officers, the impact of geopolitical developments on global trade, and decision-making frameworks for navigating complexity. Rebecca Vick, Director Container Development Hamburg at HHLA outlined how the industry is responding to unpredictable market conditions by prioritizing network reliability, automation, innovation and digitalisation – technologies that also help address workforce volatility. The operator reported volume growth in 2025, bucking global trends, while continuing to drive CO2 reduction across operations. Challenges such as the reduced water depth of the River Elbe were acknowledged, alongside the strategic importance of rail as "one of the most sustainable ways to transport containers into the hinterland." Nigel Pusey, CEO at Container Trade Statistics provided analysis on the lasting effects of the Gulf crisis, noting that cargo impacts will extend well beyond any conflict resolution. The ongoing fuel crisis continues to affect economic growth and global demand patterns, while the Suez Canal is expected to remain unavailable until at least Q3 – independent of the current crisis. The presentation highlighted how smaller carriers, significantly affected by the Gulf situation, are positioned to rebound, though persistent imbalances in container flows continue to challenge both carriers and their customers. Commenting on the event, Pusey said“So far, CSC Live as part of TOC Europe has proven to be an extremely engaging event. Not only has it provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen relationships with customers and industry partners, but the calibre of speakers and discussions has been exceptionally high, offering insightful perspectives from across the container shipping and logistics sector.” Practical operational topics including ocean freight procurement and cargo insurance reflected the immediate concerns of supply chain specialists within the shipper community, while resilience and sustainability emerged as priorities in response to both market volatility and emissions reduction targets. Strong Attendance Reflects Industry PrioritiesWith two days remaining, both events continue to facilitate business development and knowledge exchange across the container shipping and logistics ecosystem. Andrew Lamare, Managing Director of TOC Worldwide, commented: "The strong attendance we're seeing reflects how critical these topics have become for the industry. Automation, decarbonisation, geopolitical disruption and supply chain resilience aren't abstract concepts – they're the operational realities our community is navigating right now. We're on track to surpass last year's 4,500 attendees at TOC Europe, and more than 90% of the 2027 exhibition space has already been rebooked. CSC Live has also grown significantly this year, with almost 200 attendees expected across the three days. When the industry faces this level of complexity and change, the value of bringing people together to share insights and solutions becomes even more apparent." TOC Europe and CSC Live continue until Thursday 21 May with conference sessions, exhibition access and networking opportunities available across both programmes. Online registration is still open and attendance is free to both events:www.tocevents-europe.com May 25, 2027 TO May 27, 2027 Hamburg Messe The AGM for port and cargo supply chain professionals

MB Energy has completed a methanol bunkering trial aboardTUI Cruises’Mein Schiff 7at the Ostseekai Cruise Terminal in thePort of Kiel (Germany), marking an operational milestone in the companies’ cooperation on lower-carbon marine fuels. Approximately 25 cubic metres of methanol produced from renewable feedstocks were delivered to the cruise ship for use primarily in its onboard boiler systems. Johs. Martens, acting on behalf of MB Energy, managed the road transport and physical delivery of the fuel to the vessel. The bunkering operation also incorporated lower-carbon logistics, with the delivery truck powered by HVO 100 instead of conventional diesel. The trial was conducted while Mein Schiff 7, which can accommodate ~2,900 guests, was undergoing other activities at the pier. The successful delivery demonstrated the operational feasibility of supplying methanol to a large passenger vessel under normal port conditions and provided practical experience for potential future bunkering projects. MB Energy CEO Jonathan Perkins said the operation demonstrated that methanol produced from renewable feedstocks could already be incorporated into cruise operations safely and reliably. He noted that the cooperation with TUI Cruises and logistics partner Johs. Martens had also demonstrated the availability of the infrastructure and expertise required to support lower-carbon maritime operations. The Kiel operation covered the complete fuel supply chain, from sourcing and storage to transportation and delivery alongside the vessel. It also represents part of MB Energy’s expanding activities in methanol handling for maritime customers in northern Europe. The company is currently preparing its storage infrastructure at Hamburg-Blumensand for methanol handling, with the aim of supporting larger-volume supplies of lower-carbon ammonia and methanol to maritime customers. Hamburg and Kiel are intended to serve as MB Energy’s principal operational hubs in northern Germany, while the company also plans to retain the flexibility to supply customers at other European ports. Perkins said the combination of company-operated storage facilities and integrated logistics would allow MB Energy to provide a continuous methanol supply, adding that the Mein Schiff 7 trial demonstrated the potential of cooperation between shipowners, ports and energy suppliers in developing alternative marine-fuel operations.

(L’annuncio dato alla SMM 2026 di Amburgo della nuova petroliera a tre tipi di carburante; : foto courtesy Lloyd’s Register e Maric) Lloyd’s Register (LR) e il Marine Design and Research Institute of China (MARIC) hanno ottenuto l’Approvazione in Principio (AiP) per una nuova petroliera da 114.000 DWT, progettata per consentire future conversioni a GNL, metanolo o ammoniaca. Lloyd’s Register e MARIC presentano un concetto Amburgo. Annunciato alla SMM 2026, il concept di tanker capace di usare tre carburanti; nell’incertezza di oggi sul carburante, la nuova petroliera affronta una delle maggiori sfide negli investimenti che impegna il settore marittimo: la necessità di sviluppare navi e capacità che possono supportare una gamma di opzioni di carburante alternativo e percorsi via via che le tecnologie, le infrastrutture e le normative si evolvono. L’uso del GNL è già utilizzato come carburante per la transizione ecologica; mentre il metanolo e ammoniaca rimangono in una fase iniziale dello sviluppo, con domande riguardanti la disponibilità, lo sviluppo delle infrastrutture, l’economia l’adozione a lungo termine. Il nuovo concept di petroliera da 114.000 DWT è stato progettato come un prodotto e un veicolo di petrolio greggio che può consentire future conversioni a GNL, metanolo o ammoniaca come tecnologie, nell’attesa che le normative e le catene di approvvigionamento del carburante maturino. Il concept mira a ridurre la complessità del retrofit futuro, incorporando la conversione e il passaggio nell’uso dei tre carburanti; offre ai proprietari di navi e alle compagnie di navigazione maggiore fiducia nella pianificazione a lungo termine di investimenti in flotta. Il concetto di design della nave petroliera è stato esaminato in base alle regole e regolamenti di classe di LR lo scorso luglio 2026, inclusi requisiti relativi alle navi che utilizzano gas e altri carburanti a basso punto di infiammabilità, insieme alle pertinenti Regole Strutturali Comuni IACS (International Association of Classification Societies) per petroliere. La certificazione finale della Classificazione e l’Approvazione di Principio (AP) statutaria della petroliera restano soggette alla piena conformità di tutte le regole e regolamenti applicabili. Theo Kourmpelis, Direttore Globale del Business per il settore petroliere, Lloyd’s Register, ha dichiarato che “Agli armatori – oggi – viene chiesto di perseguire grandi decisioni di investimento, nonostante la continua incertezza su quali traguardi domineranno nei decenni a venire”. Ha parlato di soluzioni a combustibili alternativi e ciascuna di queste offre potenziali percorsi di conformità, ma le infrastrutture di carburante per i relativi bunker, i regolamenti e l’economia continua a evolversi a velocità diverse in tutto il mondo. “I progetti che preservano la flessibilità – ha aggiunto – saranno fondamentali per aiutare gli armatori a gestire il rischio, mentre ci si prepara a più scenari futuri”. Sì Nan, Vice Direttore del Dipartimento Marketing Marittimo e Offshore del MARIC, ha dichiarato che “Man mano che l’industria esplora diversi percorsi di decarbonizzazione, gli armatori hanno bisogno di progetti di navi che possono adattarsi insieme a tecnologie e regolamentazioni sviluppi”. “Il concetto di questa nuova nave – ha aggiunto – è stato sviluppato specificamente per fornire maggiore flessibilità del carburante e resilienza a lungo termine, permettendo ai proprietari di navi di rispondere a cambiamenti nei requisiti di mercato, senza essere vincolati a un solo carburante e che ricevere per questa petroliera l’Approvazione in Linea di Principio da Lloyd’s Register è una tappa importante che convalida il progetto e ne sostiene il futuro sviluppo”. Abele Carruezzo

Nel corso dell’ultima fiera Smm di Amburgo appena conclusa è stato firmato e annunciato un Memorandum of agreement per un nuovo progetto che prevede la realizzazione di 2+3 navi da crociera da 84.000 tonnellate tra il cantiere cinese Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, China Shipbuilding Trading Co. (Cstc) e la società norvegese Nor Cruises. E’ la prima commessa di rilievo firmata con un armatore europeo del settore crociere. Controllata del gruppo China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding ha costruito con successo la prima grande nave da crociera prodotta in Cina, la Adora Magic City, cui farà seguito una seconda unità (Adora Flora City) attesa al debutto entro fine 2026. Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding ha firmato inoltre un contratto con China Tourism Group per la costruzione di due ulteriori grandi navi da crociera (con un’opzione per una terza), la cui consegna è prevista entro la fine del 2030. Maggiori dettagli sulla nuova commessa non sono stati rivelati ma, secondo quanto riporta il South China Morning Post, si tratterebbe di progetti elaborato dal gruppo italiano Fincantieri che circa dieci anni fa aveva firmato un’alleanza con Cssc e Carnival per consentire alla Cina di avviare la costruzione di navi da crociera. “Sebbene un protocollo d’intesa non si traduca automaticamente in un ordine o in un contratto di costruzione, rappresenta comunque una svolta: gli operatori stranieri di navi da crociera stanno iniziando a guardare alla Cina per collaborare seriamente con i costruttori locali” ha affermato Zeng Ji, professore di scienze oceaniche e ingegneria presso l’Università Marittima di Shanghai. “La trasformazione del protocollo d’intesa in un ordine formale aiuterà i cantieri navali cinesi a dimostrare e a mettere in mostra le proprie capacità nell’intraprendere progetti di navi da crociera di fascia alta per l’estero e a competere per ottenere più commesse. In tal caso, potrebbero rompere il monopolio a lungo detenuto dai cantieri navali tedeschi e italiani” ha aggiunto. Sempre Zeng ha inoltre rivelato che anche altri committenti stranieri, tra cui la singaporiana Resorts World Cruises, sarebbero in contatto con Cssc per costruire navi passeggeri.

For four days, SMM 2026 focused on the key challenges facing the maritime industry—from maritime security and resilient supply chains to energy efficiency and new propulsion technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomous systems. Shipping companies, shipyards, suppliers, technology companies, navies, and international organizations used the event to discuss investment, new technologies, and partnerships. “What we have seen over these four days is an industry with a strong determination to shape its future. Despite geopolitical and regulatory uncertainty, companies are investing, seeking solutions and building new partnerships. Across all topics, there was a clear sense that available technologies need to be deployed more quickly,” says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions Maritime & Energy at Hamburg Messe und Congress. The growing importance of maritime security was particularly evident in the new Naval Hall B8. The MS&D Conference & Expo and the Naval Stage brought together international navies, defense companies, maritime suppliers, and providers of dual-use technologies. The focus was on unmanned systems, sensors, cybersecurity, and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure. “Decarbonization remains important, but safety at sea and the protection of sea lanes are currently the number one priority. We need to get ships into the water quickly and significantly shorten procurement processes. Industry is ready: many of the products and technologies we need already exist and do not have to be developed from scratch,” says Klaus Deleroi, Managing Director of REINTJES. The response to the new Naval Hall was correspondingly positive. “SMM is an important platform for us to engage personally with partners and suppliers. The new Naval Hall is an excellent addition and has been very well received by visitors,” says Oliver Grün, Spokesman Division Naval Systems of Rheinmetall AG. At the MS&D Conference, a key question was how navies can acquire the capabilities they need in response to the changed security environment. Senior naval representatives from several countries discussed new technologies, procurement, and closer cooperation with representatives from industry and research. Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack made a particular impact during his final public appearance as Chief of the German Navy. The focus was on greater operational readiness, shorter procurement processes, and the increased use of unmanned systems. Kaack stressed that, given the current security situation, available and proven solutions need to be procured more quickly. In the discussion that followed, he also advocated closer interaction between manned and unmanned systems. Rear Admiral Christian Bock, Head of the Bundeswehr Innovation Center, underlined the need for action: “SMM and MS&D are important platforms for identifying new technologies at an early stage and bringing innovations into operational use more quickly.” The protection of critical maritime infrastructure was also a central topic at the Offshore Dialogue. Moderator Dr. Walter L. Kuehnlein highlighted in particular the open and lively discussion with the audience about technological and operational solutions. While security and resilience are playing a greater role on the agenda, decarbonization and energy efficiency remain key challenges for the industry. Against a backdrop of uncertain regulatory conditions and continuing uncertainty over the fuels of the future, attention is increasingly turning to technologies that can be deployed today to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. At the new Energy Efficiency Hub, 24 companies presented solutions across 300 square meters, ranging from wind propulsion and alternative propulsion technologies to measures for optimizing existing fleets. “The Energy Efficiency Hub is a valuable addition to SMM. What stood out to us in particular was how specific the discussions have become: shipping companies are actively looking for solutions to improve fleet efficiency and are increasingly exploring technologies such as wind propulsion that can already be deployed today,” says Ada Ak, Sales Engineer at BAR Technologies. The Global Maritime Environmental Congress (gmec) on the Energy Efficiency Stage demonstrated that decarbonization continues to be a major concern for the industry. In front of a capacity audience, industry representatives discussed the path towards climate-neutral shipping. The focus was on collaboration across the maritime value chain and on Green Shipping Corridors as a potential model for advancing decarbonization across the maritime sector. In digitalization and artificial intelligence, the focus shifted towards implementation. Rather than discussing theoretical potential, conversations at SMM increasingly centered on specific applications—from fleet optimization and predictive maintenance to autonomous systems and AI-based situational awareness. “At SMM 2026, we can clearly see that the conversations are becoming more specific: customers are asking less about the potential of AI and more about ready-to-use solutions for collision avoidance on board. The quality of the discussions was noticeably higher this year,” says Patrick Haebig, Senior Sales Manager EMEA North at SEA.AI. Anschütz reported growing demand for AI-supported applications. Discussions focused, among other things, on bringing together data from different sources to support navigation and decision-making on board. The Maritime Future Summit picked up on this development. Discussions explored where AI can add value in operations and where its limitations lie—for example in safety-critical applications, certification, liability, and the traceability of AI-based decisions. “The interaction between artificial intelligence and human intelligence is one of the key factors in advancing the industry. It is not about integrating AI everywhere on board or into every process, but about finding the ‘sweet spots,'” says Michael Meyer, moderator of the Maritime Future Summit. Alongside technological and security-related topics, attracting the next generation of maritime professionals remained an important focus. During the two-day Maritime Career Market, companies, universities, and industry associations engaged with students, young professionals, and maritime specialists. SMM’s international reach was once again evident in 2026: 26 national pavilions and delegations from around 30 countries underlined the event’s global scope. For the first time, India, Cyprus, and Brazil were among the countries represented with their own national pavilions. Exhibitors from many countries reported high-quality discussions, new contacts, and business opportunities. India’s strong presence was particularly visible this year. According to the Indian Ports Association, ports, shipyards, and maritime companies used SMM to exchange ideas, establish new business contacts, and build long-term partnerships. Danish exhibitors also drew a positive conclusion: “SMM is a unique meeting place for the maritime industry. Our exhibitors held numerous discussions with international business partners that will lead to new collaborations. We will be back in 2028 with a strong Danish presence,” says Mie Jakobsen, Deputy CEO and Head of Marine at the Danish Export Association, which organizes the Pavilion of Denmark. Junichi Hirata, Managing Director at CAJS in Japan, summed it up succinctly: “SMM is the Maritime Olympics!” The mood across the industry over the four days was exceptionally positive. Exhibitors reported high-quality discussions, a strong presence of decision-makers, and continued willingness to invest despite ongoing uncertainty. “SMM 2026 has been an excellent week for Alfa Laval, with a high level of engagement and substantive conversations across the industry. What stood out was the strong focus on turning ambition into action; whether through energy efficiency, alternative fuels, digitalization or new innovative technologies. There is clearly still uncertainty in the market, but we also see a real willingness to invest where solutions can deliver tangible operational and environmental value. We leave Hamburg encouraged by the momentum towards accelerating ocean innovation together across the maritime value chain,” says Helena Sannicolò, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Ocean Division at Alfa Laval. “After four days of SMM, one thing is particularly clear to me: this industry is not standing still. Companies are investing, seeking partners and looking to deploy available technologies more quickly. Especially in the face of geopolitical and regulatory uncertainty, this determination to act is crucial. SMM brings together the players who can jointly move solutions forward,” concludes Selbach.

MB Energy has successfully completed a methanol bunkering trial of TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 7 at the Ostseekai Cruise Terminal in the Port of Kiel. The operation marks an important operational step in the companies’ cooperation on lower carbon marine fuels and underlines MB Energy’s ambition to support the maritime sector’s transition to more sustainable operations. As part of this delivery, approximately 25 cubic meters of methanol from renewable feedstocks were supplied to the vessel. The fuel will be used primarily for boiler operations on board. The logistic company Johs. Martens, acting on behalf of MB Energy, handled the trucking and physical delivery of the methanol to the vessel at the terminal. The delivery also reflected the project’s forward-looking approach: the truck used for transport was fueled with HVO 100, a more future-oriented alternative to conventional diesel. By safely and reliably supplying methanol to a large passenger vessel with around 2,900 guests on board and multiple simultaneous operations at the pier, MB Energy and TUI Cruises have jointly demonstrated system readiness for this mode of delivery. This proof of concept provides valuable operational experience should further projects be considered in the future. “The operation shows that lower carbon fuels like methanol from renewable feedstocks can already be integrated into cruise operations in a safe and reliable way,” says Jonathan Perkins, CEO from MB Energy. “Together with TUI Cruises and our logistics partner Johs. Martens, we are proving that the infrastructure and expertise are in place to support carbon reduced ways of shipping.” The methanol bunkering in Kiel showcases MB Energy’s ability to deliver end-to-end, tailor-made fuel solutions for high-profile customers – from sourcing and storage through to transport and final delivery at the quay. It also highlights the company’s growing capabilities in handling methanol for major clients in northern Europe. MB Energy is currently developing its storage infrastructure in Hamburg-Blumensand to be “methanol-ready”, enabling the supply of larger volumes of lower carbon ammonia and methanol to maritime customers in the future. Hamburg and Kiel will serve as the company’s primary operational hubs in northern Germany, with the flexibility and ambition to also supply other European ports. “By combining our own storage infrastructure with integrated logistics, we can offer customers a reliable and uninterrupted methanol supply,” adds Jonathan Perkins. “Our first bunkering with ‘Mein Schiff 7’ is a strong signal of what is possible when shipowners, ports and energy providers work together.”