SMM Istanbul 2011 Benefits from Government Support

At that first event in January 2009, SMM Istanbul attracted more than 4,000 trade visitors from 66 countries, showcasing 150 exhibitors from 30 countries. The high international level achieved right from the start by the first SMM overseas exhibition no doubted owed a lot to the quality standards of the SMM brand, which stands for the world's leading international shipbuilding industry fair. SMM is held every two years - this year the 24th shipbuilding, machinery & marine technology, international trade fair hamburg will be held by Hamburg Messe und Congress from 7th to 10th September 2010. In November 2009, the second overseas offshoot was launched, with the first SMM India in Mumbai - which was likewise successful right from the start.

The primary task of the SSM (Undersecretariat for Defence Industries), on behalf of the Turkish Government, is to modernise the Turkish naval, air and land forces and the Turkish defence industry. It collates the technical requirements for naval vessels and maritime weapon systems, plans their production, takes on the management of research and development projects, coordinates export and marketing activities. Thus the SSM has excellent connections with all the Turkish shipyards and marine equipment suppliers. The Turkish Government has recognised the opportunities of the shipbuilding industry, and launched a funding programme for Turkish companies in the maritime industries. "The shipbuilding industry ensures networking of Turkey with the world," said Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek at the launch of a ship at the Selah Yard at the beginning of the year. Turkey and the whole of the region therefore give enormous market potential. That also opens up good opportunities for marine equipment suppliers from abroad.

The Turkish shipbuilding industry had to face losses from the financial crisis like other shipbuilding countries, but the companies were able to draw on relatively well-filled order books. On 1st April this year, as shown in the figures of Clarkson Research Services, the Turkish shipyards had orders for 137 ships with a total of 1.2 million CGT, including 79 tankers with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes dwt, and 28 Handy Chemical Tankers, i.e. chemical carriers in the 10 - 60,000 dwt range.

The organisers, Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC) and the Turkish partner Goca Fuar Kongre ve Sergi Hizmetleri Ltd.Þti (Goca Exhibitions), expect a further increase in the number of Turkish exhibitors thanks to support from SSM at SMM Istanbul 2011, and also increased attendance by international industry exhibitors. Apart from the SSM, the sponsors of the first SMM Istanbul will again be involved in the 2011 event, such as the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development Organization (KOSGEB), a Turkish public agency; the Turkish Shipbuilders' Association GISBIR; the German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association (VSM); and the German Engineering Federation (VDMA).

Important subjects at the trade fair and accompanying conference include safety and security technology and special-purpose shipbuilding, and also offshore engineering, green maritime technologies, and wind energy. The three-day conference will include leading international speakers, presenting all the key issues of global shipbuilding and marine equipment industry and discussing them with participants. Ercüment Kafali, Consultant at TVK Shipyard (Turkey), who will chair the conference, is confident that SMM Istanbul 2011 has "enormous potential". The Turkish shipbuilding companies, who are leading in the chemical carriers sector, have now embarked on building more advanced high-tech ships. So SMM Istanbul gives outstanding opportunities to meet the decision makers from the shipbuilding industry and shipowners and investors in the marine equipment industries.

The supporting programme includes many more interesting activities for visitors to SMM Istanbul 2011, such as visits to Turkish shipyards, attendance at panel discussions and various workshops. Exhibitors and visitors to SMM Istanbul 2011 will appreciate the completely modernised and enlarged exhibition centre ICEC. Its central location and the conversion of the halls at the exhibition site will further enhance the quality of SMM Istanbul 2011.