Sign up
Log in Sign up
Fri 18 Sep 2009, 10:29 GMT

Merkel to attend GMEC green shipping summit


Hamburg event to address emissions issues at sea and environmental protection in ports and regional areas.

Hamburg has been announced as the location for a maritime industry summit which will focus solely on the environment.

For two days, industry experts from all over the world will attend the Global Maritime Environmental Congress (GMEC) to discuss developments, present results, and attempt to set a new course for sustainable green shipping. Patronage for this event, which is to be held regularly in future, has been accepted by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The Global Maritime Environmental Congress (GMEC) will be the first high-ranking conference dedicated exclusively to issue of environmental protection in the maritime industry. From 7 to 8 September 2010, more than 700 leading representatives from industry, government, academia, navies, tourism and environmental protection will meet in Hamburg to discuss specific solutions for environment-friendly, sustainable shipping.

The three Chairmen of the event, Micky Arison, Corrado Antonini and Spyros Polemis, are among the top names in international shipping. "We have a total commitment to protect the maritime environment, to use resources more efficiently, and to do more than what is required by the statutory international environmental requirements," said Micky Arison, Chairman of Carnival Corporation, the world's largest cruise company, who is also Chairman of GMEC.

"Hamburg, which is the European Green Capital 2011, is the ideal place to establish GMEC as a platform for the first regular environmental conference of its kind," said Bernd Aufderheide, President and CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH.

GMEC - Worldwide environment protection activities

GMEC will aim to make a major contribution to achieving worldwide goals. The packed conference schedule will address subjects such as energy and emission issues at sea, the use of innovative propulsion concepts, green design and building for passenger vessels, navy and merchant ships. It will also aim to provide answers to questions concerning environmental protection in ports and regional maritime areas.

The new conference will be held during SMM 2010, the world's leading ship building fair, with nearly 2,000 exhibitors and more than 52,000 trade visitors.

"The conference is vitally important," said Corrado Antonini, CEO of Fincantieri, Italy's largest shipbuilding company, and also a member of the Board of GMEC, "because the development of innovative, efficient technologies is essential to the future of the whole of the maritime industry."

GMEC will produce concrete results

This conference, to be held every two years in future, is organised by Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH in cooperation with Jochen Deerberg, Owner and CEO of the world's leading maritime equipment supplier of waste treatment and disposal systems.

"GMEC will not just be for show," promises Jochen Deerberg, "but will take up the challenges and opportunities of environmental protection and sustainability, generate new inputs for the whole of the maritime industry, and produce concrete results."

Hapag-Lloyd and DSV logo side by side. Hapag-Lloyd and DSV sign 18,000-tonne CO2e reduction agreement for sustainable marine fuels  

Two-year framework allows inclusion of alternative fuels beyond biofuels in shipping decarbonisation partnership.
Bangkok city skyline. Uni-Fuels opens Thailand office as part of Southeast Asia expansion  

Marine fuel supplier establishes Bangkok entity, appoints managing director with 15 years’ industry experience.
Washington State Hybrid-Electric 160-Auto Ferry vessel render. Corvus Energy to supply battery systems for Washington State Ferries hybrid vessels  

ABB selects Corvus for two new 160-vehicle ferries as part of $3.98bn electrification plan.
Vinssen and Mana Engineering sign MoU. Vinssen, Mana Engineering partner on hydrogen fuel cell retrofit for 800-teu feeder vessel  

South Korean and Dutch firms to pursue Lloyd’s Register approval for hybrid retrofit concept.
Hercules Elisabeth vessel. Hercules Tanker Management takes delivery of second Ultra-Spec vessel in China  

Hercules Elisabeth is the second of 10 hybrid-ready tankers designed for alternative fuels.
Wolf 1 vessel. Petrol Ofisi launches fuel supply tanker Wolf 1  

Turkish bunker supplier adds 1,750-dwt vessel with alternative fuel infrastructure to fleet.
BIMCO meeting. BIMCO to convene for adoption of biofuel clause and ETS provisions at February meeting  

Documentary Committee to consider new contractual frameworks for alternative fuels and emission trading scheme compliance.
Sea Change II vessel render. Incat Crowther and Switch Maritime develop 150-passenger hydrogen ferry for New York  

Design work begins on 28-metre vessel with 720 kg hydrogen capacity and 25-knot speed.
Aerial view of a container vessel. HIF Global signs heads of agreement with German eFuel One for 100,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually  

Deal covers supply from HIF’s Uruguay project, with e-methanol meeting EU RED III standards.
Welcoming of Kota Odyssey at Jordan’s Aqaba Container Terminal. PIL’s LNG-powered vessel makes maiden call at Jordan’s Aqaba port  

Kota Odyssey is Pacific International Lines’ first LNG-fuelled ship to call at the Red Sea port.




 Recommended