Shipbuilding: cruise industry back on course at SMM

The Marine Interiors area at SMM will include more than 90 exhibitors and a redesigned conference program. (Photo: SMM Hamburg)

Following the global ban on cruises imposed in April 2020, and severe setbacks throughout the pandemic, the cruise sector is back on course, with bookings in Summer 2022 above pre-2019 levels and ship operators placing orders for new tonnage. The global order book lists around 70 new cruise ships deliverable through 2027.

This sets the stage for further investment as leaders in the passenger shipbuilding sector come together in the Marine Interiors area at SMM in Hamburg, Germany, Sept. 6 to 9. The area will feature a broad range of exhibitor stands supplemented by a redesigned conference program, according to the show organizers.

The Marine Interiors area will feature more than 90 exhibitors showcasing products and solutions for engine room or bridge technologies, interior furnishings, health management and more. Some of the recognizable companies include De Wave Group, Eumar Design, KAEFER Schiffsausbau GmbH, LETHE GmbH, Naval Interior and Rheinhold & Mahla GmbH.

“No other trade fair anywhere in the world gives so many suppliers an opportunity to interact with leading cruise operators and passenger shipbuilders. Whether Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Fincantieri or Chantiers de l’Atlantique, they all come to us,” said Claus Ulrich Selbach, business unit director – Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress. “The fact that Marine Interiors will occupy a section of its own at SMM this year further increases this added value.”

One of the most important trends cited in the cruise industry is sustainability. “The cruise industry is investing massive amounts in innovative propulsion, accepting high risk at an economically challenging time,” noted Claudia Müller, maritime coordinator of the German federal government.

To support the industry as it transitions toward more sustainable solutions, a special conference program hosted at the Cruise & Ferry Stage in Hall B5, will provide insight into the latest trends in the cruise industry and the benefits of today’s innovative technologies.

Sessions will explore topics such as how the cruise experience has changed in recent years, what new challenges this brings about, how yacht design has changed and what the perfect passenger cabin should look like.

To learn more, access the program here.