I have always felt that the International WorkBoat Show was pretty big, based on how exhausted I get each year from walking the show. And for our industry, it is indeed big
But it is not nearly as expansive as the SMM international maritime trade fair held every two years here in Hamburg. SMM, with its huge worldwide bluewater element, features more than 2,100 exhibitors from 67 different countries. This year show officials expect a record 50,000 visitors. The products represented at SMM cover just about everything maritime including large-scale ship engineering and shipbuilding products, ship outfitting and equipment supplies, and cargo handling systems and maritime technologies.
Every two years I try to prepare for an SMM work out. If I make it though the entire show’s 90,000 sq. meters, I will have visited 26 national pavilions, a dozen halls and two foyers. SMM should stand for “striding a million miles,” not “shipbuilding, machinery and marine technology.”
Actually, with so much to see at SMM, I simply choose my spots, visiting several WorkBoat show exhibitors, attending product launch announcements related to the workboat industry, etc.
One such announcement was made today by gear manufacturer ZF Marine, who also exhibits each year in New Orleans at the WorkBoat Show. Today, the company introduced its new ZF W10000 transmission, a line of transmissions designed specifically for the commercial marine segment. “We spent a lot of time talking to the market,” said ZF Marine’s André Körner who heads up the company’s commercial and fast craft product line. “The W10000 is the direct result of market feedback.”
The new line was designed mainly for the offshore and tug markets. The W10000 is rated to 2,610 kW (3,500hp) @ 2,100 rpm and is available with ratios from 2.0:1 up to 7.9:1.
ZF isn’t the only overseas-based company here that will be represented at the WorkBoat Show. Some others include Palfinger, Brunvoll, Alamarin-Jet, Voith Turbo, Intellian and Lankhorst Ropes.
There are also several U.S.-based companies at SMM that will also be exhibiting at the WorkBoat Show in December including Duramax Marine, R.W. Fernstrum, GE Marine and McDermott Light & Signal.
I’ll try to include one of them in my next report from SMM on Thursday.
SMM runs through Sept. 12.
