TECH-INNOVATION POWERED
TECH-INNOVATION POWERED BY VDMA - MARINE EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS Climate targets set the course VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems traditionally hosted a member meeting on the day before the world’s leading trade fair, SMM, in Hamburg. On this occasion, representatives of the maritime supply industry provided an overview of the current situation in the sector. Panel diskussion with (from left): Martin Johannsmann, Dieter Janecek, Judith Herzog and Christoph Gessner Around 100 company representatives and guests gathered at the International Maritime Museum Hamburg for the event and followed the discussions. Among the topics discussed were the contributions of the supply industry to the decarbonization of shipping, the specific challenges companies face, and how agility and sustainability can be integrated into daily operations. Satisfing order situation In his opening statement, Martin Johannsmann, CEO of SKF and Chairman of VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems (MES), stated that the industry is doing well. His company, along with many VDMA members, had a record year. The reason for this, he explained, is the goal of becoming climate neutral and developing sustainable engines. Overall, the industry reports a strong order situation, with three-quarters of companies expecting good orders for the rest of the year. Following Johannsmann‘s welcome speech, the member meeting continued with further discussions involving highranking guests from politics and the shipping industry. The main topic was the implementation of sustainability and climate goals for shipping, for which the maritime mechanical engineering industry, organized within VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems, develops and provides the necessary technologies and solutions. First, the Federal Government’s Maritime Coordinator, Dieter Janecek, provided an overview of Germany’s maritime suppliers. With around 400 companies, a global turnover of over 11 billion €, and about 65,000 employees, the maritime mechanical engineering sector is by far the largest in terms of employment and revenue within the maritime industry, he emphasized. German suppliers also hold a strong position globally and have been advocating for a „maritime energy transition“ for years. During the panel discussion with Christoph Gessner, CPO Holding, it also became clear that German shipowners and the supply industry are working together to achieve climate goals. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set the strategic goal of achieving climate neutrality in shipping by 2050. “Shipowners are not only investing in new builds but also in modernizing and retrofitting the existing fleet. The IMO’s climate neutrality goal is certainly a strong driver, particularly in the global service and spare parts business,” said Martin Johannsmann. Judith Herzog, VDMA Environment and Sustainability, reported on what the implementation of sustainability goals means for day-to-day operations and production. As an expert on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), she supports VDMA member companies in navigating the extensive reporting requirements and, ideally, improving their competitiveness. This maritime industry meeting once again demonstrated the value of different perspectives, constructive discussions, and – not to be forgotten – personal encounters, which continued during the subsequent SMM. RD Annual turnover (bn €) of the German marine equipment industry (as of 15 July) © Wroblewski © VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems 56 HANSA – International Maritime Journal 10 | 2024
TECH-INNOVATION POWERED BY VDMA - MARINE EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS MTP – setting a new standard Today‘s shipbuilding industry faces a paradox. While modularity is increasing in the structural aspects of the shipbuilding process, the use of modular automation is still in its infancy. MTP (Module Type Package) could be a game changer for the maritime industry. Numerous well-known companies from the maritime industry are involved in the MTP working group It is time for change: Connectivity between systems is becoming extremely important. Many different equipment suppliers are involved in building a ship, but instead of the user working with 30 or 40 unconnected systems, each with different interfaces, it is much simpler and easier to implement just one HMI (Human Machine Interface) in the ship management system. During the SMM, the German Marine Equipment Industry Association (VDMA) presented the latest findings on this topic and the work in progress. In an MTP working group, a large group of representatives from the maritime industry are currently developing an MTP (Module Type Package) standard. „This standard isn‘t new at all, as it has already been successfully applied in the process industry. Now we have to transfer the know-how to the maritime industry,“ said Hauke Schlegel, Managing Director of VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems. He moderated a panel discussion with four experts from industry and science. According to Sven Ropers of Siemens, the challenge is to „move from signals to functions in order to be able to manage huge amounts of data. The aim is to minimise the engineering and processing effort and thus the costs. By introducing an MTP file that contains all the information and documentation needed during the design and construction of a ship, the industry would be able to reach a new level, the experts agreed. It needs to be as simple as plugging a printer into a computer. MTP is characterized by modern, standardized interfaces, a decentralized arrangement of intelligent, modular automation systems and a service and status-oriented control level. In addition to avoiding errors and shortening commissioning times, it also provides clarity and extended possibilities for factory testing. Additional advantages of the MTP standard include manufacturer independence, flexibility for retrofitting and simplified changes of use and extensions to existing systems. The new standard can also be used in combination with conventional automation systems. The MTP standard is already in the commenting phase and has been published. The VDMA standard sheet on „MTP in shipbuilding“ is available by all interested parties. KF The MTP standard is intended to simplify work processes for all companies working on a ship © Förster © Förster HANSA – International Maritime Journal 10 | 2024 57
