SMM Hamburg: Turning conversations into connections

SMM Hamburg brought together people from across the global maritime industry for four busy days of conversations, ideas and new connections – and for MarineSolar, it was an opportunity to put NanoDeck™ in front of a much wider audience.

From potential customers to partners, the team had conversations with people interested in the challenges facing maritime decarbonisation and, importantly, what MarineSolar is doing to address them.

Putting NanoDeck™ to the test

One of the clearest themes to emerge from the show was the reaction to NanoDeck™.

For our Product Engineer Sam, attending SMM was a first experience of an exhibition on this scale. He describes one of the biggest highlights being visitors’ reactions when they discovered that they could walk on the tiles – and were even encouraged to jump on them.

“Seeing scepticism turn into excitement after jumping the tiles was really enjoyable,” he said.

There were plenty of conversations that followed a similar pattern. In one particularly memorable exchange, a group stopped at the stand and told the team: “No offence, and we don't mean to dishearten you, but solar will never work on vessels.” Rather than ending the conversation there, the team was able to address their concerns and explain the technology in more detail. By the end, the group was genuinely impressed by what MarineSolar is doing. 

For Sam, it was one example of many conversations where people initially questioned whether solar could be a viable solution for vessels, but became much more interested once they had seen and discussed the technology for themselves.

It was also something COO Joep noticed. “The opportunity for people to experience the product first-hand was particularly valuable. Jumping up and down on the tiles is more convincing than a smooth storyline in a presentation,” he said.

That physical experience was part of what made the stand such a talking point throughout the show.

Blanca, MarineSolar’s Supply Chain Consultant, came away with a similar impression of NanoDeck™’s position in the market. Having also attended Intersolar, she said SMM further confirmed her view that there was little else on display that came close to what MarineSolar is offering.

For her, the event demonstrated that MarineSolar that there is a clear gap for a product like NanoDeck™.

Introductions and opportunities

While the product attracted attention, the value of SMM went well beyond the stand itself.

For CEO Marc, the event created strong interest on both sides of the business – not only from prospective customers, but also from potential supply chain partners.

Chief Supply Chain Officer Ian saw the event as an opportunity to not only begin relationships but to reconnect with companies and explore potential collaborative opportunities.

“We are now in a position where companies are very interested in our products and what we can deliver to decarbonising the maritime world,” he said.

There was also value in simply putting a face to the name. As Ian noted, being at SMM in person meant more people had the opportunity to see who MarineSolar is and understand what the company is offering. 

Captain’s Table: Beyond the stand

SMM also provided an opportunity for MarineSolar to take part in conversations beyond the exhibition floor, with Joep representing the company at the Captain’s Table Maritime Tech Demo Day.

The event brought together investors, shipowners and charterers, creating an opportunity to build new relationships and develop ideas that could help mature MarineSolar’s product portfolio.

For Joep, one of the most valuable aspects was the opportunity to have interesting discussions with people who will ultimately be using the product.

The experience reinforced the importance of taking technology out of the presentation and into the real world – something that was equally evident in the reactions to NanoDeck™ on the stand.

Partners and people

Across four days, SMM gave MarineSolar the chance to test its messaging, demonstrate NanoDeck™ and listen to what the market is looking for.

It also provided a valuable opportunity to work alongside EPSCO, who supported the MarineSolar team throughout the event.

Marc describes EPSCO as “excellent partners on the ground who were supportive, engaged and generous with introductions and encouragement throughout the show – as well as making sure the team was well looked after.”

For the MarineSolar team, SMM’s biggest takeaway was the people.

“The show gave the team a chance to represent the company in person, have conversations that would be difficult to replicate remotely, and see first-hand how people respond to the technology."

For Marc, the event gave the team plenty to think about as MarineSolar considers where the market is heading and how the business should position itself. At the same time, the level of commercial interest gave him confidence that the relationships made at SMM could help accelerate the company’s journey and lead to new opportunities.

“There is still plenty to do, but the week provided a strong platform for what comes next,” he said. “I was very proud of the stand team. They all went above and beyond, and I was particularly pleased to see them actively getting out there, visiting other stands and meeting clients rather than simply waiting for people to come to us.

“A huge thank you to everyone on the team for the hard work, energy and commitment they put into SMM. And thank you to EPSCO for being such great partners throughout the week.

It was an important event for MarineSolar, and I have no doubt the connections we made and the conversations we had will help move the business forward.”