JSMEA attends Posidonia 2018

Japan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association (JSMEA) was present at Posidonia 2018, an international shipping exhibition held in Athens, Greece on the week of June 4-8, 2018. With financial support from The Nippon Foundation, it hosted the Japan Pavilion together with the Japan Ship Exporters’ Association (JSEA) and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK). Joined by 14 member companies, the JSMEA delegation was led by Mr. Shinzo Yamada, chairman; Mr. Masaharu Ono, vice-chairman and head of the Global Business Strategy Review Board; and vice-chairmen Mr. Shigeki Kinoshita, vicechairman and Mr. Katsuhiko, Fujiwara.

Posidonia 2018 welcomed some 22,000 visitors according to the event’s organizers—many of whom from Greek ship owners and other parties from the European maritime industry crowded into the Japan Pavilion, which was located near Entrance 1. As the shipping and shipbuilding markets were both more brisk than when Posidonia was last organized two years ago, the venue’s atmosphere was much livelier as well, being filled with more people. On Day 1, the ribbon-cutting at the Japan Pavilion was conducted by Mr. Yamada; Mr. Yasuhiro Shimizu, Japanese ambassador to Greece; Mr. Shigeru Murayama, president of the JSEA; Mr. Koichi Fujiwara, chairman and president of ClassNK and Mr. Yasuhiko Kato, chairman of The Shipbuilders’ Association of Japan (SAJ). Meanwhile, the official opening ceremony for Posidonia 2018 was attended by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

On Day 2, JSMEA organized a seminar with
the JSEA, entitled “Maritime Innovations—New
Development in Environmental Conservation and
Technology.” The seminar accommodated more
than 170 attendees, including those from local ship
owners.

During the first session, seven JSMEA members and three compatriot shipbuilders introduced their respective products for saving energy and/or protecting the natural environment. A panel discussion was held during the second session, at which Mr. Fujiwara exchanged views on recent newbuilding market developments and environmental efforts with representatives from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan, ClassNK and the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS), among other organizations.

On Day 3, 30 students learning about the maritime industry at the National Technical University of Ukraine visited the Japan Pavilion. JSMEA gave them briefings on today’s Japanese ship machinery and equipment industry and actions to be taken in the future. After hearing the briefings, the students visited members’ booths. On Day 4, Mr. Ono took six JSMEA member companies to the UGS. Providing information on up-to-date developments on their respective products and services, they made interchanges and enthusiastically exchanged opinions with Greek shipowners. Highly rating the quality of Japanese ship machinery and equipment as well as relevant services, local ship owners requested that worldwide networks be further upgraded. As Greek ship owners have long been important customers for the Japanese ship machinery and equipment industry, JSMEA indicated that it will continue to exchange views with the UGS.

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Please see JSMEANEWS number 116(Autumn 2018) for more information.

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