2 – 5 December 2025
Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), China
中国上海浦东新区龙阳路2345号, 上海新国际博览中心
2 – 5 December 2025
Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), China
中国上海浦东新区龙阳路2345号, 上海新国际博览中心
Mr. Hauke Schlegel
Managing Director
VDMA
Moderator: Ms. Stella Fung
Event Director of Marintec China, Informa Markets
Fung:
On behalf of Informa Markets and SSNAME. I would like to thank you Mr. Schlegel, Managing Director of VDMA Marine Equipment Systems, join the interview today. This is Stella, Event Director of Marintec China and it is my honor to host the interview today. Mr. Schlegel before we start the interview, will you like to give us a brief account of yourself?
Schlegel:
Yes, thank you very much for the invitation for this interview. Marintec China is for me from the beginning a very important event, so my first Marintec China actually was twenty five years ago exactly in 1997. That was my beginning at VDMA, and in the first year I visited Shanghai first time for this show. But for VDMA in total you know VDMA’s the largest industrial organization in Europe and is supporting Marintec China from the very beginning. Let’s say from the 80’s. In this time VDMA already supported Marintec China a strong German pavilion really from the very beginning and since 1997. I was part of this support and I’m happy to see Shanghai and Marintec China every two years, and come back from Marintec to the next Marintec.
Fung:
Okay, thank you. So about the organization, VDMA is dedicated to accelerating the pace of maritime energy transition. Can you give us a brief overview of the market and how does VDMA envision the future?
Schlegel:
The energy transition is the biggest challenge in shipping, for now and also for the coming decades, we have in front of us. We are really convinced that this is the main topic and will also be the main topic at Marintec China, the main topic for the international cooperation, that played between the European equipment makers and the Asian shipbuilding industry. Marintec China plays a role in this connection and this corporation. We all know we have to decarbonize shipping. The decarbonization of shipping is not a simple task. We have technologies available but we still need to prove these technologies and practical operation and this is the stage now we are promoting VDMA to introduce the new technologies we have available, for example new carbon neutral fuels like ammonia, methanol and so on, and also electric propulsion. We prove these new technologies in the shipping now to introduce quicker, because we need the decarbonization quicker, then we reach at the normal speed we have now. We need this operational experience; We need the fuel available; We need regulation worldwide and we need the industry standards to give level playing field for all players in the market. Yeah, that is our main strategy and promotion these technologies and we are really convinced we can reach the climate goals we have the CO2 reduction aims, but we have to cooperate intensively worldwide.
Fung:
Thank you Mr. Schlegel. So what are the highlights of the German pavilion at the upcoming Marintec China?
Schlegel:
In Marintec China you will see again strong focus on these engine technologies from Europe and especially from the German engine industry, and all their suppliers which are close to the diesel engine or new fuel technologies. On the other hand, you will see, in the past, strong focus on all ship operation technologies you’ll need on board, deck equipment safety technologies, navigation communication and not to forget the ship automation which will be more and more focus point of all different technologies on board. All sector all modules and all technologies have to be integrated in the overall automation of the ship. The automation on board is one of the central technologies we need for the coming years, because the more and more complex systems on board have to be integrated in the overall automation of the ship. We need to make this simpler and safer in operation that is what the ship owners need and that is our main developments we also want to show at the Marintec China this year.
Fung:
It’s good to see that so many exhibits at the German pavilion. So last question, how would you describe Marintec China to someone who has never visited?
Schlegel:
Marintec China is the largest marine technology show in China and it is the place for companies which need to get in contact with local Chinese shipyards, ship engineering companies and ship suppliers. The German industry has been part of Marintec China from the very beginning and strongly keeps this corporation platform active through the decades. We hope so in future as well, because we need this international corporation and Marintec China placed a part in this corporation especially between the European equipment makers and the Chinese shipbuilding industry.
My name is Schlegel. I’m managing director at VDMA marine equipment and systems. This is the part of the marine equipment and systems industry within the big industry organization VDMA. VDMA has rather about three thousand five hundred members companies of the largest industry association in Europe. As a strong supporter of our international cooperation activities between the German equipment and machinery industry and the Chinese market, also the Chinese equipment industry. Nearly hundred German exhibitors will be present at Marintec China this year. Marintec China from the 7th-10th December 2022 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, we are looking forward to welcome you at Marintec China. we are looking forward you visit our German pavilion there. Thank you very much.
