The first SMM Istanbul, from 21 to 23 January 2009, had more than 4,000 trade visitors from 66 nations and 150 exhibitors from 30 nations. “The premiere was a success, despite the difficult economic environment in a financial crisis which has just now hit the shipbuilding industry’s order books in full force,” said Bernd Aufderheide, CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC). “We would like to thank our Turkish partner Goca Fuar Kongre ve Sergi Hizmetleri Ltd.Ĺžti (Goca Exhibitions), who organized this international trade fair together with us at the centrally located Istanbul site Lütfi Kirdar Convention & Exhibition Centre (ICEC) and implemented the technical concept.” The overall view of Fatih Goca was that “The first SMM Istanbul was much more than a successful launch.