The 5 Leading Exhibitions for the Shipping & Maritime Industry

From shipping to fishing to naval forces, the global oceans are teeming with activities and these are the five exhibitions that are at the height of their respective sectors.

The most important market for maritime shipping is Greece, because it holds 50% of European capacity in terms of shipping and 20% global. That’s where Posidonia comes in, because it’s the main exhibition for shipping in Greece based in Athens and running every two years. Attendance is more than strategic, because you get to meet all the important buyers and decision makers in a single place.

The exhibition centre houses catamarans, dinghies, sailing boats, rescue boats, rowing boats, yachts, components, machinery, engines, accessories and spare parts. Aside from the raw purchasing power, there’s also an incredible support programme. Visitors come to attend YES to Shipping Forum, the Analyst & Investor Capital Link Shipping Forum, TradeWinds Shipowners Forum and UGS Press Conference.

In France, there’s Euronaval – a naval technologies and defense exhibition that’s held in Paris once every two years. It’s been going on for over half a century and it’s the ideal place to survey the finest machinery and equipment. You have the entire value chain under one roof – navigation technology, sensor technology, vessels and ship’s equipment, security installations alongside port equipment.

It maintains its reputation as the biggest exhibition of its kind and you regularly see a high concentration of naval officials. There have been 20 chiefs of staff for the navy and 5 ministers and deputy ministers of defence. It’s not just about purchasing, but also discussions of changing legislation and border regulations at the conference. Other topics also include maritime ambitions and technological innovations.

Another influential maritime exhibition is METS (METSTRADE or MARINE EQUIPMENT TRADE SHOW as well) operating out of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The main focus here falls on maritime machinery and technology. Everything you might ever need to build and maintain a boat can be found at RAI Amsterdam – propulsion, security equipment, ship fittings, boat accessories, boat electronics, boat equipment, communication equipment, navigation, paints, ship furniture and sail clothes.

The fact that you can also discover the latest in boat and yacht models opens up METS to a wider audience and turns it into a multi-sector event. All the more useful for exhibitors, who wish to get to as big an audience as possible. One of the highlights of METS is the Super Yacht section, which cannot be missed for anything in the world.

Next on the list is SMM, which is an exhibition servicing the maritime and shipbuilding industry. This one is organised in Hamburg, Germany and is on the radar of major shipowners around Europe and beyond. Editions are spaced between two years and very much present the best in cutting-edge machinery and equipment. Product segments include marine engineering, marine equipment, inland vessels, lifting equipment, shipping companies, shipyard equipment, engines, exhaust, fuel systems, cargo handling systems, compressed air systems and polar technology.

Basically everything of relevance and value. That’s why SMM has such a strong reputation and consistently registers high attendance rates among traders, shipowners, shipyards, politicians, corporations and navies.

Last on the list is Nor-Shipping in Oslo, Norway. The international exhibition is essential in the Northern European market and Norway in particular. Every two years exhibitors have a chance to meet an audience from the USA and Canada, China, Italy, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. The exhibition space houses six thematic halls – blue economy and tomorrow's business solutions today, IT & navigation, Safety & rescue, Shipbuilding & repair, Maritime services & logistics, and Propulsion & machinery. As with all others on this list, Nor-Shipping presents attendees with excellent lectures and discussions through the entire run of the exhibition.