SMM 2026
Shipping
Hamburg, Germany
01-04 Sep 2026
Organizer:
Hamburg Messe und Congress
Venue:
Hamburg Messe und Congress
Frequency:
2 years
Event website:
SMM
The maritime industry's most pivotal event
SMM is a leading platform for innovations and business opportunities in the maritime industry. It first welcomed trade visitors in 1963.
In that time, SMM—short for Shipbuilding, Machinery & Marine Technology—has established itself. It is an invaluable resource for business networking and industry trends. You will meet with the leading players in the industry in one place and survey the entire value chain.
Product categories include:
- fuel systems;
- marine equipment and engineering;
- inland vessels;
- shipping companies;
- shipyard and lifting equipment;
- engines, exhaust, cargo handling and compressed air systems;
- polar technology.
As SMM developed, so did its programming, and now you have an incredible lineup of symposia, conferences, and workshops. So, if you are in the shipbuilding business, you should not miss this trade fair.
SMM 2026 – The Latest News
Messe Hamburg will host SMM as a face-to-face trade show between 01.09.2026 and 04.09.2026. The hosting location for the event will be Messe Hamburg.
Accommodation
Because of the great interest in the trade fair, you need the help of specialists to find a hotel room that will suit your needs. We are confident in saying that Trade Fair Trips Ltd is your steadfast supporter for your business travel. We work closely with exhibitors to deliver the best hotel rates during SMM and position you in hotels close to Messe Hamburg.
The booking process is more than easy. Just provide us with a budget and the number of required beds. We will handle the rest, and within a day, you will have your online hotel booking for SMM. It does not get any simpler than this.
Trade Fair Trips Ltd can also assist with logistics. You can reserve meeting rooms in advance. Select the services you need and create a custom travel package.
On foot:
Not advisable when travelling from Hamburg Airport
35 mins when travelling from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)
By car:
23 mins when travelling from Hamburg Airport
7 mins when travelling from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)
By public transport:
42 mins when travelling from Hamburg Airport
21 mins when travelling from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)
Hotels near SMM
| Hotel | Stars | Distance to fair | City | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Hotel Furst Bismarck | 2.84 | Hamburg | from € 281.89 EUR | Book Now | |
|
ARCOTEL Onyx Hamburg | 1.55 | Hamburg | from € 375.00 EUR | Book Now | |
|
Hotel Engel | 5.48 | Hamburg | from € 216.00 EUR | Book Now | |
|
Hotel Hafen Hamburg | 2.1 | Hamburg | from € 369.50 EUR | Book Now | |
|
Barcelo Hamburg | 2.3 | Hamburg | from € 356.00 EUR | Book Now | |
|
Ibis Hamburg City | 4.59 | Hamburg | from € 349.00 EUR | Book Now | |
|
Alster-Hof | 1.3 | Hamburg | from € 215.00 EUR | Book Now | |
|
Hyperion Hotel Hamburg | 3.1 | Hamburg | from € 366.00 EUR | Book Now | |
|
Hotel Baseler Hof | 1.41 | Hamburg | from € 326.00 EUR | Book Now | |
|
Egon Hotel Hamburg City | 2.5 | Hamburg | from € 322.00 EUR | Book Now |
SMM arrives every two years in the port city of Hamburg, Germany, where it can fully reveal its rich product selection. The editions last four days and typically occur in early September. Messe Hamburg hosts the international trade fair. The Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH is the official organiser. Germany’s leading associations—VSM, VDMA, VSiH, VDR and VDS—provide general support.
Access is available only to trade visitors. Working hours are all set from 09:30 am until 6:00 pm on the first three days and until 4:00 pm on the last day. The last point to discuss is commuting. Aside from renting a car, there are multiple ways to get to Messe Hamburg—the fastest being the S-Bahn and U-Bahn. Several bus lines service the exhibition grounds and are reliable throughout the day.
What to expect as an exhibitor?
- SMM is home to the entire value chain. Thus, there is a significant advantage to exhibiting. For example, you can perform in-depth market research and study trends as they are first identified;
- The trade fair is also home to the Maritime Future Summit. It investigates cutting-edge technologies and their impact on the industry on a global level. The current topics cover automation and digitalisation;
- The event also discusses challenges and innovations in maritime security and defense. The MS&D conference is globally well-recognised and sees a high influx of naval delegations from many countries.
How will SMM influence your ROI and diversify your revenue streams? The last editions saw participation from 2200 exhibitors from over 60 countries and around 50,000 trade visitors. That is a favourable ratio. Another very optimistic statistic is that over 90% of all polled exhibitors are satisfied with SMM. Furthermore, the audience is very receptive to making new purchases.
Exhibitors come from all over the sectors. Examples feature shipbuilding, maritime, and the electrical engineering industries. They also encompass the ship operating equipment sector. Visitors are here for many purposes. Chief among them is to make new business connections and purchases. Another is to engage with peers and exchange expertise. They can also educate themselves and do market research. They can also learn about innovations and scout competition.
SMM 2022
The 2022 edition of SMM marked the return of the trade fair to face-to-face formats. It focused on two topics – carbon neutrality and energy transition. The event, held at Messe Hamburg in the absence of Covid-19 safety measures due to the removal of the pandemic-related restrictions, featured 2,000 exhibitors and more than 30,000 attendees from over 100 nations.
SMM 2024
SMM's 2024 edition took place as a live trade fair in Hamburg Messe und Congress. It reaffirmed the event's position as a leading and international trade show related to the maritime industry. The event took place between 03.09.2024 and 06.09.2024. The event featured over 48,000 participants from more than 100 countries. Among them were more than 2,200 exhibitors, more than 300 speakers, and 29 naval delegations from 19 nations.
