SMM 2026: It’s all about technology – and meeting the maritime world

The countdown is on. In just a few days’ time, SMM 2026 will open its doors. Around 2,300 exhibitors, 50,000 participants and more than 90,000 m² of exhibition space across 12 halls will once again turn Hamburg into an international meeting place for the maritime industry. The entire exhibition grounds are fully booked.

SMM means world premieres, international market leaders, exciting newcomers and the key players of the maritime industry, say the organisers  – all gathered in one place for four days (1-4 September). Many of the innovations at SMM will be on public display for the first time.

“SMM is where the global maritime industry meets in person every two years,” says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions Maritime & Energy at Hamburg Messe und Congress. “It is a showcase for technological and innovation leadership across the entire maritime value chain. And SMM is great fun, too. You simply meet everyone here!”,

Companies from 70 countries and participants from 120 nations make SMM one of the most international meeting places for the maritime industry. Twenty-six official national pavilions, strong participation from the world’s leading shipbuilding nations and high-ranking delegations from politics, business and navies will be there. China, Japan, South Korea and India are among the maritime markets with a particularly strong presence. At the same time, international participation continues to grow: Cyprus, Vietnam and Brazil, among others, will have their own national pavilions for the first time.

Five stages and five international specialist conferences make SMM a key knowledge forum for the maritime industry. Nowhere else do so many international experts come together to shape the future of the industry. The conference programme includes the Maritime Future Summit, the global maritime environmental congress (gmec), the MS&D – International Conference on Maritime Security & Defence, the Offshore Dialogue and the TradeWinds Shipowners Forum.

And that is far from all: numerous sessions, panels and Innovation Talks bring additional expertise directly into the exhibition halls, with the programme on the Transition Stages free of charge for SMM visitors. The new Exhibitor Innovation Stage is the fifth stage, giving exhibitors a platform to present their innovations in compact talks. Running alongside SMM, two new event formats will make their debut at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg: ALL ABOUT PORTS and LogiNext Germany, expanding the programme to include the port industry and digital logistics.

SMM 2026 starts with a first: for the first time, the SMM 2026 – Official Opening Conference on 1 September will be open to all participants and will also be streamed live to the stages in the exhibition halls.

After two years of preparation, the time has come: the maritime community is coming together in Hamburg once again. For four days, the Hanseatic city belongs to the maritime world. Welcome to SMM, say the organisers.