As the world’s leading maritime industry event, SMM will once again unite the international maritime industry in Hamburg from 1st to 4th September 2026. Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions – Maritime and Energy at Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH answered questions for Inside Marine.
What would you say are the advantages for companies attending SMM?
For exhibiting companies, the key advantage lies in reaching all relevant target groups in one place – from shipowners, shipyards and suppliers to classification societies, start-ups, policymakers, academia and the media.
With clear future-oriented focus areas such as energy efficiency, digitalisation, security and defence, and recruitment, SMM offers visibility, concrete business opportunities and valuable strategic orientation on the industry’s most pressing topics. For many companies, SMM is a strategic compass in a period of profound technological, regulatory and geopolitical transformation.
A decisive factor is the high concentration of decision-makers: around 78% of visitors are decision-makers, significantly increasing the quality of discussions and business contacts.
For 2026, we expect more than 2,200 exhibiting companies and around 50,000 participants from over 120 nations. What matters is not only the scale of the event, but the international reach and relevance of its participants. We are also seeing growing international engagement, with new exhibitor countries and significantly expanded national pavilions, including from India and Korea.
With all about ports, we are also expanding SMM with an international congress and accompanying exhibition focusing on port infrastructure, terminal processes and maritime logistics. This strengthens SMM’s role as a platform for the entire maritime value chain.
Attendees can navigate SMM through your theme routes. How does this system benefit visitors?
The range of products, technologies and solutions presented at SMM is both broad and complex. To make this diversity more accessible, we have developed the theme routes as a central orientation system.
For SMM 2026, we have defined six key routes: Digital, Energy Efficiency, Security & Defence, Start-up, Job, and Cruise & Ferry. These reflect the topics currently shaping the industry and those that will continue to define its future.
The added value lies in providing clear orientation: exhibitors are highlighted accordingly in the app, exhibitor directory and visitor guide. This simplifies planning and enables significantly more efficient networking and lead management. The theme routes are an important communication tool, making SMM’s strategic priorities visible and helping attendees structure their visit.
Please tell us more about SMM’s selection of special areas.
Alongside the exhibition halls, our special areas are clearly structured showcase formats focusing on the maritime industry’s key challenges and future fields. For example, the Energy Efficiency Hub in Hall A2 presents practical, market-ready solutions for emissions reduction and efficiency improvement – ranging from heat-to-power conversion and digital optimisation to wind-assisted propulsion systems.
Another major focus is the Maritime Security & Defence area in Naval Hall B8, where the Naval Stage and the MS&D Conference & Expo create a dedicated platform for security-related topics. This further strengthens SMM’s role as an international platform for security- and defence-related maritime issues.
Other important formats include Start-ups@SMM as a future lab for innovation and the Maritime Career Market, which addresses the growing demand for skilled professionals within the industry.
These formats are complemented by a comprehensive conference programme that adds strategic depth to the exhibition. Highlights include the TradeWinds Shipowners Forum focusing on key developments in global shipping, the Global Maritime Environmental Congress (gmec) dedicated to the maritime energy transition and green fuels, the Offshore Dialogue on safe offshore technologies, the Maritime Future Summit with a strong focus on artificial intelligence, and the MS&D Conference & Expo in the field of maritime security and defence.
This offering is further supported by numerous expert sessions on open stages covering topics such as decarbonisation, digital transformation, autonomous systems and maritime security from different perspectives. These formats combine exhibition, conference and networking elements, enabling visitors to understand technologies within a broader strategic context.
Can you offer any predictions about which trends will be prominent this year?
The maritime industry is undergoing profound transformation. At the centre of this transition is decarbonisation, with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency as the most effective short-term lever.
It is becoming increasingly clear that alternative fuels alone will not achieve climate targets in the near future. Thus, there is growing focus on digital optimisation, electrification, hybrid propulsion systems, renewable energy solutions and onboard carbon capture technologies. Energy efficiency is increasingly evolving from a technical topic into a strategic competitive factor.
A second major trend is digitalisation – particularly AI-supported applications, autonomous systems and data-driven decision-making models. AI is evolving from a supporting tool into an integral part of maritime decision-making processes. Meanwhile, maritime security and defence, along with resilient supply chains, are increasingly important against the backdrop of current geopolitical developments.
Our ambition is not simply to showcase trends, but to place them into a clear strategic and industry context.
Could you tell us about the key features of the SMM Connect platform?
SMM Connect expands the trade fair experience through a digital event and networking platform that launches ahead of the exhibition and extends interaction far beyond the event itself. Available as both a desktop and app solution from summer 2026, it is designed for all participants looking to build targeted business networks.
Key features include AI-supported matchmaking, chat and meeting functions, virtual rooms, interactive hall plans, and personalised recommendations. Participants can create individual profiles, define their interests and receive tailored suggestions for exhibitors, programme highlights and contacts.
Another major benefit is the efficient organisation of the visit itself: favourites lists, event calendars and digital ticket integration simplify planning, while QR code scanning and export functions allow for fast and straightforward contact management.
The aim is to make the entire trade fair experience more efficient – from preparation and participation through to follow-up – while enabling sustainable, high-quality connections within the maritime community.
Are there any other aspects of SMM that you would like to highlight?
We are consistently expanding our digital services. The My SMM Portal creates a central platform for exhibitors to efficiently manage their entire trade fair presence – from ticket administration and media entries to the booking of marketing and advertising services. This significantly simplifies organisation while optimising company visibility across all channels.
We are also expanding the event programme, including new stage formats such as the Naval Stage and additional conference content. This is complemented by practical measures aimed at sustainability and visitor comfort, including integrated public transport tickets for all participants.
Another important step is SMM’s new brand identity, positioning the event in a more modern and international way, while reinforcing its role as the leading platform for the maritime industry.
What part of SMM are you personally looking forward to the most?
I am particularly looking forward to the direct exchange with the international maritime community. SMM brings together the industry’s key decision-makers and creates the environment in which concrete projects and long-term partnerships emerge from conversations and encounters.
Is there anything not covered by the above questions that you would like to share with our readers?
SMM today is far more than a traditional trade fair – it is a place where the industry finds orientation and develops concrete solutions. It serves as a strategic platform for the maritime sector, bringing together technology, business, politics and society.
Our goal is to continuously develop SMM – as the world’s leading maritime industry event, an innovation platform and an open meeting point for the next generation of the maritime industry. Anyone looking to shape the future of maritime business cannot afford to miss SMM.
To learn more: https://www.smm-hamburg.com/