Once again, we are delighted to have strong partners at our side for SMM 2026. Together, they help us deliver extensive industry coverage and bring together the concentrated know-how and who's who of the maritime sector.

Dear members of the media, 

We are pleased to invite you to the joint official opening of LogiNext Germany 2026 and ALL ABOUT PORTS, taking place on 2 September 2026 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the CCH - Congress Center Hamburg, Hall H.

The maritime industry is undergoing a profound transformation. At SMM 2026, companies from around the world will showcase technologies that are already changing shipbuilding and ship operations today. These include numerous world and European premieres. One thing is clear: no single technology will define the future of shipping. What matters is how different approaches work together. Many are no longer visions of the future but are already moving towards practical application.

26 national pavilions, eleven new exhibiting countries and new official country representations underline the global reach of the world’s leading maritime trade fair.

SMM is not only a showcase for established technologies but also a stage for the innovations of tomorrow. Through Start-ups@SMM, the world's leading maritime trade fair once again puts young companies and their developments centre stage. From 1 to 4 September, international founders will demonstrate in Hamburg how new technologies are transforming the maritime industry.

Back in April, a civil court in Brussels issued a non-final ruling in the case of Pfizer Export vs. Poland. The court ordered Poland to take delivery of roughly 64 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines and pay Pfizer around €1.3 billion, plus interest and legal costs. It rejected Warsaw’s arguments that circumstances had changed, demand had fallen, the war in Ukraine had placed an exceptional burden on the country, and Pfizer had abused its dominant market position. Poland can appeal, but the ruling may be enforced before the appeal is decided. The case is being heard in Belgium because the vaccine contract, negotiated by the European Commission on behalf of EU member states, is governed by Belgian law.

The CMA CGM NOTRE DAME, a 400-metre-long and 62-metre-wide vessel operated by the French shipping company CMA CGM, made her first call at the Port of Hamburg on 12 July as part of the rotation of the FAL-3 (French Asia Line) service. With a capacity of 24,212 TEU, CMA CGM NOTRE DAME is currently the largest containership sailing under the French flag and the first in a series of ten identical LNG-powered ultra-large container vessels operated by CMA CGM.

The ESPO Secretariat has received eleven submissions for the 18th edition of the ESPO Award!

IMCA highlights “unacceptably high” levels of fatalities and injuries from underwater ship husbandry, as vessel owners prepare for Strait of Hormuz reopening

Demand for the cleaning, inspection, and maintenance of an estimated 600 vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf has risen sharply following Middle East peace deal

Underwater ship husbandry is essential to maintain vessel efficiency and protect marine eco systems, but requires proper planning, competent personnel, and suitable equipment to safeguard divers, IMCA warns

Solutions for resilient and climate-neutral ports in focus: On 2 and 3 September, All About Ports will bring together international experts at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg to address key challenges facing the port industry. As an international conference accompanied by an exhibition, the event will take place alongside SMM – the world’s leading maritime industry event. The programme features renowned speakers including Dr Melanie Leonhard, Hamburg’s Senator for Economic Affairs and Innovation, Jens Meier, CEO of Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), Roy Avrahami of the Port of Ashdod, and numerous other international experts from the port, logistics and political sectors.

IRU members have voted to adopt a new Charter for Women in Road Transport. It sets out core principles to increase women’s participation across the industry’s workforce.

From Energy Efficiency to Maritime Security & Defence: SMM 2026 Brings the Industry’s Future Topics to the Stage.

Growing cooperation between Europe and Asia drives participation at the world’s leading maritime industry event

Singapore, 23 April 2026 - RINA has granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to ST Engineering Marine for a retrofit concept involving the installation of a hydrogen‑powered fuel cell system onboard Asean Raider I, a 25‑metre aluminium fast passenger ferry operated by BatamFast.

Today UNESCO designated 12 new geoparks, bringing the total number of sites in the UNESCO Global Geopark Network to 241 in 51 countries. The network now covers an area of over 882,000 km2, equivalent to the size of Venezuela.