SMM – Shipbuilding, Machinery & Marine Technology Sets a New Attendance High

Attendance at SMM passed 50,000 for the first time, a record for the maritime trade fair, even as the dominant topic on the floor shifted from decarbonisation to maritime security. Held in Hamburg from 1 to 4 September 2026, it drew participants from 134 nations and 2,300 exhibiting companies from 66 countries across more than 90,000 square metres in twelve halls, with over 70 per cent of exhibitors based outside Germany. A new NavalHall B8 brought navies, defence companies and dual-use technology suppliers together around unmanned systems, sensors, cybersecurity and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure. The organiser said companies keep investing despite geopolitical and regulatory uncertainty, with a clear call to deploy existing technology faster. The figures are preliminary, extrapolated from midday on the closing day. The next edition runs 5–8 September 2028.