SMM 2028 Hamburg: Maritime Trade Fair Guide & Attendee List

SMM is the world’s leading maritime trade fair for shipbuilding, machinery and marine technology. It runs in even years at Hamburg Messe, and after the 2026 edition in early September, the next one takes place from 5 to 8 September 2028, Tuesday to Friday. Recent editions have had more than 2,000 exhibitors and 40,000–50,000 visitors from over 120 countries (estimate).

With decarbonisation rules reshaping fleets, shipowners, yards and classification societies come to SMM to compare technology. For maritime suppliers, it is the most important fair in the even-year calendar.

SMM 2028 at a glance

Detail	Information
Industry	Maritime
Venue	Hamburg Messe
City and country	Hamburg, Germany
Next edition	5–8 September 2028 (Tue–Fri); the 2026 edition ran in early September
Frequency	Biennial (even years)
Does it move?	No. Always Hamburg, even years.
Scale	~2,000+ exhibitors; ~40,000–50,000 visitors from 120+ countries (estimate)
Organiser	Hamburg Messe und Congress
Typical ticket price	~€60–80/day online (estimate)
Event app / platform	SMM Connect platform
Website	smm-hamburg.com

What SMM covers

Shipbuilding and repair
Marine engines, propulsion and alternative fuels
Maritime digitalisation and navigation
Offshore and port technology
Maritime services, finance and classification

SMM also hosts the Global Maritime Environmental Congress and the Maritime Future Summit.

Where it takes place

SMM is held at Hamburg Messe in even years. In odd years the industry gathers at Nor-Shipping in Oslo and Lillestrøm. Hamburg hotels are busy during the fair.

Who attends SMM

Audience	Interest	Relevance
Shipowners and ship managers	Fleet investment and compliance	Main buyers
Shipyards and naval architects	Equipment and design	Specifiers and buyers
Marine equipment suppliers	Partners and customers	Supply chain
Classification societies and regulators	Standards	Influence
Navy and government	Programmes	Public buyers

Visitors at the SMM maritime trade fair in Hamburg

Visitors at the SMM maritime trade fair in Hamburg. Photo: Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Exhibiting at SMM? I build enriched SMM exhibitor and visitor lists, covering shipowners, yards, equipment makers and class societies, with roles, fleet or company size and LinkedIn data. CRM-ready ahead of Hamburg. Request your SMM list.

Tickets

Ticket information for 2028 will be published closer to the event. Past day tickets were around €60–80 (estimate). Buying online avoids queues.

SMM Connect

SMM Connect is the event’s networking and online platform. It lists exhibitors and supports some networking. For outreach to shipowners and technical managers, you still need researched contacts outside the platform.

How to prospect SMM

Segment exhibitors into propulsion, fuels, digital, equipment and services.
List shipowners and ship managers by fleet type and size.
Identify technical superintendents and fleet managers.
Use the decarbonisation agenda as your opening angle.
Plan a Nor-Shipping follow-up in odd years to keep relationships warm.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
The leading maritime-technology show	Biennial
Strong decarbonisation content	Niche maritime audience
Senior maritime decision-makers	Hamburg hotels during the fair

Frequently asked questions

When is SMM 2028?

From 5 to 8 September 2028 at Hamburg Messe.

How often is SMM held?

Every two years, in even years.

What is the odd-year equivalent of SMM?

Nor-Shipping, held in Oslo and Lillestrøm.

Can I get the SMM exhibitor list?

SMM Connect lists exhibitors without exportable contacts. An enriched list adds decision-makers and company data.

Start planning for SMM 2028

Maritime investment cycles are long. For an enriched SMM list, tell me about your target accounts on the Prospector home page.

Sources

Image credits

Cover image: Photo: Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Maritime exhibitors at SMM 2018 in Hamburg.
In-article image: Photo: Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Visitors at the SMM maritime trade fair in Hamburg.