The Hamburg trade fair company HMC is breaking new ground at this year’s SMM and is including a specialist conference and accompanying exhibition on key future topics in port logistics in its program with “All about ports”
Over two days, three stages will show how ports are increasingly becoming hubs for energy supply, security and global supply chains. The format will take place parallel to SMM and in conjunction with LogiNext, Europe’s new congress for digital innovations in logistics with an accompanying exhibition.
“With all about ports, we are creating a platform for the first time that brings together the entire value chain in the port – from infrastructure and technology to investments,” says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC).
The combination of specialist conference and exhibition is intended to provide a holistic representation of central structures and processes in the port. International decision-makers will come together to develop solutions for resilient and climate-neutral ports. “We are expecting representatives from port operations, terminal management, shipping companies as well as companies and start-ups from the logistics and maritime industries. Representatives from politics, authorities, associations and science will also be on site,” says Selbach.
Stages for key future topics
The conference programme is “practice-oriented” and reflects the central transformation areas of the port industry, according to the organizers. Experts from business, science, politics and technology will come together on three stages to discuss key challenges and developments in the industry. The focus will be on the digital transformation of the port world – from smart technologies and cyber security to resilient supply chains. The focus will also be on sustainable port concepts, including green corridors, alternative fuels and the role of ports in the energy transition. This is complemented by economic and geopolitical perspectives, for example on investors, regulatory frameworks and global competitive dynamics.
The “future” is also the focus of the “Maritime Future Summit 2026”
The Maritime Future Summit (MFS) at SMM 2026 in Hamburg will also focus on the growing role of generative AI in shipping – in particular its impact on ship design, operations and fleet efficiency. The event will take place on September 2 as an open-stage conference on the exhibition floor. The focus will be on practical applications such as digital twins, intelligent classification, autonomous systems and large language models. The summit will be moderated by Volker Bertram from the World Maritime University and HANSA editor-in-chief Michael Meyer.
You can find more information about this year’s Maritime Future Summit (MFS) here.
Program highlights and first speakers for all about ports
The first speakers for all about ports have now been announced. One example is Wolfgang Lehmacher, former Head of Supply Chain at the World Economic Forum. He will talk about digital resilience in global supply chains and then discuss the “triple transformation” of digitalization, sustainability and resilience. Other key topics include ports as critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, the use of artificial intelligence and increasing efficiency in container transport. On the second day of the conference, Hamburg’s Senator for Economic Affairs Melanie Leonhard will speak about the importance of seaports for Germany as an export nation and the need for investment in infrastructure.
Exhibition and partners
Parallel to the conference, technology providers, port operators and start-ups will present their solutions – from automated terminal systems to digital platforms for port logistics. “With all about ports, we are bringing together the relevant players to actively shape the future of the international port industry,” says Selbach.
“all about ports addresses key questions in the industry: How can ports be made more resilient, sustainable and technologically leading? At the same time, they are increasingly developing into innovation and energy centers within global supply chains. This is an ideal platform to drive this transformation forward together,” says Jens Meier, CEO of the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), which has assumed patronage of the event.
The partners include IAPH, HPA, the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany, the Central Association of German Seaport Operators, the German Maritime Center, Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), the Central Association of German Shipbrokers, the terminal operator Eurogate and the Federation of European Private Port Companies and Terminals.
