Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Just a little more than a week and counting as many thousands of leading marine professionals prepare to meet at the world’s largest gathering of leisure marine industry businesses on Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 November in Amsterdam.

“It’s a special edition for us in so many ways,” says METSTRADE director Niels Klarenbeek. We are celebrating our 35^th anniversary by launching two new pavilions to stimulate interest in foiling and start-up businesses, reflecting the industry’s need to innovate. We’re stimulating accessibility and inclusion by placing a new Career Zone right in the heart of our Young Professionals Club and holding our second Women in the Marine Industry International Event. Plus, as you have come to expect of METSTRADE, we have an array of features and events to share best practices and stimulate debate on the passion we share to create a sustainable marine sector. This includes a Next Generation Propulsion Zone for the first time.

“More than 1,500 exhibitors from 53 countries will be present in 11 halls, 240 of them new to METSTRADE this year. Visitors will also be able to explore the collective endeavours of 29 national pavilions representing 19 countries including newcomer Croatia, and engage with marine industry associations to be signposted to local expertise. 

“Unique for this year, we’ll be starting on the Wednesday and running through to the Friday, providing opportunities for visitors and exhibitors to take a weekend break in our world class maritime city before heading home. But first we cannot wait to see our many friends in the industry arrive at RAI Amsterdam for three days of vital networking, research, sales discussions and of course – fun!”

Legendary industry leaders, world-renowned awards and key announcements

METSTRADE will be prefaced by its traditional Breakfast Briefing on Wednesday 15 November. Headlining the event, Chairman and CEO of Italian shipyard Sanlorenzo and committed sustainability advocate, Massimo Perotti, has 40 years’ experience working at the leading edge of motoryacht and superyacht construction. His keynote will outline how the leisure marine sector can transition to carbon neutrality.

Perotti’s presentation will be followed by the unveiling of the winners of the coveted DAME Design 2023 Awards. This year saw a very high ratio of entries nominated across eight new categories – winning products represent the pinnacle of holistic design effort with one judged to be the overall DAME Award winner. Afterwards you’ll be able to browse them all on the expansive DAME Design Awards showcase in hall 13, right in the heart of METSTRADE.

Alongside this display, the METSTRADE Theatre will host interviews with Massimo Perotti and DAME winners, as part of an extensive series of discussion panels and presentations covering key technology, innovation, diversity and sustainability topics. Also don’t miss the eagerly awaited launch of ICOMIA’s independently researched Ricardo study into decarbonising marine leisure propulsion.

Discover new technologies and innovators

METSTRADE is introducing two brand new pavilions for this year, in hall 7.

The Foiling Technology Pavilion, developed in partnership with the Foiling Organization, brings many key players involved in this technology to the show as exhibitors for the first time. Visitors will learn how to implement foils into mainstream yacht design and construction from leading experts and try their hand at the same AC40 simulator as used by the race series’ crews.

The Start-Up Pavilion, launched in collaboration with global marine start-up hub Yachting Ventures, will feature 15 carefully curated new businesses and their market disruptive products. The exhibitors in this area are focused on two key areas – digitisation and sustainability. Within those categories there is a wide range of activity, from underwater robotics, 3D printed inflatable complex structures and electrification enablers, to management systems and battery health prediction software.

Driving towards a sustainable future

Visitors seeking solutions, debate and collaboration on sustainable objectives will have even more choices this year beyond the METSTRADE Theatre’s extensive programme of topics.

The Next Generation Propulsion Zone in hall 13 brings together the latest electric and hybrid engines, alternative fuels, and zero-emission products from 19 international companies in one easily accessed display. Explore the products from marine businesses who have successfully achieved the Water Revolution Foundation’s rigorous life cycle assessments by walking the Superyacht Sustainability Route. 

METSTRADE will also display the results of its pioneering collaboration with World Sailing and World Sailing Trust. Visit the Construction Material Pavilion in hall 12 to see the common but difficult to recycle sailing equipment that was collected this year at the 2023 Allianz Sailing World Championships’ new Equipment Recycling Hub. By raising the visibility of these items, the partners in this initiative are motivating solutions for improved life cycle management of consumable sail racing products.

Should you need a reminder of just how beautiful and dramatic our maritime world can be, METSTRADE is hosting the 14th edition of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image Award. You’ll be able to see the 20 top images of professional photographers from all over the world and witness the announcement of the winner on Thursday 16 November. The photo competition is an exciting precursor to the annual Yacht Racing Forum’s arrival within the METSTRADE programme from 2024 onwards.

Stimulating employability and diversity

METSTRADE’s Young Professionals Club (YPC) has been nurturing marine professionals under the age of 35 for many years now. Its free to access lounge offers invaluable networking opportunities and tours. New for this year within the YPC is the METSTRADE Career Zone run in partnership with international recruitment specialist Marine Resources. Students and up-and-coming professionals will enjoy complimentary access to career coaching sessions with the Marine Resources team, lots of informal advice and opportunities to meet industry leaders, and hear about the latest job vacancies.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, a breakfast time Women in the Marine Industry International meeting at the METSTRADE Theatre on Thursday 16 November will be supported by Soundings Trade Only, British Marine and Marine Industry News. Six inspirational female leaders will discuss how to take advantage of the opportunities open to women in the marine industry today and answer audience questions. Later that day the METSTRADE Theatre will see host a distinguished panel of female founders who will share their challenges and success strategies, providing valuable insights into how to support and promote entrepreneurship.

Celebrating excellence in boat building and its supply chain

The Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement, in association with Raymarine, raises the profile of companies and industry professionals who are collectively driving the boat and superyacht manufacturing sector forward. A celebratory gala dinner under the spectacular star-studded glass canopy of the Amsterdam National Maritime Museum on Thursday 16 November is the hottest and most exclusive evening date in Amsterdam. Guests will start their experience with a VIP reception at METSTRADE, where they can relax in the company of the shortlisted globally renowned boat and ship building professionals.

Key focal points around METSTRADE

The Superyacht Pavilion (SYP) features more than 350 sector specialist suppliers in halls 9-11. Hall 9 will also feature the SYP Bar, hosted by Holland Yachting Group. The Construction Material Pavilion (CMP) is the place to head for in hall 12 to check out latest developments in materials and construction techniques, while the Marina & Yard Pavilion (MYP) has its own dedicated space for marina and harbour professionals to meet in hall 5 again this year.

And there’s more

Co-located alongside METSTRADE is a particularly busy programme of conferences this year. 

These include the HISWA Marina Symposium on Friday 17 November and the Superyacht Forum: Connect (14-16 November) with a theme of fostering connections, sharing knowledge and cultivating innovation in the superyacht industry.