By
Alex Smith |
Posidonia 2026 is set to become the longest-running edition in the exhibition’s history, with organisers extending activities across a three-week period leading up to the main event in Athens from 1–5 June.
Events will begin in early May and culminate during Posidonia Week at the Metropolitan Expo. The expanded programme will include conferences, business meetings, networking functions and sporting events, alongside the core exhibition.
Organisers confirmed that all 50,000 square metres of exhibition space at the Metropolitan Expo will be filled. Thousands of exhibitors and visitors from around 140 countries are expected to attend. The event is forecast to contribute more than €100 million ($118 million) to the economy of Attica and neighbouring tourism destinations, with demand reported across hotels, catering, transport, entertainment venues and exhibition contractors.
“The economic and business impact of Posidonia now begins nearly three weeks before the official opening, as conferences, business meetings, industry gatherings and sporting events are increasingly scheduled ahead of the traditionally crowded Posidonia Week,” said Theodore Vokos, managing director of Posidonia Exhibitions. “With many events staged during the preceding 15-day period, the overall Posidonia timeframe has expanded significantly. This extended activity cycle is expected to deliver even greater benefits to the local economy, with hotel and event-space bookings already exceeding 2024 levels.”
He continued: “Posidonia is returning with greater strength and scale than ever before, driven by the industry’s renewed momentum and a shared commitment to maintaining the exhibition’s status as an unmissable biennial meeting point for the global maritime community – a place to connect, exchange ideas and collaborate now and into the future. No other shipping event attracts as many shipping ministers, presidents of international organisations, Greek and international shipowners and senior shipping executives.”
As the home exhibition of the Union of Greek Shipowners, Posidonia draws shipyards, equipment manufacturers and maritime service providers, alongside representatives from finance, insurance and technology. In 2025, Greek shipowners placed 250 newbuilding orders and completed around 260 second-hand vessel acquisitions, ranking second globally in that segment.
Germany and Italy will return to Posidonia in 2026 with national pavilions, while organisers have utilised all available space to accommodate around 40 new and returning exhibitors, including start-ups, technology companies and shipyards from Asia and Australia.
With geopolitical tensions, environmental regulation and digital transformation high on the industry agenda, the conference programme is expected to address a broad range of strategic issues.
“Topics to be discussed will include geopolitics, environmental regulatory requirements, and of course technological advancements and the possible benefits the use of AI could offer to shipping,” said Eva Tzima, head of research and valuations at Cass Technava. “It goes without saying that while all these areas are of high interest to the industry, geopolitical developments are expected to dominate discussions, not only because they continue to shape market supply and demand dynamics, but also because their impact has been extending across other areas of interest, as evidenced by the delay in the International Maritime Organization’s net zero framework adoption voted last year, following intensive lobbying from the US administration.”
The conference programme will open in early May with the Marine Insurance Greece and RightShip conferences, focusing on risk management and maritime security. During Posidonia Week, the TradeWinds Shipowners Forum 2026 will bring together senior industry leaders, followed by the HELMEPA Conference on environmental and sustainability issues. The SNAME Conference, titled “The Greek Shipyard Renaissance: Rebuilding Capacity, Restoring Leadership”, will examine developments in Greece’s shipbuilding sector.
The Posidonia Games will once again form part of the wider programme, expanding into a dedicated sports weekend ahead of the exhibition. A new addition for 2026 is the Posidonia Tour cycling event, which will run from Syntagma Square to the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion and is expected to attract around 300 participants. Established sailing, football, golf, 3x3 basketball and running events are also scheduled, with more than 4,000 shipping professionals anticipated to take part.
Posidonia 2026 is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and the Union of Greek Shipowners, with support from the Municipality of Piraeus and the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee.