Hamburg, 4 December 2025 – With the all about ports, Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC) is launching a new international conference dedicated to the future of the port industry. The premiere, “the new platform for holistic port solutions”, will take place on 2 and 3 September 2026 at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. The event will focus on the challenges facing global port locations and present solutions relating to digitalisation, automation, sustainability, security, and logistics in the port environment.
The aim of the all about ports is to provide impetus for sustainable and resilient port structures, promote networking and the exchange of knowledge between national and international stakeholders, and facilitate technology transfer. At the core is the question of how ports can be made resilient, efficient, and future-proof in the digital age.
Hamburg: A model region for the future of the port industry
“Hamburg is the ideal location for the all about ports,” says Heiko M. Stutzinger, CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress. “We have one of Europe’s largest and most diverse ports in a city that exemplifies the connection between tradition and the future of the maritime and port industries. With its innovative strength, a strong network of research, business and policy players, and its leadership in smart port and digitalisation initiatives, Hamburg is predestined to host an event that helps shape the transformation of international port locations.”
The all about ports is an ideal addition to HMC’s international flagship maritime trade fairs, such as SMM, which will take place in Hamburg from 1 to 4 September 2026. The event targets port operators, terminal companies, shipping lines, logistics service providers, security authorities, and maritime start-ups as well as experts from politics and academia.
“We are once again expanding our platform for these target groups by bringing together technological innovation, sustainable transformation, and social responsibility,” adds Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions Maritime and Energy at Hamburg Messe und Congress. “Ports are key nodes in global value creation – and therefore essential for economic resilience and sustainable action worldwide.”
Strong partners and an extensive programme
Participants at the conference and accompanying exhibition can expect keynotes, panels, and workshops covering topics such as port security and the protection of critical infrastructure, sustainability and green energy in port operations, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, infrastructure development and Logistics 4.0, as well as smart bunkering and alternative fuels.
The all about ports is supported by leading players in the maritime industry, including Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany (MCN), the Central Association of German Seaport Operators (ZDS), and the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH). In addition, a variety of side events in the Port of Hamburg are planned to take place alongside the conference.
“I am delighted to be the patron of all about ports. The event addresses precisely those issues that will determine the future of the global port industry: How to make ports more resilient, sustainable, and technologically advanced?” says Jens Meier, President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and CEO of the Hamburg Port Authority. “As international hubs, modern ports have long been more than just transshipment points—they are engines of innovation, energy centers, and indispensable infrastructure. all about ports offers the ideal platform to drive this transformation forward: it brings together bright minds from business, science, politics, and technology to exchange ideas about groundbreaking solutions and sharpen the focus on ports as strategic hubs of global value creation. And where better to do this than in Hamburg – with its strong port and innovation landscape.”
“Ports are the backbone of the maritime economy – all about ports creates a platform for jointly developing this central interface in an innovative way,” says Jessica Wegener, Managing Director of Maritimes Cluster Norddeutschland e.V.
Regarding the all about ports
The all about ports (aap) is an international conference with an accompanying exhibition focused on the future of the port industry. Its premiere as “the new platform for holistic port solutions” will be held on 2 and 3 September 2026 at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. The event will highlight the challenges facing global port locations and present solutions related to digitalisation, automation, sustainability, security, and logistics in the port environment. A comprehensive supporting programme will also be offered. More information at: www.allaboutports.de
About Hamburg Messe und Congress
Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC) organises and hosts major international events, trade fairs, and conferences. Its unique event campus in the heart of Hamburg includes eleven exhibition halls and the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg, connected by the Planten un Blomen park. International flagship events such as SMM, WindEnergy Hamburg, and INTERNORGA attract visitors from around the world. In addition, HMC hosts numerous guest events covering aviation, mobility, renewable energies, and other key sectors aligned with the economic clusters of the Hamburg metropolitan region. Hamburg Messe und Congress employs more than 350 people and generated revenues of over 140 million euros in 2024. More information at: www.hamburg-messe.de
Press Contact
Karsten Broockmann
Company Spokesman
Phone: +49 (0)40 / 3569-2090
Email: karsten.broockmann@hamburg-messe.de
Nele Bruns
PR Manager
Phone: +49 (0)40 / 3569-2439
Email: nele.bruns@hamburg-messe.de
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