Nov 28, 2022

The world’s largest trade exhibition of leisure marine equipment once again sprang to life with the welcome buzz of thousands of industry professionals gathering from across the globe for meetings, researching, networking and much-missed socializing.

METSTRADE 2022 showcased a total of 1,400 exhibitors from 49 countries across 10 halls at Amsterdam RAI covering every facet of marine equipment, systems and materials. Given ongoing travel restrictions in some parts of Asia, the base of companies and products on display was equitable with the impressively broad reach of the show when it hit new records in 2019.

Three busy days over 15-17 November at RAI Amsterdam saw 26,480 visits registered by 17,417 unique visitors spanning 126 nationalities, accompanied by 6,175 exhibitor personnel.

People and skills
Recognising the extreme importance of industry recruitment and retention among younger people, 23% of all visiting professionals were in the 18-35 age bracket. Their presence was nurtured and supported through METSTRADE’s Young Professionals Club with its dedicated lounge, industry meet and greet sessions and show tours. Career development was also celebrated by many other initiatives across the show including the sponsored visits by Australian International Marine Export Group (AIMEX) of their 2021 and 2022 Apprentices of the Year and the naming of two very bright Rising Stars from the USA and UK in the IBI-METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards, organised in association with Raymarine. In a glittering night under the stars at Amsterdam’s National Maritime Museum, the breadth of the industry’s talent was highlighted including a Lifetime Achievement Award for the founder and CEO of Taiwanese motor yacht manufacturer Horizon Yachts, John Lu, and joint Designer of the Year awards for Tony Castro Yacht Design and Sea Ray’s first ever female design team – Carrie Fodor and Kristin McGinnis.

In a first for the show, day two commenced with a breakfast networking and panel Women in Marine Industry event, in co-operation with industry trade body British Marine and B2B publication Soundings Trade Only. More than 120 female and male professionals delegates gathered at the METSTRADE Theatre to meet up and engage with a lively debate with women working in senior marine leisure leadership roles across the USA and Europe.

Showcasing and discovering latest developments
The METSTRADE Theatre was one of several key features in the reimagined Hall 13. Unmissable given its core location within the show floor, this stage saw a busy series of presentations and good audiences engaging with all the key topics of the day, including new technologies and the drive towards a more sustainable sector. Right alongside the theatre, products from 48 winners and nominees of this year’s DAME Design Awards provided plenty of inspiration for the many visitors who browsed the most spacious displays in this prestigious design competition’s proud 31-year history.

This well received freshening up was also implemented right across the 10 halls. It featured revised layouts for METSTRADE, and the SuperYacht, Marina & Yard and Construction Material Pavilions, as well as a new Superyacht Sustainability Route. These initiatives were all designed to enable visitors to discover new partners and products more easily.

METSTRADE also saw the welcome full return of associated programmes from partners including the 30th anniversary of the SuperYacht Forum Live, International HISWA Symposium, HISWA Marina Symposium and NMEA. Their conferences featured strong themes around using new technology to appeal to latest generation audiences and creating a more sustainable future.

It’s great to be back
Speaking after the show closed Niels Klarenbeek, Maritime Director of METSTRADE, stated: “There has been an incredible amount of work happening behind the scenes this year. We wanted to ensure that METSTRADE was completely fit for purpose in resuming its critical role as the epicentre for the whole global marine leisure sector during three very busy days in Amsterdam. The feedback we have received suggests those efforts have paid off, with exhibitors and visitors able to take maximum advantage of meeting up together again. It was incredible to witness large numbers of visitors gathering even before the show opened each morning and to hear the buzz of conversations and business being made around the many stands and meeting spaces right across the show”.

Sarah Anghel, President of ICOMIA stated: “The partnership we have with METSTRADE gets stronger every year. We weathered the storm of COVID by working closely together and we have much to celebrate now with such a high level of quality attendance and business made at this year’s show. We are also pleased to see the ongoing growth of our members’ national pavilions across the halls of RAI Amsterdam, further increasing the tangible value of marine industry associations as they represent and support the global leisure marine sector.”

Klarenbeek continues: “It provides the very best springboard for METSTRADE 2023, which for next year commences on Wednesday 15 November and runs through to Friday 17 November. We already keenly await the opportunity to warmly welcome the whole sector back then as we continue to build on this essential date in the international yachting calendar.”