The Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) in Amsterdam closed with record figures again in November 2024. With almost 1,600 stands, more exhibitors presented their products to 31,824 visitors at the largest equipment trade fair. Twelve halls were open, one more than in the previous year.
The boom of the post-Corona years resulted in full order books and fewer new developments. It was not until 2023 that more new products were on show again. In line with the new exhibitor and visitor record, there were also many new pieces of equipment this time.
A trend theme can often be deduced from the new products, but this was not so obvious at Mets 2024. The innovations were spread across all areas, from deck fittings, clothing, electronics, safety and drive technology. The latter area is particularly well represented with electric motors. However, this is not a new trend, but has already been evident in previous years.
The topic of sustainability, particularly in production, was also evident in the use of recycled materials, which has now almost become a standard for new products. The category winners always include well-known products. This year, however, it is special with the RSW sensor from Raymarine: in 2023, the entire Alpha series received the award, now the individual wind sensor, which is part of this series, was honoured.
The 36th Mets was very productive for exhibitors and trade visitors, and Director Niels Klarenbeek was also satisfied: "The excellent results of this year's trade fair provide a stable foundation on which we can build even more ambitious plans for 2025." For example, another hall is to be added next year, increasing the exhibition space by a further 10,000 square metres. However, there is still a whole sailing season ahead of it, which can certainly be embellished with a few more updates to boat technology or crew equipment.
