Metstrade 2025 closed after three busy days, reaffirming its position as the world’s leading trade fair for the leisure marine and yachting sectors. From 18 to 20 November, thousands of industry professionals travelled to Amsterdam for the largest edition of the event to date.
For the first time, Metstrade occupied the entire RAI Amsterdam complex. An expanded floorplan, a continuous visitor loop through all halls and close to 1,700 exhibitors created a noticeably more dynamic flow. In total, the show recorded 32,000 visits from around 20,000 unique attendees from across the global leisure marine industry.
Strong interest once again centred on the 30 Country Pavilions, representing organisations from 20 nations, and on the specialised zones dedicated to superyachts, marinas and yards, construction materials, foiling and start-ups. The new Next Gen Zone highlighted companies offering practical solutions to reduce environmental impact within the sector.
Additional highlights included the 34th DAME Design Awards, with the LXNAV E360 Round Chartplotter named overall winner, and the Boat Builder Awards, held this year in the heart of the Metstrade show floor. Johan and Britt-Marie Carpelan, founders of Targa Boats, were honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Five content stages hosted expert-led talks, panels and discussions throughout the show. Meanwhile, the superyacht industry gathered for The Superyacht Forum and the Superyacht Coating Conference, with key themes carried forward into the expanded Superyacht Zone. Beyond the exhibition halls, a wide programme of related events filled the city of Amsterdam, culminating in the Yacht Racing Forum.
Exhibition Manager Patricia Becker described the 2025 edition as “nothing short of exceptional”, highlighting the strong feedback from exhibitors and visitors alike. Niels Klarenbeek, Director Maritime Events, added that planning for Metstrade 2026 is already underway, with further layout adjustments to meet growing demand.
Next year, The Superyacht Forum will take place on 16–17 November, followed by Metstrade from 17–19 November at RAI Amsterdam.
