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Report on Posidonia 2026  – Latest Maritime Industry Trends Observed at an International Maritime Exhibition –

1. Introduction

This report provides an overview of “Posidonia 2026,” held in Athens, Greece, from 1 to 5 June 2026. I attended the exhibition on 1 and 2 June. The EU Blue Economy Observatory, operated by the European Commission, describes Posidonia as an international maritime exhibition that attracts a diverse range of exhibitors and visitors from around the world.^[1]

According to official event information, Posidonia 2026 hosted 2,227 exhibitors from 83 countries and territories, featured a record 24 national pavilions, and brought together more than 35,000 visitors over the five-day exhibition.^[2][3] The programme also comprised approximately 70 conferences and seminars, and the exhibition showcased a wide range of products and services spanning maritime technology, ship management, offshore development and maritime transport.

This report focuses on companies that presented products and services relating to artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and the use of vessel data, together with key points identified during the seminars and other sessions attended. It is intended solely as an account of the author’s research visit and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any company, product or service.

2. The Exhibition and Related Conference Programme

(1) Exhibition Booths

Exhibitors presented a broad range of technologies and services supporting shipping operations, including ship management, communications, cybersecurity, fuel-efficiency and emissions management, automation, and readiness for alternative fuels. In the product and service categories listed in the official Posidonia catalogue, more than 30 exhibitors were classified under AI-related solutions and more than 150 under automation.^[4] Among the exhibitors visited in these fields, the following five are highlighted for their work in digitalisation, AI, vessel data, connectivity and cybersecurity.

1. Danaos[5]

Danaos is a Greece-based maritime software company. It provides systems supporting ship management, voyage and operations management, maintenance, and regulatory compliance. Its exhibition focused on the digitalisation of shipping operations.

2. Wärtsilä[6]

Wärtsilä is a Finland-headquartered technology company serving the marine and energy sectors. Its marine portfolio includes power and propulsion systems, digital and lifecycle solutions, and technologies supporting the transition to alternative fuels.

3. NeptuneZero[7]

NeptuneZero is a Greece-based maritime AI and data company. It exhibited a system that utilises onboard and operational vessel data to automate the preparation of reports, including port arrival and departure notifications and fuel-consumption and emissions reports.

4. Kongsberg Maritime[8]
Kongsberg Maritime is a Norway-based maritime technology company. It presented a broad range of technologies supporting vessel operations, including ship automation, navigation systems, dynamic positioning, and remote and autonomous operations.

5. Navarino[9]

Navarino is a Greece-based maritime technology company specialising in ship communications. It presented digital services tailored to shipping companies’ operational environments, including communications, onboard IT and cybersecurity.

(2) Seminars and Panel Discussions

1. Innovation & Technology: Enabling the Future of Global Shipping

This panel discussion examined how emerging technologies, including AI, digital systems and next-generation nuclear power, could shape the future of global shipping.

As outlined in previous reports by the London Office, Europe is continuing to examine the introduction of new technologies, including Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) (see Report No. 26-06, “Special Feature: Developments of the Autonomous Ship Deployment Project Team (2)”, and Report No. 25-06, “Special Feature: Developments of the Autonomous Ship Deployment Project Team”).[10][11] Against this background, the panel considered how the shipping industry could incorporate AI and next-generation nuclear technologies into operational practice.

Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos of DeepSea Technologies explained that AI-based route and speed optimisation could reduce fuel-related, emissions-related and voyage-time costs by approximately 5–10 per cent compared with conventional operations. He also noted that AI applications are progressing from operational decision support towards the automated execution of functions such as speed control.[12]

Yarden Gross of Orca AI emphasised that the effective use of AI on board depends not only on technical accuracy, but also on whether seafarers trust the system, can incorporate it smoothly into their daily work and receive appropriate training. Brian Matthews of AMPERA introduced small, containerised microreactors, highlighting their high energy density and the potential to reduce refuelling requirements.[13][14]

Overall, the panel emphasised that emerging technologies should not be adopted for their own sake but should be applied in ways that are appropriate to practical shipboard operations.

Moderator
– Anthi Miliou (SVP Global Commercial, Lloyd’s Register)

Speakers

– Brian Matthews (Founder and CEO, AMPERA)

– Dr Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos (CEO and Co-founder, DeepSea Technologies)

– Yarden Gross (CEO and Co-founder, Orca AI)

– Nicholas K. Notias (CEO, SteelShips LLC)

– Marina Hadjipateras (Founder and Managing Partner, TMV)

2. Shipping at Crossroads: Geopolitics, Global Market Shifts & Strategic Positioning

This panel discussion examined the impact of geopolitical risk on shipping markets.

At the time of the event, global maritime transport was exposed to a range of destabilising factors, including armed conflict, sanctions, tariffs and navigational risks in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. As these risks increase, vessels may be required to avoid established routes and make longer diversions, increasing voyage distances and transit times. This can, in turn, affect transport demand, freight rates and investment decisions concerning new ship construction.

In this context, the moderator, Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, cited an estimate of more than 1,000 vessels in the shadow fleet. Although such vessels facilitate the continued transport of energy products under sanctions, many are ageing and may lack transparency in relation to safety management, insurance and beneficial ownership. The shadow fleet was therefore discussed as an issue affecting both vessel supply and operational safety.

During the panel, Abdulkareem Al Masabi of ADNOC Logistics & Services noted that the company had sought to reduce its exposure to short-term market fluctuations through long-term contracts and an integrated shipping and offshore-logistics model.[15]

Overall, the panel concluded that geopolitical risk is not merely a temporary navigational concern. It can affect route selection, transport costs, fleet investment, vessel supply and demand, and the safety of ship operations.

Moderator

– Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria (CEO, Maritime, DNV)

Speakers

– Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi (CEO, ADNOC Logistics &Services)

– Dr. John Coustas (Chairman, President and CEO, Danaos Corporation)

– Dr. Anil Sharma (Founder and CEO, GMS and Lila Global)

– Mr. Harry Vafias (Founder, StealthGas, Imperial Petroleum and C3is Inc.)

– Dr. Nikolas P. Tsakos (Founder and CEO, TEN Ltd.; Chairman of INTERTANKO 2014-2018)

 3. Hybrid Threats and Protection of Maritime Energy Infrastructure

This panel discussion examined hybrid threats to maritime energy infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

As noted in the London Office’s Monthly Report No. 26-02, GNSS jamming and spoofing are among the challenges affecting the Baltic Sea region. [16] The panel also identified interference with submarine cables and energy facilities, together with the activities of the shadow fleet, as major risks to European maritime security.

Amanda Dziubińska of the Polish Institute of International Affairs stated that, of approximately 110 acts of sabotage attributed to Russia within the EU between January 2022 and July 2025, more than half occurred in countries in the Baltic Sea region. Because submarine cables, energy facilities and major shipping routes are concentrated in these waters, such acts could affect energy supplies and communications infrastructure across Europe.[17]

Turning to the Mediterranean, Costis Stambolis of the Institute of Energy for South-East Europe (IENE) identified the protection of submarine power cables serving Greece’s island communities as a key challenge. Greece has approximately 6,000 islands and islets, of which 227 are inhabited. He explained that these cables are vital to daily life and energy supply in island communities and that their protection is also relevant to stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.[18]

The moderator, Daniel Piekarski, noted that the word “Russia” had been mentioned fifteen times during the discussion. This observation illustrated the extent to which responses to Russian hybrid threats are regarded as a shared European security concern, despite the differing circumstances of the Baltic Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Moderator

– Daniel Piekarski (Head of the Energy and Raw Materials Security Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland)

Speakers

– Agnieszka Legucka (Deputy Director, Strategy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland)

– Amanda Dziubińska (Polish Institute of International Affairs)

– Costis Stambolis (Chairman and Executive Director, Institute of Energy for Southeast Europe)

4. Introduction to S-100: The Next Generation of Navigation

In this seminar, Thomas Mellor, Head of Technical Partnerships at the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO), introduced S-100, the next-generation framework for hydrographic data.[19]

The current S-57 framework underpins today’s Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs). S-100, developed by the International Hydrographic Organization, provides a broader framework through which multiple types of maritime data can be displayed and used together on an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). These data may include high-resolution bathymetry, water levels, surface currents and navigational warnings, in addition to ENC information.[20][21]

By bringing these data layers together, S-100 can make it easier for bridge teams to view relevant navigational information in a single operational display. This is expected to support more informed navigational decisions and improve the efficiency of onboard information checks. According to the UKHO, type-approved S-100 ECDIS are estimated to become commercially available in 2028. From 1 January 2029, all newly installed ECDIS, including retrofit installations, will be required to comply with the revised ECDIS performance standard and be capable of displaying S-100 data. Existing S-57-compatible ECDIS will not be subject to a general replacement requirement, allowing for a phased transition.

The seminar demonstrated that S-100 is more than an update to electronic charts. It is a data framework designed to integrate information needed for navigation and present it more effectively. As vessels handle increasing volumes of digital information, the integrated display of charts, bathymetry, water levels, currents and warnings is expected to support both navigational safety and more efficient bridge operations.

Speaker

– Thomas Mellor (Head of Technical Partnerships, UK Hydrographic Office)

3. Conclusion

The exhibition booths and panel discussions at Posidonia 2026 highlighted a broad range of issues facing the maritime sector, including the use of AI and digital technologies, cybersecurity, environmental compliance, geopolitical risk, the protection of maritime energy infrastructure and next-generation hydrographic data standards.

The scale and activity of the event also demonstrated its significance to the international maritime community. Naftemporiki referred to a “historic turnout”, Container News reported “record-breaking attendance”, and the UK maritime publication All About Shipping stated that the event had “closed on a high”.[22][23][24]

In his opening address, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez described Posidonia as “a shipping exhibition that has become a maritime institution”. His remarks underscored Posidonia’s role not only as a trade exhibition but also as a forum for professional exchange and policy discussion across the international maritime community.[25]

The next Posidonia exhibition is scheduled to take place at the Athens Metropolitan Expo from 5 to 9 June 2028.

Yoshihiro Kawakami
Researcher, London Research Office
The Japan Association of Marine Safety

[1] https://blue-economy-observatory.ec.europa.eu/events/posidonia-international-shipping-exhibition-2026-06-01_en

[2] https://posidonia-events.com/press-releases/posidonia/article/182/posidonia-2026-closes-on-a-high

[3] https://posidonia-events.com/press-releases/posidonia/article/174/posidonia-2026-opens-its-gates-as-strait-of-hormuz-remains-closed/

[4] https://posidonia-events.com/exhibitors/exhibiting-companies-2026/

[5] https://www.danaos.gr/en/normal/home

[6] https://www.wartsila.com/

[7] https://neptunezero.ai/

[8] https://www.kongsbergmaritime.com/

[9] https://navarino.co.uk/

[10] https://www.nikkaibo.or.jp/london/no-26-06%e3%80%8c%e7%89%b9%e9%9b%86%e3%80%80%e6%ac%a7%e5%b7%9e%e3%81%ae%e7%84%a1%e4%ba%ba%e9%81%8b%e8%88%aa%e8%88%b9%e7%ad%89%e5%b0%8e%e5%85%a5pt%e5%8b%95%e5%90%91%e2%91%a1%e3%80%8d

[11] https://www.nikkaibo.or.jp/london/no-25-06%e3%80%8c%e7%89%b9%e9%9b%86%e3%80%80%e6%ac%a7%e5%b7%9e%e3%81%ae%e7%84%a1%e4%ba%ba%e9%81%8b%e8%88%aa%e8%88%b9%e7%ad%89-%e5%b0%8e%e5%85%a5%e3%83%97%e3%83%ad%e3%82%b8%e3%82%a7%e3%82%af%e3%83%88

[12] https://www.deepsea.ai/

[13] https://www.orca-ai.io/

[14] https://www.amperaglobal.com/company

[15] https://adnocls.ae/

[16] https://www.nikkaibo.or.jp/london/no-26-02%e3%80%8c%e6%9c%88%e5%88%8a%e3%83%ac%e3%83%9d%e3%83%bc%e3%83%88%ef%bc%882026%e5%b9%b42%e6%9c%88%e5%8f%b7%ef%bc%89%e3%80%8d

[17] https://pism.pl/webroot/upload/files/Raport/PISM%20REPORT%20%28Un%29safe%20Waters.pdf

[18] https://www.iene.eu/

[19] https://www.admiralty.co.uk/about-us

[20] https://iho.int/en/s-57-encoding-bulletins

[21] https://www.admiralty.co.uk/access-data/s-100

[22] https://www.naftemporiki.gr/english/2120942/posidonia-2026-wraps-up-with-historic-turnout/

[23] https://container-news.com/posidonia-2026-wraps-up-with-record-breaking-attendance/

[24] https://allaboutshipping.co.uk/2026/06/05/posidonia-2026-closes-on-a-high/

[25] https://posidonia-events.com/press-releases/posidonia/article/184/record-breaking-posidonia-2026-delivers-deals-dialogue-and-direction-for-shippings-future/