27 November 2025

Innovation, networking, and award success mark a standout year for British Marine members at world’s largest marine trade exhibition

British Marine members once again demonstrated the strength and capability of the UK marine sector at Metstrade 2025 (18–20 November), with a strong exhibition presence, industry recognition and high levels of engagement throughout the three-day event.

Thousands of marine professionals from across the globe attended this year’s show at the RAI Amsterdam, reinforcing Metstrade’s position as the key international platform for marine innovation, business development and collaboration.

Representing a diverse and innovative cross-section of the UK leisure marine industry, this year, 36 British Marine members exhibited within the British Pavilion in Hall 3, with a further five members exhibiting in the new Superyacht UK Pavilion in the expanded Superyacht Zone (Hall 8).  The new SYUK Pavilion proved a great success with members. With prime placement alongside key global pavilions, the new flyover walkway, the Superyacht Arena, and the Captain’s Club fine dining restaurant, it delivered unparalleled visibility and consistently high footfall, enhanced by engaging video coverage of member stands shared across British Marine and SYUK channels.

The three-day show opened with the Breakfast Briefing and the announcement of the 2025 DAME Design Award winners. Seven British Marine members were shortlisted across multiple categories celebrating excellence in marine product design and innovation.

Congratulations to Garmin, who won the Safety & Security Aboard category for the Garmin OnBoard System and to Henri-Lloyd for their special mention in the Personal Equipment category for Ocean Pro.

We are very delighted to win a DAME award with the Garmin On Board System. It means a lot to us, to our engineers and our developer.

Mattias Däldborg Senior Marketing Manager for Europe at Garmin

Wednesday morning kicked off with the return of the ‘Women in the Marine Industry International’ networking and panel discussion. Co-hosted by British Marine, Soundings Trade Only, Metstrade, and Marine Industry News, and supported by Barton Marine, the event attracted over 160 women and men eager to hear from a panel of dynamic female leaders.

The panel, featured Áine Denari, Executive Vice President & President, Navico Group; Chief Technology Officer, Brunswick Corporation, Andrea Tetto, Director, Marine Business Planning, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit, Suzanne Blaustone, CEO, Barton Marine and Sylvie Ernoult, Show Director, Cannes Yachting Festival and was moderated by Michele Goldsmith, Vice President and General Manager of Soundings Trade Only Group, who guided a rich discussion full of practical insight and real-world leadership perspectives.

Focusing on the theme ‘Navigating Today’s Global Market’, the panel shared their personal journey and their views on how the marine industry can continue to innovate and grow through resilience, collaboration, and diverse leadership.

Superyacht UK also started Wednesday morning with a dedicated breakfast for members, which provided an excellent opportunity for the exhibitors to connect, strengthen collaboration and discuss ways to enhance the collective impact of the UK’s presence in the Superyacht Zone.

Heading into the afternoon and Superyacht UK took centre stage as Vice President Ken Hickling lead a session exploring how Superyacht UK members are integrating new technological solutions across superyacht design, build, and operation to elevate performance, sustainability, and the overall guest experience on the Superyacht Stage.

To round off the day, British Marine hosted its annual networking reception on the British Marine stand. The event brought together exhibitors, visiting members, and key industry stakeholders for an informal gathering. With complimentary refreshments, lively conversations, and a fantastic atmosphere, the reception was the perfect opportunity to strengthen connections, celebrate successes, and unwind after a busy day at the show.

Speaking at the reception British Marine President-Elect, Lyndsay McClay highlighted the importance of fostering collaboration and supporting the international growth of UK marine businesses.

Later that evening, the spotlight turned to the 11th annual Boat Builder Awards.  This year’s event saw four British Marine members earning nominations for their outstanding contributions, with X-Yachts clinching Breakthrough Launch of the Year for the XR-41 and Groupe Beneteau with partners Veolia, Composite Recycling, Arkema, Owens Corning & Chomarat claiming Sustainability Project of the Year for their circular economy model for composite manufacturing.  Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. We’re proud to see British Marine members leading the way and inspiring positive change across the global marine sector.

What the exhibitors said:

“Exhibiting with British Marine at METSTRADE 2025 let us put Gtechniq Marine’s technology front and centre.  The excitement from visitors during our product demos was a real highlight.”  - Alex Baioes, Marketing Manager, Gtechniq Marine

“Once again, being with British Marine in the British Pavilion has proven to be extremely beneficial to Anchoright and the launch of our new Superyacht chain marking solution kept our stand busy throughout the three days. Visitor quality was great and we’re no doubt going to have a busy time following up on the enquiries we’ve taken throughout the show!”
Neil Johnson, Production Manager, AnchoRight

"As for so many manufacturers, Metstrade is absolutely key for Seaview Blinds. This year, although the corridors seemed less crowded than normal, we saw record numbers of visits onto our stand with particular interest in our new products and developments. As our brand flourishes and grows, British Marine's assistance with promotion in advance of the exhibition was very welcome. We are certainly looking forward to 2026!"
Rob Henderson - Sales Manager at Seaview Blinds

 “Metstrade ‘25 was a productive event for Versadock. Exhibiting in the British Pavilion provided strong visibility and consistent engagement with distributors, boatyards, and industry partners. We are now in communication with multiple organisations to further our brand and products worldwide. British Marine’s organisation and support helped us present our range effectively.” 
Ian Metcalfe, Versadock

“Our experience at this year’s Marine Equipment Trade Show was exceptional and a pleasure to exhibit alongside SYUK Manager, Michael Beattie. We saw a noticeable increase in high-quality enquiries and overall footfall. The hall felt open and inviting, with a strong flow of traffic passing both sides of our stand. Building new connections and exploring potential collaborations made the event truly worthwhile for Phoenix Marine.”
Jack Hart, Director, Phoenix Marine

 “METS is always a highlight of our year, a vibrant, busy few days spent connecting with industry leaders and exploring the latest innovations in our sector. It’s an incredibly busy show for us, so having Michael from Superyacht UK and the wider British Marine team on hand made a real difference, meaning our team could focus on doing what we do best! The British Marine events team were in regular contact throughout the lead-up, ensuring a smooth arrival and effortless setup. We’re already looking forward to returning to the Superyacht Pavilion next year.” 
Sophie Robertson, Sales Manager, Atlas Carbon Products

 “METS 2025 was a huge success for Polymarine and it was an excellent opportunity to meet up with our existing customers from around the world as well as meet a vast amount of new potential customers who showed a great level of interest in the core range of products we showcased at the show.  We found the footfall to be very good this year and felt lucky to be positioned next to the British Marine booth, not just for the wine!”
Charlotte Davey, Managing Director, Anglo Adhesives Ltd.

 “Joining British Marine at METS was a fantastic opportunity for Energy Solutions to showcase our evolving portfolio of marine power, hybrid, and off-grid technologies. The quality of conversations and feedback highlighted the critical role innovation plays as the marine sector moves toward cleaner and more efficient energy systems. It was also a pleasure to present our DAME-nominated Victron-integrated SmartSwitch.”
Mark Penny, Chief Commercial Officer, Energy Solutions UK Ltd

 "Metstrade was an excellent show for us this year. Exhibiting within the British Pavilion gave us both visibility and support and enabled us to host technical discussions and showcase our latest IYS and Pro-Link product innovations. Particular highlights on the stand included hosting our new distributor, Osculati and presenting our Distributor of the Year award to Apex Lighting. Alexia’s participation in the Superyacht UK technology panel was also a brilliant opportunity to contribute to the wider industry conversation on how smart integration is shaping the next generation of onboard experiences." 
Simon Steadman, Commercial Director, BlueFin LED

 “It was the second year that Hypro Marine has exhibited at Metstrade. This is a great event for us as it enables us to show our OEM steering products which are designed and manufactured in the UK. The show gives us an opportunity to meet our existing and prospective clients and dealers. It was a pleasure and a benefit to be a part of the British Marine area.” 
Crispin Lennox,  Group Sales and Marketing Manage, Hypro Marine