With many countries around the world in lockdown, event organisers are bracing themselves for another year without live events. Three major shipping events have already been cancelled or postponed, including NorShipping and Breakbulk Middle East.
NorShipping, which was scheduled for June 2021 in Norway, has been postponed to 10-13 January 2022. ‘Faced with the possibility of a scaled-down, socially distanced exhibition due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Nor-Shipping has opted to move to retain its personality and impact,’ the organisation states.
Transport Logistic
As a result of the pandemic, Transport Logistic 2021 which was scheduled from 3-4 May in München, has been cancelled and will be replaced by an online event. Reason is the numerous international travel restrictions, the lifting of which is not foreseeable until spring and which thwart the exhibitor’s claim with regard to visitor participation.
As a bridge to other events in the transport logistic network, an online conference will be realised from May 4 to 6, 2021. The next Transport Logistic as a physical trade fair will take place from May 9 to 12, 2023.
‘Our customers would have to start detailed planning for transport logistic now and need planning security. The still ongoing dynamic infection as well as the resulting travel restrictions make it impossible to successfully hold transport logistic at the beginning of May,’ explains Stefan Rummel, Managing Director of Messe München. ‘For this reason, on the recommendation of and in consultation with the exhibitor advisory board, we have decided to cancel Transport Logistic 2021.’
Breakbulk Middle East
Breakbulk Middle East is the first Covid-19 casualty of the planned breakbulk events this year. The physical event was scheduled to take place on the 9th and 10th of February in the Dubai World Trade Center, but has now been postponed to 1-2 February 2022. Instead, the Hyve Group will organise a digital special on the original dates.
‘With continuing international lockdowns and global travel restrictions, it is not feasible to bring our customers together, many of whom come from countries outside the UAE,’ comments organiser Hyve Group.
Earlier major maritime trade fair SMM, which was supposed to take place in September 2020, postponed to 2-5 February 2021 and has become a fully online event.
Also read: Maritime trade fair SMM postponed to February 2021
Picture by Hamburg Messe und Congress.