What Intermodal Europe does

Intermodal Europe is an annual trade exhibition and conference serving the global container shipping, intermodal transport, and container logistics industries, held since 1975 and operated as a brand within Informa Markets, the events division of Informa PLC (LSE: INF). The three-day event rotates between European host cities including RAI Amsterdam, Rotterdam Ahoy, and (as of 2025) Fira Barcelona Gran Via, attracting more than 4,000 attendees from 90+ countries, 130+ exhibiting suppliers, and 50+ expert speakers. Its core product portfolio comprises the main exhibition floor, a dual-theatre conference program (Intermodal Theatre and Future Freight Forum), the Swapcard-powered Intermodal Connect event app, a free standard Visitor Pass, and a €450 premium Executive Visitor Pass.

Name

Intermodal Europe

Legal name

Informa Markets (a trading division of Informa PLC)

Website

https://intermodal-events.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Intermodal Europe is Europe's leading annual trade exhibition and conference for the container shipping and intermodal transport industries, run by Informa Markets since 1975 and serving shipping lines, lessors, freight forwarders, ports, and technology providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show & Conference Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Intermodal Network Operators & Marketing Companies (IMCs) (TLADAFAF)

Keywords

• Trade show events
• Container shipping exhibition
• Intermodal logistics conference
• B2B exhibition services
• Freight networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Stand Fees: Companies pay to book exhibition stands to showcase their products and services to attendees. Stand sizes range from 9-21 sqm to 100+ sqm, with 95% of 2026 stands sold as of the latest update.
2. Sponsorship Packages: Companies purchase sponsorship packages for enhanced visibility including onsite and digital options such as the event app branding, conference theatre naming, and promotional materials.
3. Attendee Passes: Free standard Visitor Pass for exhibition and conference access, with paid Executive Visitor Pass at €450 offering premium networking, Port of Barcelona tour, anniversary party access, and lunch vouchers.
4. Conference Sponsorship: Companies sponsor specific conference theatres or sessions, with Copeland serving as conference sponsor for 2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Intermodal Europe organizes an annual three-day trade exhibition and dual-theatre conference for the container shipping, transport, and intermodal logistics industries. It sells exhibition stand space, sponsorship packages, conference sponsorship, and premium attendee passes (Executive Visitor Pass) to suppliers and shipping/logistics companies. The event is held in rotating European cities (most recently Barcelona 2025, next Rotterdam 2026) and is supported by an attendee-facing event app (Intermodal Connect).

Product overview

Intermodal Europe is a trade exhibition and conference event, not a software platform. The core product is the annual Intermodal Europe trade show - Europe's leading event for container shipping, transport, and intermodal logistics held since 1975. The event portfolio includes: the main trade exhibition featuring over 130 suppliers across container leasing, manufacturing, cold chain, technology, and logistics; the Intermodal Europe Conference with dual theatres (Intermodal Theatre for operations/standards and Future Freight Forum for technology/innovation); the Intermodal Connect event app (provided via Swapcard) for attendee networking and agenda management; premium registration tiers including the Executive Visitor Pass; the Exhibitor Hub for marketing resources; and sponsorship packages. The product portfolio centers on providing a marketplace for the container industry to meet, do business, and exchange knowledge, rather than offering a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Intermodal Connect: Official event app for Intermodal Europe featuring smart matchmaking, personalized schedules, and interactive floorplan.
• Better Stands Initiative
• Future Freight Forum
• Intermodal Theatre

Products and services

• Intermodal Europe Trade Show Europe's leading annual three-day trade exhibition for the container shipping, transport, and intermodal logistics industry. The event brings together 130+ suppliers and 4,000+ attendees for sourcing, business development, and exhibition across container manufacturing, leasing, cold chain, technology, and logistics solutions. Next edition 10–12 November 2026 at Rotterdam Ahoy.
• Intermodal Europe Conference Industry-led conference program featuring 50+ expert speakers, panel debates, keynotes, and deep-dive sessions across two dedicated theatres: Intermodal Theatre focused on container transport and multimodal operations, and the Future Freight Forum focused on technology, innovation, and sustainability. Delivers 15+ hours of curated content over three days.
• Intermodal Connect Event App Official event application enabling attendees to browse agendas, bookmark sessions, discover exhibitors, locate them on interactive floorplans, connect and message with other attendees, build personalized schedules, and receive real-time updates. Available on Apple, Android, and desktop platforms.
• Visitor Pass Free standard registration tier providing access to the exhibition floor and entry to all open conference sessions with basic event app access. Available to all attendees who register.
• Executive Visitor Pass Premium €450 registration tier offering enhanced networking opportunities including a private group tour of the host port, invitation to the exclusive 50th Anniversary Party, complimentary lunch for three days, premium app access with advanced networking tools, and fast-track badge collection.
• Sponsorship Packages Event sponsorship opportunities offering visibility before industry leaders through onsite and digital options including the event app, conference theatre naming, and promotional materials. Various tiers available with downloadable sales brochures; e.g., Copeland serves as conference sponsor for 2025.
• Exhibitor Hub Dedicated resource center for exhibitors containing marketing assets, logos, exhibitor manual with key deadlines, and customer service support for registered exhibitors preparing for the show.
• Press Pass Registration Media accreditation program providing press access to the event, speaker interviews, press releases, and media partner applications for container shipping and logistics publications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ attendees from 90+ countries participate annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, minor and core.

• Port of BarcelonaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Port of Barcelona served as the Official Host Port for Intermodal Europe 2025, marking the first time the event was held in Barcelona. This partnership highlights shared commitment to global connectivity and sustainability. The Port welcomed industry leaders to Barcelona for the 50th anniversary edition.
• CARU ContainersmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Intermodal Europe 2025.
• Missing DotsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Intermodal Europe 2025.
• CopelandmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor for Intermodal Europe 2025, providing conference programme branding and support.
• Spanish Shippers CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Partner for Intermodal Europe 2025, representing shippers' interests in the logistics industry.
• Seatrade MaritimemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKey media partner providing coverage and promoting the event to maritime industry audience.
• World Cargo NewsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKey media partner providing coverage of container shipping and logistics industry.
• SwapcardcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology provider powering the Intermodal Connect event app, enabling attendee registration, networking, agenda browsing, and exhibitor discovery.
• bnetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerApproved hotel partner for Intermodal Europe, providing accommodation booking services for attendees.
• BIC (Bureau International des Containers)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting media partner representing container standardization interests.
• RailFreightminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting media partner covering rail freight and intermodal transport.
• Intermodal South AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting partner organization covering South American intermodal market.
• Container NewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting media partner covering container industry news.
• Container Owners Association (COA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participant and supporter of Intermodal Europe, representing container owners globally.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Sea-Air-Space Exposition (Navy League): Sea-Air-Space is a major maritime exposition hosted by the U.S. Navy League. While defense-focused, it attracts maritime industry suppliers and parallels Intermodal Europe's role as an industry gathering point for maritime stakeholders.

Regional players

• Posidonia: Posidonia is a biennial international shipping exhibition held in Athens, Greece. It targets the global shipping industry with overlap in container shipping exhibitors and attendees, but is regional and broader in scope (includes bulk, tanker, and offshore).

Broad incumbents

• SMM Hamburg: SMM is the leading international trade fair for the maritime industry (shipbuilding, marine technology, offshore), held biennially in Hamburg. It overlaps with Intermodal Europe on maritime logistics exhibitors but is broader in industry scope.
• RX Global (Reed Exhibitions) Maritime Events: RX Global operates a broad portfolio of maritime and logistics events worldwide. It is a major events industry competitor to Informa and produces events that overlap with Intermodal Europe's container and shipping audience.

Direct peers

• Multimodal (UK): Multimodal is an annual UK-based exhibition and conference for freight transport, logistics, and supply chain management. It competes directly with Intermodal Europe for UK and European freight forwarders, 3PLs, and intermodal transport providers.
• Breakbulk Europe: Breakbulk Europe is a major annual event for the project cargo and breakbulk industry, with overlapping exhibitors in shipping, ports, and heavy-lift logistics. Adjacent but distinct from container-focused Intermodal Europe.
• Intermodal Asia (Informa): Intermodal Asia is the Asian sister event of Intermodal Europe, also operated by Informa. It targets the same container shipping and intermodal transport value chain but in the Asia-Pacific region, with shared content and exhibitor relationships.
• Transport Logistic (Messe München): Transport Logistic is Europe's largest logistics trade fair, held biennially in Munich. It directly competes with Intermodal Europe for container shipping, freight forwarding, and intermodal logistics exhibitors and attendees across Europe.
• TOC Events Worldwide (Informa): TOC (Terminal Operators Conference) is a sister Informa brand focused on container terminal operations and port technology. It serves overlapping exhibitors (port operators, terminal equipment suppliers) and competes for the same container industry audience.

Emerging players

• Logistics & Automation (Easyfairs): Logistics & Automation is a regional European trade fair focused on intralogistics, automation, and supply chain technology. It overlaps with the technology track at Intermodal Europe (Future Freight Forum) for IoT and automation exhibitors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IntermodalEu
• Facebookfacebook.com/intermodalevents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/intermodal-europe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Intermodal Europe