Bari-Ship 2027 – Imabari, Japan

• May 20, 2027
  Event date:
• May 22, 2027
  Event end:

What to expect

Bari-Ship 2027 – Imabari, Japan is recognized as the largest international maritime exhibition in Western Japan and one of the most important maritime cluster events in Asia. Organized by Informa Markets Japan Co., Ltd. in partnership with Imabari City and the Imabari Maritime City Promotion Committee, this biennial exhibition has been held since 2009 and has grown continuously with the support of Japan’s maritime industry.

What to expect is a highly focused B2B platform held in Japan’s number one maritime city. Imabari is home to an unparalleled concentration of shipping companies, shipbuilders, ship machinery and equipment manufacturers, and maritime service providers. It is known as the fourth largest shipbuilding base in the world, with steel usage second only to Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. Bari-Ship brings this entire ecosystem together in one location.

The event brings together over 350 to 380 exhibitors from more than 20 countries and over 19,000 professional visitors. You can see, touch, and feel the latest technologies, from next-generation ship designs and decarbonization solutions to digital navigation systems and advanced marine equipment. The atmosphere is practical and business-driven, with live onboard tours of real vessels at Imabari Port, technical seminars, and extensive business matching opportunities. The final day is open to the public, allowing local community and students to engage with the future of the maritime industry, while business visitors remain welcome throughout.

Event dates

Show Name: Bari-Ship 2027

Official Dates: May 20th (Thursday), 21st (Friday), and 22nd (Saturday), 2027

Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily, final day until 4:00 PM

Public Open Day: The final day, Saturday, May 22nd, is open to the public. Business visitors are also welcome on this day.

Frequency: Biennial, 10th edition

Venue: Texport Imabari etc.

Organiser: Informa Markets Japan Co., Ltd.

In Partnership with: Imabari City, Imabari Maritime City Promotion Committee

Supporters (Plan): Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, The Japanese Shipowners’ Association, Japan Federation of Coastal Shipping Associations, The Shipbuilders’ Association of Japan, The Cooperative Association of Japan Shipbuilders, Japan Ship Exporters’ Association, Japan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association, ClassNK, The Japan Shipping Exchange, Inc, The Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers

Admission Fee: Free

Contact: +81 3-5296-1020, info@bariship.com, Official Website https://www.bariship.com/en/

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & exhibition site

Primary Venue: Texport Imabari Exhibition Hall is the main exhibition site for Bari-Ship. The address is 5-14-3 Higashimoncho, Imabari City, Ehime 794-0033, Japan. This venue provides approximately 15,000 square meters of exhibition space in recent editions and hosts the majority of indoor booths.

Secondary Venues: The event uses multiple sites under the designation Texport Imabari etc., which includes Technoport Imabari, Imabari Port M Zone for onboard vessel tours, and seminar rooms within the complex. This multi-venue format allows visitors to experience both indoor equipment displays and real ships docked nearby.

Venue Characteristics: Texport Imabari features high-ceiling halls suitable for large marine engines, navigation systems, and ship design models. Technoport Imabari houses conference facilities and seminar rooms for technical presentations. Imabari Port M Zone hosts the highly popular onboard tours where visitors can inspect actual vessels equipped with air lubrication systems, container-type battery systems, and digital equipment.

Exhibition Site Facilities: The site offers business meeting corners, free Wi-Fi in designated areas, multilingual support staff, cafeteria, and shuttle connections between venues. As Imabari is a compact maritime city, all venues are within short distance and accessible by shuttle or taxi.

Full event programme

The full event programme combines exhibition, vessel tours, seminars, and networking.

Opening Ceremony Programme: The opening ceremony is held at Texport Imabari with participation from Imabari City mayor, industry association leaders, and international delegates. It sets the theme for the edition, which in recent years has been Find the Future in Imabari.

Exhibition Programme: Continuous exhibition across three days with over 350 companies showcasing shipbuilders, ship repairers, ship designs, ship machinery and equipment, computer systems and software, port authorities, finance, insurance, associations, ship registry, trading companies, and publications.

Onboard Tour Programme: At Imabari Port M Zone, visitors can tour real vessels such as the SIM-SHIP1 mk2 Churasan, a 499 GT cargo ship equipped with advanced air lubrication system and digital equipment. These tours allow hands-on inspection of decarbonization technologies.

Seminar Programme: Exhibitor seminars run in parallel across seminar rooms, covering topics like alternative fuels, autonomous navigation, and digital transformation in ship management.

Networking Programme: Business matching, evening receptions hosted by Imabari maritime cluster companies, and student engagement programmes on public day.

Aircraft & aviation highlights

While Bari-Ship is a maritime exhibition, the Aircraft & Aviation Highlights section reflects the increasing convergence of maritime and aerial technologies for inspection and safety.

Drone Inspection Systems: Leading marine equipment companies demonstrate drones for hull inspection, tank inspection, and port surveillance, reducing the need for human entry into hazardous spaces.

Maritime Patrol Aviation Links: Exhibitors discuss coordination between shipping and aerial surveillance for search and rescue, piracy monitoring, and environmental protection.

Future Air Mobility for Port Logistics: Concept models and research presentations explore how unmanned aerial vehicles can support spare parts delivery to vessels at anchorage and port logistics optimization.

Safety Training Aviation: Simulators that integrate both ship bridge and aerial perspectives for comprehensive maritime safety training are showcased.

This cross-sector perspective shows how Imabari’s maritime innovation embraces aviation technologies to enhance safety and efficiency.

Airlines, manufacturers & exhibitors

Despite the heading, this section focuses on the core maritime manufacturers and exhibitors that define Bari-Ship.

Shipbuilders: Imabari Shipbuilding, Japan’s largest shipbuilder, along with Shin Kurushima Dockyard, Iwagi Zosen, and other members of The Shipbuilders’ Association of Japan and The Cooperative Association of Japan Shipbuilders.

Ship Machinery and Equipment: Mitsui E&S Group, JRCS Co., Ltd. featuring infoceanus digital series and power management systems, Yanmar, Daihatsu, and global marine engine manufacturers.

Ship Design and Engineering: Ship design firms presenting CFD-optimized hull forms, energy-saving devices, and alternative fuel-ready designs.

Marine Equipment and Systems: Companies such as MCM Japan Co., Ltd., Robustel showcasing maritime IoT connectivity, MarineTraffic by Kpler presenting vessel tracking and market intelligence solutions, and Ocean Technologies Group.

Software and Digital Solutions: Computer systems and software providers for fleet management, voyage optimization, and decarbonization reporting.

Finance, Insurance, and Classification: ClassNK, Japan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association, The Japan Shipping Exchange, financial institutions offering green shipping finance, and P&I clubs.

In recent editions, exhibitors came from 24 countries, making it a truly international sourcing platform.

Air shows & flight demonstrations

In the context of Bari-Ship, Air Shows & Flight Demonstrations are reinterpreted as live maritime demonstrations that deliver the same excitement and technical insight.

Onboard Vessel Demonstrations: Live demonstrations aboard vessels at Imabari Port where visitors can see air lubrication systems in operation, battery hybrid propulsion switching, and digital bridge systems.

Harbor Demonstrations: Tug and workboat maneuvers demonstrating advanced maneuvering systems and fuel-saving operation.

Drone Flight Demonstrations: Scheduled drone flights over the port area demonstrating hull inspection workflows, with real-time video streaming to exhibition hall screens.

Safety Equipment Demonstrations: Live deployment of life-saving appliances, firefighting systems, and emergency response equipment in controlled environments.

These demonstrations allow visitors to move beyond brochures and experience technologies in real operating conditions.

Exhibition halls & displays

The exhibition halls are organized by zones for easy navigation.

Zone A – Texport Imabari Main Hall: Large booths for shipbuilders, major marine engine manufacturers, and large equipment displays.

Zone B – Technoport Imabari: Medium-sized booths for ship machinery, equipment, computer systems, software, and trading companies. Example booth B-63 used by MCM Japan.

Zone C – Specialized Equipment Area: Focus on navigation systems, environmental solutions, insurance, finance, ship registry, associations, and publications.

M Zone – Imabari Port: Outdoor and dockside display area for onboard tours and floating exhibits.

Display Format: Exhibits include full-scale engines, scale models of vessels, interactive digital twins of ships, VR experiences for engine room maintenance, and digital dashboards for fleet performance monitoring.

The floor plan is designed to encourage flow between indoor halls and port areas, with shuttle buses connecting venues.

Ticket types & registration

Admission Fee: Free for all visitors across all three days. This is a core policy to maximize business matching and public engagement on the final day.

Business Visitor Registration: Pre-registration is available online via the official website https://www.bariship.com/. Upon pre-registration, visitors receive a QR code for fast-track entry.

On-Site Registration: Available at Texport Imabari entrance. Business cards are recommended for smooth registration.

Public Day Access: On the final day, the event is open to the general public, including students and local residents, with no ticket required.

Exhibitor Badges: Issued to exhibiting companies for staff access during setup and show days.

Seminar Registration: Exhibitor seminars are free but require separate registration at seminar rooms due to limited seating.

All registration is handled through Informa Markets Japan and can be supported via info@bariship.com.

VIP & professional access

Professional Access: Open to maritime industry professionals including shipowners, ship managers, shipbuilders, ship repairers, marine equipment manufacturers, naval architects, port authorities, classification societies, finance and insurance professionals, and maritime technology researchers.

VIP Programme: VIP buyers and key shipowners are invited through exhibitor invitations and organizer outreach, with access to VIP lounges and priority meeting scheduling.

Business Matching Service: Free business matching is provided by the organizer, allowing visitors to request meetings with exhibitors before and during the show.

Student and Academic Access: Students from maritime universities and technical colleges are welcomed, especially on public day, as part of human resource development for the future maritime industry.

International Visitor Support: Multilingual staff and English signage support international visitors from over 20 countries.

Boat, yacht & marine exhibitions

This is the core of Bari-Ship.

Commercial Shipbuilding: The main focus is on merchant vessels – bulk carriers, container ships, tankers, and specialized vessels built by Imabari cluster yards.

Marine Equipment: Comprehensive display of marine engines, propellers, deck machinery, electrical systems, navigation and communication systems.

Green Shipping Technologies: Air lubrication systems, wind-assisted propulsion, battery and hydrogen fuel systems, ammonia and methanol-ready engines, and energy-saving devices.

Small Vessels and Workboats: While large commercial ships dominate, workboats, tugboats, and support vessels used in port operations and offshore services are also represented.

Digital and Smart Shipping: Platforms for fleet performance monitoring, weather routing, predictive maintenance, and autonomous navigation support.

Port and Logistics: Port authorities and logistics service providers showcasing infrastructure and services supporting maritime trade.

Product launches & technology

Product launches and technology announcements are a major attraction.

New Ship Designs: Imabari yards typically use Bari-Ship to unveil new energy-efficient hull designs and next-generation fuel-ready vessel concepts.

Marine Equipment Launches: Companies launch new power management systems, digital series like infoceanus, IoT routers for maritime connectivity, and advanced sensors.

Decarbonization Technology: Launches focus on air lubrication, battery systems, fuel-saving fins, and software for carbon intensity indicator optimization.

Digital Innovation: New versions of vessel tracking platforms, voyage optimization software, and AI-based predictive maintenance tools are introduced.

Safety and Environmental Solutions: New ballast water treatment, exhaust gas cleaning, and oil spill response technologies are showcased.

Visitors are encouraged to attend exhibitor seminars where product launches are explained in detail with technical data and case studies.

Event rules & safety information

Admission Rules: Business visitors should bring business cards for registration. Public day visitors are welcome without business cards.

Safety Rules for Onboard Tours: Life jackets must be worn where required, follow crew instructions, and non-slip shoes are recommended. Photography may be restricted in certain areas of vessels.

Exhibition Hall Rules: No smoking inside halls, no outside food and drink in exhibition areas, and children must be accompanied by adults.

Photography Policy: Photography is generally permitted for personal business use, but permission should be obtained from exhibitors before photographing detailed equipment or proprietary technology.

Security: Bag checks may be conducted at entrances. Organizer reserves the right to refuse entry.

Emergency Information: Emergency exits are clearly marked. First aid stations are available at Texport Imabari. In case of earthquake, follow staff instructions.

Health Measures: Standard hygiene measures are maintained, with hand sanitizers available throughout venues.

How to get there

Imabari is located in Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku Island and is accessible via multiple routes.

By Air to Matsuyama: Fly to Matsuyama Airport, then take limousine bus to Matsuyama Station and JR train to Imabari Station, approximately 90 minutes total from airport to Imabari.

By Air to Hiroshima: Fly to Hiroshima Airport, then bus and train via Onomichi and Shimanami Kaido route, offering scenic access.

By Shinkansen: Take Shinkansen to Fukuyama or Onomichi, then transfer to JR Setouchi line and cross the Shimanami Kaido bridges to Imabari.

By Car: Access via Shimanami Kaido Expressway, a spectacular island-hopping highway connecting Honshu and Shikoku. Toll charges apply.

Local Transport: From Imabari Station to Texport Imabari, taxi takes approximately 10 minutes, costing around 10 USD to 15 USD.

The city’s compact size makes taxi and rental car convenient for moving between venues.

Public transport & parking

Public Transport in Imabari: Local buses connect Imabari Station to major hotels and exhibition venues. Shuttle buses operate between Texport Imabari, Technoport Imabari, and Imabari Port during show hours.

Parking: Limited parking is available at Texport Imabari and surrounding temporary parking areas. Parking is free but fills early, especially on public day.

Taxi Services: Taxis are readily available at Imabari Station and major hotels. Ride-hailing apps have limited coverage, so hotel taxi booking is recommended.

Bicycle Rental: Imabari is famous as a cycling city on the Shimanami Kaido route. Rental bicycles are available for leisure after show hours.

Accessibility of Transport: Local buses have low-floor access, and taxis can accommodate wheelchairs with advance booking.

Accommodation areas

Central Imabari Area: Business hotels such as Imabari Kokusai Hotel and JR Klef Klef Imabari offer convenient access to venues, with rates ranging from 70 USD to 130 USD per night.

Near Imabari Station: Several business hotels within walking distance of the station provide easy train access, with rates from 60 USD to 100 USD.

Matsuyama Area: For visitors combining business with sightseeing, Matsuyama City offers a wider range of hotels from 80 USD to 200 USD, about one hour by train from Imabari.

Onomichi and Shimanami Area: Island resorts and hotels along Shimanami Kaido offer scenic stays from 100 USD to 250 USD per night.

Booking Advice: May is peak season for Imabari due to the exhibition and favorable weather. Early booking at least three months in advance is strongly recommended. The organizer does not handle hotel bookings.

Accessibility

Venue Accessibility: Texport Imabari and Technoport Imabari are single-story or low-rise exhibition halls with ramp access, wide aisles suitable for wheelchairs, and accessible restrooms.

Port Area Accessibility: Onboard vessel tours involve stairs and narrow passages and may not be fully accessible for wheelchair users. Viewing from dockside is possible as alternative.

Transport Accessibility: Shuttle buses include accessible vehicles upon request. Taxi companies can provide wheelchair-accessible vehicles with advance reservation.

Support Services: Information desks provide assistance for visitors with disabilities. English and Japanese signage is provided throughout.

Family Access: On public day, families are welcome, with nursing rooms available at main venues.

Previous year’s highlights

The previous edition held in May demonstrated why Bari-Ship is considered Japan’s premier maritime industry event in Western Japan.

That edition was the largest ever, with exhibitors from 380 companies from 24 countries and approximately 20,000 visitors during the three-day exhibition. The exhibition size exceeded 15,000 square meters across multiple venues.

Highlights included the onboard tour of SIM-SHIP1 mk2 Churasan showcasing air lubrication and battery hybrid systems, extensive displays of alternative fuel engines, and digital transformation solutions for fleet management. MarineTraffic and other intelligence providers demonstrated real-time vessel tracking integrated with decarbonization reporting.

Exhibitor seminars were fully booked, covering topics from green finance to autonomous shipping. The opening ceremony emphasized Imabari’s role as a global maritime cluster. The public day attracted students and local community members, supporting future human resource development for the maritime industry.

Post-show reports indicated high satisfaction among exhibitors regarding business matching quality and international visitor diversity.

Official tickets & registration

Official Website: https://www.bariship.com/en/

Contact Information: Phone +81 3-5296-1020, Email info@bariship.com

Organiser: Informa Markets Japan Co., Ltd.

Admission: Free for all visitors including business professionals and public day visitors.

Registration Method: Online pre-registration via official website is recommended for fast-track entry. On-site registration is also available at Texport Imabari entrance.

Exhibitor Inquiries: Companies interested in exhibiting should contact the organizer via the inquiry form on the official website. General information for the next edition is released approximately one year in advance.

Supporters: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japanese Shipowners’ Association, Shipbuilders’ Association of Japan, Japan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association, ClassNK, and other leading maritime organizations.

All official information should be obtained from the official website to avoid misinformation.

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