auto show, powersports, RV and marine · 2027 location not confirmed yet
International WorkBoat Show 2027The exhibitor guide: booth costs, dates and deadlines
Tugs, barges and shipyards: WorkBoat Show 2027 booths in New Orleans
- Event dates
- 2027 dates not confirmed yet
- Exhibit hall
- Not confirmed yet
- Venue
- Not confirmed yetLast edition: New Orleans, LA
4.9 star rating from clients10,000+ booths built3,000+ exhibitors servedSince 2015
Quick answers
International WorkBoat Show 2027 in 30 seconds
The International WorkBoat Show is the U.S. trade show for the commercial vessel industry, run by Diversified Communications in New Orleans. No 2027 dates or hall have been announced, so both read not confirmed yet. December 2 to 4, 2026 is the edition at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The organizer lists 1,000+ exhibitors, 13,000+ attendees and $2.3 billion in attendee buying power. Exhibitors sell engines, propulsion, deck machinery, electronics and shipyard services to vessel owners, operators, naval architects and government buyers. Booths are reserved through the organizer. Purple builds heavy-product booths with meeting rooms for it.
- When is International WorkBoat Show 2027?
- The 2027 dates and location are not confirmed yet. The last edition was in New Orleans, LA.
- When does the International WorkBoat Show exhibit hall open?
- Not confirmed yet for 2027. In 2026 the floor opens December 2–4 at the Morial Convention Center: Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- How much is booth space at International WorkBoat Show?
- Rates in the organizer's 2026 exhibiting kit, sent on request, paid to the organizer.
- What does a 10×20 booth cost all-in at International WorkBoat Show?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental at International WorkBoat Show with design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. International WorkBoat Show bills space and show services separately.
Official International WorkBoat Show 2027 links: International WorkBoat Show 2027 hotelsInternational WorkBoat Show 2027 scheduleInternational WorkBoat Show 2027 booth space
Powersports, RV & marine · New Orleans · 2027
13,000+
attendees at the International WorkBoat Show, per Diversified Communications source
The lookNew Orleans · December 2027
Tow up the river. Repower on the table.
The International WorkBoat Show gathers tug, barge, ferry and shipyard people in New Orleans; 1,000+ exhibitors, per Diversified Communications. 2027 dates not confirmed yet.
Everything about International WorkBoat Show 2027 in one place
International WorkBoat Show 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | International WorkBoat Show 2027 |
|---|---|
| Event dates | 2027 dates not confirmed yet |
| Exhibit hall dates | Not confirmed yet In 2026 the floor opens December 2–4 at the Morial Convention Center: Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Venue | New Orleans (2027 venue not confirmed yet) New Orleans, LA |
| Organizer | Diversified Communications |
| Who attends | Vessel owners and operators, shipyards, naval architects, marine engineers and government buyers |
| Nearest airport | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) |
| Hotels | WorkBoat's 2027 hotel block: not confirmed yet Official hotel page → |
| Official website | workboatshow.com |
Official International WorkBoat Show resources
International WorkBoat Show 2027 calendar
International WorkBoat Show 2027 dates and deadlines
The International WorkBoat Show dates the organizer has published, in order, each linked to the page that states it. The next one is highlighted.
01 Purple at International WorkBoat Show 2027
Tugs, barges and shipyards: WorkBoat Show 2027 booths in New Orleans
The International WorkBoat Show fills the Morial Convention Center with the people who own, run, design and repair commercial vessels. We build booths that carry heavy propulsion and deck gear, show the engineering and give an operator a place to sit down with your estimator.
- 2027 dates not confirmed yet
- 1,000+ exhibitors
- $2.3B buying power
What makes International WorkBoat Show different, and how we build for it
The International WorkBoat Show is the national meeting of the commercial vessel business: tug and towboat operators, barge lines, ferry and offshore fleets, shipyards, naval architects and the suppliers who keep them running. Diversified Communications runs it at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, a short drive from the Gulf yards and Mississippi River fleets. Around 1,000 exhibitors bring engines, propellers, winches, electronics and coatings. WorkBoat editors name ten Significant Boats of the year, a Maritime Breakfast covers American shipbuilding, and Government Maritime Acquisition Day puts federal buyers on the floor on the final morning.
Uptime, fuel and crew numbers for their tugs, towboats or crew boats, from someone who can quote a repower or a retrofit.
Drawings, specs and lead times for propulsion, deck machinery and outfitting, plus a quiet table to mark up a general arrangement.
Clear capability statements and contract vehicles; Government Maritime Acquisition Day gathers them on the final morning.
Your team in New Orleans
How Purple runs the WorkBoat Show 2027
Fabrication happens in Purple's Fishkill, NY or Las Vegas shop, picked by production calendar; walls and graphics then ship to the advance warehouse in the 2027 kit, and machinery is booked straight into the contractor's dock order. Your Purple project manager runs the New Orleans floor with the trades the official contractor provides, then crates everything for storage or your next marine show.
Inside International WorkBoat Show 2027
Rules that shape your International WorkBoat Show booth
Space, pricing and booth availability come in Diversified Communications' exhibiting kit and are reserved through its sales team. We design to the confirmed footprint and order services from the 2027 kit.
Exhibitor staff may assemble their own booth in Louisiana, while union trades through the official contractor handle freight, electrical and rigging. Your Purple project manager directs those trades on the floor.
The organizer says it does not sell attendee lists and that offers for travel, ads or data from unofficial groups are fraud. We book hotels and services only through the vendors the show names.
Programs worth planning for
WorkBoat editors choose ten new vessels notable for design, construction, innovation or their role in their trade; announced at a happy hour on opening day in 2026.
A final-morning program for federal and agency buyers and the suppliers who sell to them; 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in 2026.
Held on the second day; the 2026 topic is the American shipbuilding opportunity.
A free annual summit for students and maritime professionals, hosted by Core Group Resources.
The International WorkBoat Show is the national show for tugs, barges, ferries, offshore vessels and shipyards; choose it over Pacific Marine Expo when your buyers run commercial vessels beyond the fishing fleet. Every automotive and transportation show we build for, side by side →
automotive and transportation at International WorkBoat Show
The industry behind International WorkBoat Show, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for International WorkBoat Show 2027
What does a WorkBoat Show 2027 booth cost?
WorkBoat booths are reserved through Diversified Communications, with rates in its exhibiting kit. The floor runs from inline booths for service firms to large islands for engine and propulsion makers. Purple builds from 10×20 up, with heavy product plinths, cutaway displays and meeting tables.
A cutaway or scale model on a plinth, a capability wall naming vessel types served and a counter for estimators to trade cards.
Shown: Sedemac, a Purple inline booth
See 10×20 rental booths →
A propeller, pump or control console on display, a screen with a vessel reference reel and a small table for operators.
Shown: Han Song, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
An island around an engine or thruster, with floor-load planning, a meeting room and a hanging sign over the aisle.
Above: LeadSquared, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×20 rental booths →
A full propulsion package or deck winch, two meeting rooms for yard and owner meetings and a parts and service counter.
Shown: a Purple island exhibit for taril
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's International WorkBoat Show price
- Booth design with a 3D rendering, revised until it is right
- Structure, printed graphics, counters and storage as specified
- Lighting and power distribution inside the booth
- Installation and dismantle at the venue, with our project manager on the floor
- Every International WorkBoat Show show-service order and deadline tracked for you
Paid to International WorkBoat Show and its contractor
- Your International WorkBoat Show booth space, paid to the organizer
- Drayage, or material handling, when it is not in the International WorkBoat Show space rate
- Electrical, internet and rigging orders for International WorkBoat Show
- Booth cleaning and whatever union labor the International WorkBoat Show venue requires
Rates to plan with for International WorkBoat Show:
- Booth build 10×20 rental $7,500–$15,000; custom 20×20 $50,000–$120,000, Purple's 2026 planning range source
- Drayage, New Orleans About $155 per hundredweight, 200 lb minimum, Purple's planning figure source
- Space Rates in the organizer's 2026 exhibiting kit, sent on request source
Before you sign, your proposal already estimates each of these show charges, so the International WorkBoat Show total is on paper.
Prices are all-in 2026 rental ranges for design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle; custom builds are quoted per project. Want an exact number for the host city? Use the booth cost calculator or the 2026 booth cost guide.
Tell us your International WorkBoat Show booth size and what the space has to do. A reply within one business day, then a International WorkBoat Show rendering and fixed proposal, usually within a week. No charge.
The booth we would build for International WorkBoat Show 2027
The engine-room island with an estimator's table
WorkBoat buyers are operators, yards and naval architects who price repowers and newbuilds with drawings in hand. So the booth opens the machinery up on one side and gives the estimator a closed room on the other.
Machinery plinth
A low, lit plinth for the engine, thruster or winch, with a sectioned part or cutaway so engineers can see inside.
Vessel-type wall
A wall naming the boats you serve, tug, towboat, ferry, crew boat, offshore supply, with a reference vessel photo for each.
Estimator's room
A closed room with a large table and a screen for general arrangements and repower quotes.
Service counter
A front counter with parts lead times and service locations along the Gulf and the rivers.
The demo
Walk an operator through a repower: today's fuel burn and hours, the new package, the payback period and the yard time, on one screen beside the machinery.
The meetings
There is no matchmaking system; meetings are booked by the sales team before December. Conference sessions pull traffic from the floor late morning, which is the best time for booked room meetings, and the Maritime Breakfast on day two gathers yard owners.
More hours on the river. Fewer in the yard.
03 Built by Purple
WorkBoat Show booths that carry heavy machinery
Case study · KLEEMANN
KLEEMANN at an industrial technology exhibition
KLEEMANN combined real equipment with simulations in a floor plan that led visitors step by step; propulsion and deck machinery makers at WorkBoat need that sequence, from the hardware on the plinth to the engineering story on the screen.
Read the KLEEMANN case study All case studies →“If you’re looking for a trade show booth expert who shows up and gets the job done right, Purple Exhibits is the real deal.”
Magdalena Kulisz, Service Manager, Miss Immigrant USA · client reviews
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for propulsion, deck machinery, electronics, shipyard and vessel service suppliers at International WorkBoat Show
Designing a WorkBoat booth for operators and naval architects
1Engineering on display
Naval architects and port engineers walk WorkBoat to see how things are built. A sectioned gearbox, an exposed thruster or a scale model tells them more than a photo; we build cutaway stands and lighting that show the inside.
2Name the vessel types
A towboat operator and an offshore supply fleet want different answers. We put the vessel types you serve on the aisle face, so each buyer sees their boat before reading a word.
3Room for estimators
Repowers and newbuild packages are priced at a table with drawings. A meeting room or a large table with a screen lets your estimator work through a general arrangement without standing in the aisle.
4Heavy gear, early dock slot
Engines and winches arrive first and set the floor plan around them. We send weights, dimensions and lifting points with the order so the contractor's forklift crew places them before walls go up.
Concept rendering
Every International WorkBoat Show proposal includes a rendering like this
The 3D view shows layout, graphics, lighting and product positions before we cut a panel, and we revise it until the International WorkBoat Show booth is right. Above: a Purple concept for precise LED.
Start my International WorkBoat Show conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at International WorkBoat Show 2027
The 2027 venue is not confirmed yet. These are the facts of the 2026 edition at the Morial, from the organizer and Purple's Morial guide, that shape a WorkBoat booth.
Morial exhibit halls
A long riverfront hall where WorkBoat's 1,000-plus exhibitors set up, with heavy propulsion and deck gear on the floor.
Our advice Heavy pieces go in first; get your weights and lifting points to us early.
Main stage and classroom sessions
Conference sessions ran 10 a.m. to about 3 p.m. on the first two days in 2026, per the organizer.
Our advice Floor traffic dips during sessions; schedule booked meetings then.
Government Maritime Acquisition Day
The final morning, 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in 2026, aimed at federal and agency buyers.
Our advice Put contract vehicles and capability statements on the counter for Friday.
05 New Orleans (2027 venue not confirmed yet) · New Orleans
WorkBoat 2027 freight, heavy gear and Morial labor rules
WorkBoat has not named its 2027 venue or contractor. In 2026 it runs at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, where, per Purple's Morial guide, Louisiana's right-to-work law lets an exhibitor's own staff assemble a booth, while union trades hired through the official contractor handle freight, power and rigging, and drayage planning runs near $155 per hundredweight with a 200-pound minimum. Purple reads the 2027 kit when it is posted, files the exhibitor-appointed contractor forms, books heavy pieces with their lifting points into the dock order and builds the booth in Fishkill, NY or Las Vegas.
What Purple handles
- Cutaway stands, model cases and heavy product plinths
- Meeting rooms for repower and newbuild talks
- Dock scheduling with weights and lifting points
- EAC forms and 2027 kit orders
- Hanging signs where the hall allows
- Storage and reuse for Pacific Marine Expo or IBEX
Your International WorkBoat Show timeline, from move-in back
Design sign-off for International WorkBoat Show is due by About 10 weeks before move-in.
- When the 2027 booth is reservedSpace confirmed with Diversified Communications; send us product weights, dimensions and lifting points.
- About 10 weeks before move-inDesign sign-off: plinths, cutaway stands, meeting room and hanging sign approved.
- 8 to 4 weeks before move-inProduction in Fishkill, NY or Las Vegas within 30 to 45 days; scale models and cutaways mounted.
- About 3 weeks before move-inFreight to the advance warehouse named in the 2027 kit; heavy pieces scheduled direct with the contractor.
- Move-in days before openingInstall directed by your Purple project manager with the labor the venue requires; 2027 move-in days not confirmed yet.
- Show days, 2027 dates not confirmed yetThree floor days in 2026; after the Friday close we crate the booth for storage or the next marine show.
Planning timeline from Purple. Move-in, freight target and order deadlines are set by the International WorkBoat Show exhibitor kit and your assigned schedule; we confirm them for your booth once you book.
Print the International WorkBoat Show budget & deadline sheetBefore you book International WorkBoat Show 2027
WorkBoat floor habits worth knowing before December
The 2026 floor closed at 2 p.m. on Friday after two full days, so the deals happen Wednesday and Thursday; plan Friday for Government Maritime Acquisition Day buyers. source
The Significant Boats awards and happy hour ran 4 to 5 p.m. on opening day in 2026; if a vessel you supplied makes the list, have the reference on your booth screen that afternoon. source
Exhibitor events and happy hours are allowed on the show floor all three days, per the organizer, so a small evening reception in your booth is an option. source
Only contract hotels and services through vendors the organizer lists; it warns that unofficial groups sell fake travel and data packages to WorkBoat exhibitors. source
Louisiana is right-to-work, so your own employees may put up the booth, but freight, power and rigging still go through the official contractor's union trades. source
Who you meet on the floor
Tug, towboat, barge, ferry and offshore fleets come to compare propulsion, electronics and service suppliers, per the organizer's audience.
Yards source outfitting, machinery and coatings for newbuilds and repairs, and the Small Shipyard Grant breakfast draws them to the show.
They specify equipment on new designs and look for technical detail and drawings.
Government Maritime Acquisition Day brings federal and agency acquisition staff to the floor on the final morning.
Side by side
International WorkBoat Show vs Pacific Marine Expo vs IBEX: 2027 at a glance
| International WorkBoat Show | Pacific Marine Expo | IBEX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dates | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | December 7–9, 2027 |
| Where | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet | Tampa, FL · Tampa Convention Center |
| Size | 13,000+ attendees at the International WorkBoat Show, per Diversified Communications | 5,000+ attendees at Pacific Marine Expo, per Diversified Communications | 7,700+ professionals at IBEX 2026 |
| Main buyers | Vessel owners and operators | Commercial fishermen and skippers | Boatbuilders |
| Booth space | Price not published | Price not published | Space (2027): $37 per sq ft NMMA members, $42 non-members, per IBEX |
Figures carry the year and source shown on each show's own page.
Travel to International WorkBoat Show 2027
Getting to International WorkBoat Show 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
Travel facts from workboatshow.com.
International WorkBoat Show by the numbers
International WorkBoat Show year by year
How International WorkBoat Show 2027 compares with other automotive and transportation shows
The automotive and transportation shows closest to International WorkBoat Show on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each show name opens our automotive and transportation exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEMA ShowSpecialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) | November 2–5, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 2,300 exhibiting brands (2025) |
| RVDA Convention/ExpoRV Dealers Association (RVDA) | November 8–12, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 1,715 attendees (2025) |
| IBEXNMMA and RAI Amsterdam | December 7–9, 2027 | Tampa, FL | 7,700+ attendees · 701 exhibitors (2026) |
| PRI ShowPerformance Racing Industry (PRI) | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Indianapolis, IN | – |
| LA Auto ShowLA Auto Show | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Los Angeles, CA | – |
| CoMotion LACoMotion | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Los Angeles, CA | 1,200+ attendees (2026) |
| American Towman ExpositionAmerican Towman Media (A.T. Expo Corp.) | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Baltimore, MD | 260+ exhibitors (2026) |
| Pacific Marine ExpoDiversified Communications (presented by National Fisherman) | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Seattle, WA | – |
| MRAA Dealer WeekMarine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Tampa, FL | 1,400+ industry participants, 600+ dealer participants · 180 exhibitors (2025) |
| International WorkBoat ShowDiversified Communications | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | New Orleans, LA | – |
International WorkBoat Show exhibitor questions
International WorkBoat Show 2027 exhibitor questions
When is the International WorkBoat Show 2027?
WorkBoat's 2027 dates are not confirmed yet. The latest edition runs December 2 to 4, 2026 in New Orleans, and the show has kept to early December.
Where is the WorkBoat Show held?
New Orleans; the 2026 edition fills the Morial Convention Center on the riverfront. The 2027 venue is not confirmed yet.
What are the WorkBoat Show exhibit hours?
For 2026: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 2 and Thursday, December 3, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, December 4, per the organizer's schedule.
How big is the WorkBoat Show?
Diversified Communications lists 1,000+ exhibitors and 13,000+ attendees, with 96% visitor satisfaction, and says attendees represent $2.3 billion in buying power.
How much does a booth at the WorkBoat Show cost?
The organizer sends booth rates in its 2026 exhibiting kit rather than posting them. Purple's custom 20×20 island runs $50,000 to $120,000 and a rented 10×20 with your graphics $7,500 to $15,000, with Morial labor and drayage billed separately.
Who exhibits at the WorkBoat Show?
Engine and propulsion makers, propeller and thruster suppliers, deck machinery, marine electronics, coatings, shipyards and naval architecture firms, insurers and vessel service companies.
What are the Significant Boats awards?
WorkBoat editors pick ten new vessels that stand out for design, construction, innovation or their role in their trade. In 2026 the awards and happy hour run 4 to 5 p.m. on opening day.
Can we set up our own booth at the Morial Convention Center?
Your own employees may assemble the exhibit under Louisiana's right-to-work law, per Purple's Morial guide. Freight, power and rigging go through union trades hired by the official contractor.
Is the WorkBoat Show worth it for government contractors?
It can be. Government Maritime Acquisition Day runs on the final morning, 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in 2026, and puts agency buyers and primes on the floor.
What is the difference between the WorkBoat Show and Pacific Marine Expo?
WorkBoat covers the whole U.S. commercial vessel business in New Orleans in December; Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle focuses on commercial fishing in Alaska and the West Coast. Diversified Communications runs both.
Does the WorkBoat Show sell attendee lists?
It does not. The organizer warns that groups offering travel, advertising or attendee data are fraudulent and says to check the official vendor list before signing anything.
How does Purple ship a heavy booth to New Orleans?
We send product weights, dimensions and lifting points with the order, ship walls and graphics to the advance warehouse and book heavy pieces into the contractor's dock schedule so they land before carpet.
Before you sign for International WorkBoat Show
Ask any International WorkBoat Show exhibit builder these five questions:
- How will you get our engine or thruster onto the WorkBoat floor, and who supplies the rigging and lifting plan?
- Can you build a sectioned display or cutaway from our CAD files instead of shipping the full machine?
- Which tasks may our own employees do under Louisiana's right-to-work rules, and which go to the contractor's union trades?
- What drayage weight do you estimate for our booth at the Morial, and how will you reduce it?
- Can the same booth travel to Pacific Marine Expo or IBEX with new graphics?
What International WorkBoat Show exhibitors ask us
Our product is a 20-ton engine. Do we really bring it? Often a sectioned component, a scale model and a screen do the job, and cost far less to ship than the full engine. If the engine itself sells the deal, we plan the dock slot, rigging and floor load from the 2027 kit.
The 2027 dates are not published. When should we start? Reserve space as soon as booth sales open, then start design about 10 weeks before move-in. Product weights and CAD files for cutaways can be gathered now.
Is New Orleans labor going to blow our budget? Louisiana's right-to-work law lets your own staff assemble, which helps. Drayage near $155 per hundredweight is the bigger line, so we pack light and ship heavy pieces direct.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your International WorkBoat Show booth
What happens next
- You get a reply within one business day, asking about your products, goals and footprint at International WorkBoat Show.
- Your International WorkBoat Show concept rendering and fixed proposal usually arrive within a week. Every last fee for International WorkBoat Show, listed upfront and in full on paper.
- We build in 30 to 45 days, ship to the advance warehouse and have the booth installed before International WorkBoat Show opens.