Catch the Next Wave during Oceanology International 2016 (photo: OI)

The Oceanology International 2018 exhibition and conference, which runs from 13th to 15th March at ExCel, London, promises to be a crucially significant occasion as organiser Reed Exhibitions looks to expand the event’s remit.

The 24th edition of this biennial global forum will spotlight technological developments including robotics, advanced sensor technology and autonomous systems. The conference programme, meanwhile, will boast 11 free-to-attend technical tracks, all chaired by prominent industry figures.

However, in addition to the main schedule, the 2018 event will host an illuminating series of parallel showcases. The first of these, the Ocean Futures Forum, runs from 09.30-13.30 on Tuesday, 13 March 2018, and will consider long-term energy trends, ocean growth and diversification and sustainability. An introductory session will be followed by a discussion with keynote presenters including Claire Jolly (Head of the OECD Space Forum), Professor Ed Hill OBE (Executive Director, National Oceanography Centre) and Jim Hanlon (CEO, The Institute for Ocean Research Enterprise). A networking lunch will follow, and registration costs GBP 100 + VAT.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, 15 March 2018 from 09.30-17.00, Catch The Next Wave 2018: Frontiers of Exploration is being organised in association with The Explorers Club and will assess the intrinsic relationship between exploration and technology and how each drives the other. The programme features paired presentations from industry experts discussing the role technology has played in man’s ability to explore environments on the seafloor, in the oceans, on the oceans, over the oceans and into space and includes Gordon Campbell of the European Space Agency; diver, presenter and explorer Rory Golden, the first Irish diver to visit the site of RMS Titanic; and Dr Andone Lavery of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Registration costs £100 + VAT.

According to Catch the Next Wave 2018 chairman Ralph Rayner: “This creatively stimulating conference will draw upon the combined insight and expertise of a range of leading explorers and ocean professionals to highlight demonstrable technological achievements that are aiding exploration and research while stressing the ongoing importance of technological progress.”

Complementing Oceanology International 2018’s conference programme, Ocean ICT Expo will address the demand for marine and ocean IT, communications, satellite and data storage solutions, with hundreds of highly targeted experts on hand. An additional seminar area will host presentations from global software, hardware and communication services professionals, applying ICT solutions to assist growth in ocean data acquisition, storage, transfer and analytics.

A further source of business-focused advice is provided by the Investment, Trade & Innovation Theatre. The “Entrepreneurs” Advisory Workshop’ is designed to lend assistance to entrepreneurs seeking partner funding: interested parties can even apply via the Oceanology International website to book 1-2-1 clinics with VC/PE technology investors. Applications must be received by 15 December 2017.

In addition, the theatre’s ‘New Technology Showcase’ enables exhibitors to secure presentation slots to display their new products and technologies to the wider marine science community.

Finally, the co-located Interspill 2018 conference and exhibition will examine all aspects of future oil spills, including spill prevention, preparedness, response and restoration.

David Ince, Oceanology International Event Manager, Reed Exhibitions, comments: “The addition of so many complementary parallel events and areas of content at Oceanology International 2018 alongside a world-class exhibition increases the benefits and value for all those attending and makes it an unrivalled shop window for pertinent and exciting developments in marine science and ocean technology.”

Tags: Interspill, Oceanology International 2018, Reed Exhibitions