Oceanology International (Oi) will take place March 10-12, 2026 at Excel London. Ocean Economy is an official media partner of the event.
This global forum, which has been running for 57 years, connects members of ocean-related industry, academia, and government to improve strategies for exploring, protecting, and sustainably operating in the world’s waterways.
Exploration, environmental monitoring, sustainable engineering, and the ocean enterprise are among the key themes for 2026.
A new COAST exhibition focus and conference track has been launched to address the critical challenges of coasts in the face of storms, flooding, erosion, and rising sea levels. Leading companies in the coastal and shallow-water field will highlight developments in coastal protection, erosion control, sediment transport analysis, shoreline stabilization, and climate adaptation that support sustainable coastal development and ecosystem protection.
Exhibition
Tech showcases will take center stage on the 20,000-square-meter exhibitor floor, and demonstrations will occur live, in the water at the Royal Victoria Dock.
With every continent in the world represented, the show floor will host more than 450 exhibitors, international pavilions, small and medium enterprises, startups, accelerators, and innovation clusters.
Leading exhibitors returning for 2026 include Fugro (a sponsor of the Ocean Futures stage), Teledyne Marine, Saab Seaeye, Kongsberg Discovery, General Oceans, and many more.
More than 100 first-time exhibitors will be present, including the geospatial service provider Ocean Ledger, which will make its debut in the COAST exhibition zone.
Next-generation marine technology in AI, robotics, and autonomous systems; GIS, cloud analytics, and integrated platforms; and monitoring, resilience, and compliance technology will be on display, offering innovations to advance sustainable practices, cut costs, improve safety, and lower risk.
Conference Program
The Oi conference program will feature industry leaders on the Ocean Futures stage and other locations to spark discussions that will define the future of ocean technology.
Technical topics include: uncrewed vehicles and vessels; hydrography; geophysics and geotechnics; site investigation; ocean observation; navigation and positioning; maritime domain awareness; offshore energy; marine data, analytics, and AI; underwater communication and navigation; and ocean exploration.
Costas Kadis, the EU commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, will give a keynote speech on the future of the blue economy in the Ocean Futures Theatre.
Claire Jolly, head of the ocean economy program at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, will give the opening keynote for a plenary session to explore the scale and scope of the ocean economy and its future development.
In the COAST Theatre, Jon Rees, principal oceanographer at the UK’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, will give a keynote on the future of coastal marine conservation and restoration. Caroline Douglass, executive director of the UK’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management at the Environment Agency, will address the current challenges in coastal resilience and flood defense. Mick Cook of the Society for Underwater Technology will offer guidance for unexploded ordnance risk management in offshore renewable energy developments.
Networking
Networking is at the core of Oceanology International, with opportunities designed to create significant connections between exhibitors and attendees. In partnership with UK Research and Innovation, Oi offers free, brokered meetings to facilitate projects. These complimentary meetings will take place on the show floor.
Oceanology International provides an opportunity for ocean professionals in industry, government, and academia to come together across a wide range of ocean sectors, including offshore renewables, oil and gas, ocean observation, security and defense, science, ports, aquaculture, and subsea.
“Networking events and international partnerships support cross-border collaboration and commercial growth,” said Oi Event Director David Ince.
Click here to learn more about Oi and register.
Image Credit: ASV Photography Ltd.
