Oceanology International, a meeting place for ocean science, engineering, and technology, is returning with renewed energy for the next event on March 10 to 12, 2026, at Excel London
Oi26 will offer a global stage for new technologies, important solutions, and leading ideas shaping the future ocean economy.
Exploration, sustainable marine engineering, environmental monitoring, and the ocean enterprise are some of the key themes of the three-day exhibition and conference programme.
A new Coast exhibition and conference topic has been added to make the already varied Oi event even better, in response to the problems coasts face from storms, flooding, erosion, and rising sea levels.
This new focus aims to show progress in protecting coasts, stopping erosion, studying how sand and soil move, keeping shorelines stable, and adapting to climate change to help coasts grow in ways that protect nature.
Exhibitors Unveil Latest Innovations
The main focus will be on new product launches and live demonstrations at the dockside area of the Royal Victoria Dock, where hundreds of exhibitors will showcase new products and share the latest in ocean technology, science, and engineering.
Companies introducing new products and solutions include:
- Voyis: Canadian specialists with versatile optical solutions to enhance underwater capability and remote environment understanding.
- Lidan Marine: a Swedish specialist in the development, production, and marketing of complete, customised winch and handling systems.
- Hampidjan: An Iceland-based company introducing a new fibre rope, TechIce.
The event is expected to have over 450 exhibitors, international groups, small and medium businesses, start-ups, business accelerators, and groups focused on new ideas. Returning exhibitors include Fugro, Teledyne Marine, Saab Seaeye, Kongsberg Discovery, and General Oceans.
There are thought to be around 100 first-time exhibitors on show, providing access to a wider mix of technologies, services, and potential partners than past editions.
Robert Hoddenbach, global director for Climate and Nature, Fugro, said, “Oceanology International is one of the main events for the industry. Fugro has been mapping, modelling and monitoring the oceans for the last 70 years, and this is one of the premier locations to showcase our solutions and our vast expertise in technology. It’s also a way to engage with the market that is quickly changing. Furthermore, it's a way for us to showcase our new technologies, like our satellite-derived bathymetry, our RAMMS Airborne LiDAR Bathymetry, but also our USVs.”
Pioneering Insight at Oi Conference
The Oi conference programme features a line-up of industry-leading speakers taking to the Ocean Futures Theatre stage and other locations, aiming to spark insightful discussion that defines the future of ocean technology and drives real-world change across global marine and offshore sectors.
To address the problems coastlines face, the new Coast conference topic explores new ideas in areas such as managing coastal zones, protecting coastal waters and the environment, strengthening coasts, ports and terminals, and protecting coastal buildings and structures.
Technical topics to be covered include:
- Hydrography
- Geophysics & Geotechnics
- Site Investigation
- Ocean Observation
- Maritime Domain Awareness
- Offshore Energy
- Marine Data
- Analytics & AI
- Underwater Communication & Navigation
- Ocean Exploration
Among the contributors to the 2026 conference program is Costas Kadis, European commissioner for Oceans and Fisheries, EU Commission, who will give a keynote speech on ‘The Future of the Blue Economy’ in the Ocean Futures Theatre.
Claire Jolly, lead of the Ocean Economy programme at the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), will deliver the opening keynote for a plenary session exploring the scale and scope of the Ocean Economy and the likely trajectory of its future development.
Jolly said, “Oi is a special hub where you meet many different stakeholders from industries, academia, public sector, and where innovation is really a keyword. The conference is a perfect place where the OECD’s work on the ocean economy foresight will be of interest. I think this audience will particularly appreciate some of our findings.”
In the Coast Theatre, Dr Jon Rees, principal oceanographer, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), will give a keynote focusing on ‘The Future of Coastal Marine Conservation and Restoration’; Caroline Douglass, executive director, Flood and Coastal Risk Management, Environment Agency, will address the current challenges in coastal resilience and flood defence.
In the South Gallery rooms, Mick Cook, SUT UXO Special Interest Group, will present Guidance Notes for Risk Identification and Common Mitigations related to Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) for Offshore Renewable Energy Developments.
The Uncrewed Vehicles and Vessels sessions, supported in 2026 by Ocean Robotics Planet Magazine, are moderated by Dan Hook, CEO of electric propulsion systems specialist RAD Propulsion, and Richard Mills, CCO of Cellula Robotics Ltd.
Jim Bellingham, director, Centre for Marine Robotics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), will speak in a keynote on the theme of Charting the Future: AI, Robotics and the Evolution of Uncrewed Ocean Systems.
How Oi Answers Today’s Pressing Challenges
Tools such as AI, robotics, self-driving systems, mapping software, cloud data tools, and connected platforms, along with technologies for monitoring, resilience, and compliance, will help engineers, scientists, operators, surveyors, and technical experts discover and test the latest marine technology. They will also learn how the latest ocean inventions can support sustainable practices, save money, improve safety, and reduce risk.
David Ince, Oi event director, said, “Oi26 is positioned to deliver real impact, not only through the show floor product launches and a wide-ranging conference programme, but also through networking and Ocean Social events, technology workshops and training, and the unique Future Tech Hub for start-ups and tech-accelerators.
“The new COAST focus will raise the profile of key topics, including climate resilience and coast protection. With coastal zones under increasing threat, Oi26 will showcase innovative technologies that strengthen coastal resilience and adaptive infrastructure. Real-time data and predictive modelling are vital for coastal planning and disaster response, so Oi will also offer the chance to explore integrated monitoring platforms and early warning systems that improve decision-making. The balance between economic activity and environmental protection is a coastal imperative which will also be addressed by the sharing of ocean technologies which support sustainable tourism, aquaculture and coast livelihoods.
“Surveyors and geotechnical professionals will see solutions in GIS, cloud analytics and integrated platforms, understanding more about the power of the latest generation of scalable, interoperable data tools that can transform rapidly growing volumes of subsea data into strategic insight.
“With rising pressures to meet environmental mandates, Oi also highlights innovations in monitoring, resilience and compliance technology which advance sustainable ocean practices. Meanwhile, remote and autonomous technologies are showcased as key tools for efficiency and safety – especially in hydrography and deep-sea operations.”
For more information or to register, visit the Oi26 website.
