Oceanology International 2012 heads for record
A record attendance of over 7,000 delegates from more than 80 countries is expected at this year’s OI event, the world’s leading biennial forum for marine science and ocean technology at London’s ExCel exhibition centre from 13 to 15 March.
Organised by Reed Exhibitions in association with the Society for Underwater Technology and others, the three day event will feature 50 technical presentations and over 550 exhibitors in addition to eight national pavilions variously representing Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland and the US. Outside on the waterfront a dozen or more vessels will be berthed for inspection while several smaller 8m to 10m survey launches are to host equipment demonstrations by Kongsberg, Reson, the Port of Rotterdam, Sonardyne and Ifremer, the French research institute.
The associated free to attend conference features six one day sessions with topics covering Hydrography & Geophysics, Marine Renewables, Maritime Security, Navigation & Positioning, Ocean Observation & Forecasting, Oil & Gas. Dealing with new technology and techniques for acquisition, processing and analysis of data, the Hydrography-Geophysics programme comprises papers by speakers from BP, RPS Energy, Shell, Statoil, Sound Oceanics and Reliance Industries.
As ever, the latest product developments will be a dominant theme on the exhibition floor with new advances promised by, among others, Datawell, Ixsea, Kongsberg, Marine Electronics, Reson, Sonardyne, Teledyne TSS, Triton and Veripos. Meanwhile, fringe events, which include a corresponding Interspill 2012 conference, an IMCA ROV workshop and an offshore forum, begin with a one day technical symposium at the Royal Institution of Great Britain on the eve of OI, 12 March. Co-organised by New Scientist and entitled Catch the Next Wave, it will take a longer term view of future capabilities for understanding and protecting the world’s oceans with experts from the UK and US presenting views.
