Oceanology International 2020 will salute the past while welcoming the future
Oi organisers are confident of bowling over delegates with half-century celebrations and ‘bigger, better’ content at landmark anniversary event in the ExCel London.
Half a century of ocean science and technology innovation has moulded the Oceanology International exhibition and conference series into the respected industry mouthpiece it embodies today: and Oi 2020, scheduled for March 17-19 in the ExCel London, will simultaneously celebrate the event’s illustrious past while highlighting solutions which collectively signify a productive, conscientious future for the ocean community.
“Celebrations aside, Oi London 2020 will still do what these events always have done, which is to signpost the most practical and propitious way forward for organisations and individuals who work on the world’s oceans,” says David Ince, Event Director, Reed Exhibitions. “In providing an ample umbrella beneath which ocean science technicians can share space with originators and financiers of groundbreaking concepts and projects, the Oi franchise has facilitated networking opportunities which have sparked off collaborative initiatives of global importance. We now have parallel Oi forums in China and the USA, in addition to a forthcoming Oi series based in Abu Dhabi to concentrate on developments in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean; but it’s nevertheless nice to be bringing the show back home to London for a special anniversary expo which is shaping up to be the largest OI event to date.”
INCREASED FLOORSPACE
For Oi 2020, exhibition floorspace in the ExCel has been increased to 17,000+m2 so as to accommodate in excess of 500 companies from more than 90 countries. It is predicted that around 8,000 attendees will pass through the convention centre’s doors over the show’s duration: and the international flavour which is by definition central to the Oi philosophy will be underscored this year with the opening of new Italy and Massachusetts pavilions to accompany those already in place, representing territories including Canada, Norway, France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The sheer scope of products and services presented by exhibitors at Oi events is always dizzying, with companies routinely displaying the most radical technologies in specialist fields ranging from robotics, autonomous/unmanned vessels and bathymetry to sensors, cameras, acoustics and beyond. This year’s show is no exception, with an extensive list of confirmed exhibitors highlighting the diversity of portfolios on offer. One illuminating example is the Korean SonarTech firm (stand G10), which has made its name through the design, development, manufacture and supply of underwater sonar equipment. Another is the Oxfordshire-based Fugro company (stand D100), which has positioned itself as a world leader in the acquisition and analysis of geodata pertaining to marine sites, land sites and maritime assets.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian organisation Ecotone (stand C500), with its UHI (Underwater Hyperspectral Imaging) system technology, embodies companies which pursue highly specialised goals with tireless enthusiasm, as does the Dorset-based Concept Cables (stand M103), which manufactures harsh environment cabling for a broad range of marine and offshore applications.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
As ever, the exhibition element goes hand-in-hand with an absorbing and invaluable conference programme, hosted by an array of influential thought leaders and industry experts. For 2020, topics covered in the free-to-attend technical tracks will include Imaging & Metrology, examining the use of measurement and imaging instruments and processes in on-water and subsea contexts; Data Interpretation & AI, which will consider the implications of analytics and artificial intelligence for marine science; and Marine Pollution & Environmental Stressors, a discussion of the tools and techniques which are being deployed to tackle oil and chemical spills, with a wider scrutiny of measures to counter the effects of climate change upon the marine environment.
Over and above this, the strategic conference programme will also accommodate two perennially informative one-day content and networking events, the Ocean Futures Forum (Tuesday, March 17, 2020) and Catch The Next Wave (Thursday, March 19, 2020), which between them will bolster delegates’ Blue Technology understanding and outline the latest developments in the affiliated disciplines of ocean science and exploration.
“Everything is basically bigger and better for Oi 2020,” David Ince concludes, “not least the number of daily on-water product and vessel demonstrations in the adjoining Royal Victoria Dock, which will be double that of previous shows. A significant increase in OceanSocial events will also make networking even easier for attendees; and this is a vital factor at a time when the ocean science community needs to increase its profile and influence by cementing long-term global connections.”
