OI China 2013 - Taste for More
Article

OI China 2013 - Taste for More

The inaugural Oceanology International China (OI China), held in Shanghai in early September 2013, proved successful. The 2013 event was attended by 4,296 visitors over the three days. These visitors made 5,575 visits in all to the 192 companies from 21 countries and regions represented on the show floor. These figures outstripped the organisers’ own targets. The next edition is scheduled for 3-5 September 2014 at INTEX Shanghai.

Alongside the trade show, Oceanology International China featured a free-to-attend conference. Conference chairman, Professor Ralph Rayner, reflected that Oceanology International China got off to a flying start with standing room only at the opening plenary session and with a collection of excellent presentations. The plenary session provided powerful perspectives on the role of ocean science and technology in both ocean resource exploitation and ocean environmental protection.

The conference opening plenary session featured a line-up of keynote addresses by Dr Bernard Montaron, director at Schlumberger China Petroleum Institute, Beijing; Sylvain Barbot, Nanyang assistant professor, National Research Fellow, Earth Observatory of Singapore; Yousheng Wu, academic, 702 Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corp; Dr Sylvia Earle, founder of DOER Marine and renowned oceanographer and explorer; and Captain Don Walsh USN (retired), PhD, president of International Maritime Inc.

Subsequent conference sessions covered Underwater Vehicle Technology; Navigation and Positioning; Ocean Observation Systems and Instrumentation; and Offshore Survey, Geophysics and Geotechnics.
Event director James Coleman of Reed Exhibitions said that the show in the Oceanology International series exceeded the expectations. Adding in 767 exhibiting personnel, the organisers had a total attendance of 5,063. With over 70% of the available space already reserved for next year, the event demonstrated its value to exhibitors and set the floor for a new edition in 2014.

John Murray of the Society of Maritime Industries (SMI, UK) commented that OI China is a show which has been a desire for a few years since China is a very important market in oceanography, and he sees potential in China. He thinks the interest and number of visitors have been exceptional and he expects quite a large volume of business to come from having been in Shanghai. A number of UK companies were brought over and were pleased with the level of enquiries received.

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