Oceanology International 2026 closes as largest edition in event's history
Oceanology International 2026 drew to a close in London on 12 March having set a new attendance record for the 57-year-old event. A total of 15,709 visitors and professionals passed through the doors of ExCeL London over the three-day exhibition. This represented a 14% increase on the previous edition held in 2024, making it the largest Oceanology International since the event's founding.
Half of all attendees travelled from outside the UK, with 461 companies exhibiting from more than 30 countries. Among the 120 first-time exhibitors were Bedrock, C-SAM, Online Oceans and Reach Systems, joining established returning names such as Fugro, Kongsberg Discovery, Sonardyne and Teledyne Marine.
The event also saw a sharp rise in product activity: 162 new products and services were launched at the show, up 45% compared to 2024. The exhibition floor covered 21,000 square metres, while the conference programme featured 203 speakers and more than 175 dockside demonstrations.
A new addition for 2026 was a dedicated COAST section focused on coastal and shallow-water technology, with more than 80 exhibitors presenting solutions in that space alongside a three-day programme on a dedicated stage. The programme ran alongside the established Ocean Futures and Technical Conference tracks.
Ocean technology as key building block
Among those addressing the conference was Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for oceans and fisheries, who delivered a keynote on the future of the blue economy. Vidar Helgesen, executive secretary of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, spoke on sustaining the global ocean observing system, noting that collective efforts from both government and the private sector are needed to strengthen data collection and sharing. Rachael Hill MBE, flood and coastal erosion risk strategy manager at the Environment Agency, gave a keynote on coastal resilience and flood defence, saying the event had allowed her to build new connections and deepen her understanding of technologies relevant to the agency's future work.
David Ince, event director of Oceanology International, said: “Ocean technology now sits at the heart of the global energy transition, sustainable ocean stewardship and the growing ocean economy, and that’s exactly what we saw come to life at Oi26. From offshore renewables and coastal resilience to advanced data, survey and autonomous systems, the innovation on show this year underlined just how critical this sector is to unlocking safer, more sustainable and more prosperous use of our oceans.”
The next edition of Oceanology International is scheduled for 14-16 March 2028 at ExCeL London.
