The three-day Oi schedule at Excel London will deliver insightful discussion on the latest innovations and most pressing challenges in ocean science and marine technology

With a mission to drive real-world change across global marine, coastal and offshore sectors, Oceanology International has revealed the industry leaders and experts who will inspire and inform audiences during its renowned conference programme this March.

The high-profile speakers, moderators and panellists taking to the stage at the London Excel event will converge to deliver insights and opinion on the critical themes which are defining the future of ocean technology and shaping the trajectory of the ocean economy.

In response to the urgent challenges facing our coasts, the new COAST conference track focuses on innovations in various domains including Coastal Zone Management, Protecting the Environment in Coastal Waters, Coastal Resilience, Ports and Terminals and Coastal Infrastructure Protection.

The full Oi conference programme features a diverse schedule of technical sessions and keynote presentations at the Ocean Futures Theatre stage, COAST Theatre and other locations.

In addition to the coastal focus, further key topics include the latest applications and innovations in uncrewed vehicles and vessels, and new insights and research into the factors impacting the development of the future ocean economy.

There will be deep dives into a range of other technical topics including: Hydrography, Geophysics, & Geotechnics; Site Investigation; Ocean Observation; Maritime Domain Awareness; Offshore Energy; Marine Data, Analytics, & AI; Underwater Communication & Navigation; Ocean Exploration.

Among the key contributors to the 2026 conference programme 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 OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), will give a keynote presentation for a plenary session to explore the scale and scope of the Ocean Economy and the likely trajectory of its future development.

She 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.

Moderators for the sessions include: Zdenka Willis, CEO of Veraison Consulting, and Peer Fietzek, Senior Business Development Manager Ocean Science at Kongsberg Discovery (Ocean Observation); Andy Hill, Marine Geohazards Technical Authority, Safety and Operational Risk Division, BP, and Karen Dalton, Technical Director at Tetra Tech (Site Investigation); Steve Hall, ocean science, policy and technology consultant (Ocean Exploration & Mapping); Ed Steele, Met Office IT Fellow for Data Science (Marine Data, Analytics, & AI).

The Uncrewed Vehicles and Vessels sessions, supported in 2026 by Ocean Robotics Planet Magazine, are moderated by Dan Hook, CEO of pioneering electric propulsion systems specialist RAD Propulsion, and Richard Mills, CCO of Cellula Robotics Ltd.

Dan Hook said: “It’s been a huge couple of years in the unmanned systems industry across offshore wind, ocean science, oil and gas, increasingly defence, and various other sectors. I am really looking forward to this series of presentations and panels, because I think there’s going to be a lot of good work that’s been done in the last two years being talked about and a few people are making announcements and presentations of things that people won’t have seen before.”

Jim Bellingham, Director, Center 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.

Across three days of technical, strategic and policy-focused content, the Oi26 conference provides attendees and new ocean enterprises with a unique opportunity to stay ahead of the curve on emerging technologies, market trends and strategies, and to network with prominent specialists and thought-leaders.

Mehraj Hassan, Oi26 Conference Manager, added: “The conference programme is a crucial component of Oi’s commitment to foster learning and connection. This year, our full conference programme will reflect the latest topics impacting future ocean technology and economic needs. It will encompass original content aimed at improving strategies for exploring, protecting and sustainably operating in the world’s oceans and waterways.”