• The International Marine Contractors Association will launch its new strategy to 2030 as hundreds of offshore leaders and technical specialists gather in Antwerp, Belgium, on 28 and 29 October
• Keynote speakers include JERA Nex bp CEO Nathalie Oosterlinck, IMCA President Hugo Bouvy, the Managing Director of DEME Offshore, and Saravan Penubarthi, Chief Technology Officer at the ADNOC-backed AI firm AIQ

 British cave diver and explorer Chris Jewell, who played a key role in the dramatic rescue of 12 boys and their football coach from Thailand’s flooded Tham Luang cave system, will be a keynote safety speaker at the IMCA Global Summit 2026.

Taking place in Antwerp on 28 and 29 October, the Summit will bring together hundreds of leaders and technical specialists from across the international marine construction and offshore energy sectors.

Chris will share the remarkable story of the 2018 Tham Luang rescue, one of the most challenging volunteer rescue operations in recent years. His keynote will explore what happens when teams face difficult decisions in extreme conditions, and how preparation, competence, communication and the ability to manage changing risks can have profound consequences.

These lessons are highly relevant to the offshore industry, where people regularly work in complex and demanding environments and where preventing serious injuries and fatalities remains a central priority.

Chris Jewell said: “High performance in business isn’t just about how good we are when we are at our best – it’s about how we perform when we’re tired and under pressure.

“Operating under immense pressure, the Thai cave rescue required belief and confidence in our team’s skill, as well as the ability to challenge and innovate. The rescue was an unprecedented situation that required unique thinking and the negotiation of many obstacles to attempt something high risk that had never been tried before.”

Iain Grainger, Chief Executive Officer of IMCA, said: “Chris has an extraordinary story to tell, but what makes it particularly relevant to our industry is what sits behind that story. It is about preparation, teamwork, competence, and making good decisions when the pressure is at its greatest.

“Those principles will be familiar to anyone involved in offshore operations. Our working environment may be very different, but the need to understand risk, prepare properly, and look after the people around you is universal.”

At this year’s Summit, IMCA will launch IMCA 2030. Developed following extensive Member feedback, the new strategy will outline how the Association will advocate for technical leadership and standardisation, champion a safe, skilled, and diverse workforce, and support sustainability and operational efficiency over the next four years.

Iain Grainger said: “This year’s Summit comes at an important time for our industry. Technology is changing how we work, regulation continues to develop, and the pressure to decarbonise is growing. IMCA 2030 will set out how our Association will respond to these challenges and opportunities, and focus its expertise and resources where they can make the greatest difference for our Members and the wider industry.”

From serious injury prevention to the future of offshore operations

Safety will run through the two-day programme, including through a dedicated session on preventing serious injuries and fatalities (SIF) covering critical controls, leadership, human factors, and frontline engagement.

The Summit will examine some of the issues already changing offshore operations, including remote and autonomous operations, AI and new technology, regulation, evolving security threats, workforce pressures, and the energy transition.

Sessions will look at European Union and International Maritime Organization (IMO) decarbonisation policies; security issues including Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) jamming and spoofing and drone threats; offshore wind contracting and decommissioning; and the growing role of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) simulation and remote operations.

The programme will also tackle some of the less frequently discussed pressures facing the industry’s workforce, such as mental fitness in offshore diving.

Senior industry voices

Hosted by former BBC business anchor Susannah Streeter, the Summit will bring together speakers from across offshore energy, subsea operations, technology, safety and the marine contracting supply chain.

The Summit will open with an assessment of the global offshore market featuring JERA Nex bp CEO Nathalie Oosterlinck and IMCA President Hugo Bouvy, the Managing Director of DEME Offshore.

Chief Executive Officer Iain Grainger will then introduce IMCA 2030 with IMCA Board Member Cinthya Lopes, Global DP Product Specialist at ABB, setting out IMCA’s vision and strategy for the next four years.

And, Saravan Penubarthi, Chief Technology Officer at AIQ, a joint venture between national energy company ADNOC and Presight, will give a keynote address setting out how AI is transforming the offshore energy industry.

Other speakers include Nayef Salem Alshhehi, Team Leader for Subsea Integrity (Operations) at ADNOC Offshore; Dean Barden, Operations Director at Blu Subsea; Laura Lombardi, Managing Director at Usha Martin; Eric Annand, Group Health and Safety Director at Subsea7; and Peter Lloyd-Williams of Westwood Global Energy Group.

They will be joined by IMCA technical experts, Member representatives, and other specialists from across the industry.

Last year’s IMCA Global Summit attracted 430 attendees from 37 countries and featured 51 speakers, 16 sponsors and 14 exhibitors.

A highlight of the Summit will be the Gala Dinner and IMCA Awards on the evening of 28 October. Highly regarded across the marine contracting industry, the Awards recognise outstanding achievement and good practice in Environmental Sustainability; Health, Safety and Security; People Development; Innovation and Technology; and the Rising Star category.

IMCA Global Summit 2026 will take place at A Room with a ZOO, Koningin Astridplein 20-26, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium, on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October.

The full programme and speaker information are available at:

https://www.imca-int.com/news-events/events/imca-events/global-summit-2026/