The Technical Tracks conference program for Oceanology International 2018 at ExCel, London (March 13-15, 2018) has now been finalized, constituting the most extensive and cogent analysis of advances in ocean science and technology available under one roof.

“The sheer scope and magnitude of the sessions is impressive,” enthuses Conference Manager Ellen Burgess. “Each conference will be chaired by leading authorities in their respective fields, and the potential for enlightened, galvanizing discussion and the cross-fertilization of progressive ideas is genuinely exciting.”

The conference program gets under way on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 with a Hydrography, Geophysics & Geotechnics track,chaired by Andy Hill, Marine Geohazard Technical Authority at BP Exploration, and Richard Salisbury, Senior Consultant at Fugro. This session will discuss data collation and examination methods used in mapping offshore seabed and sub-seabed environments, highlighting the benefits such studies confer upon the renewables, oil & gas, marine and coastal construction, telecommunications and seafloor mining industries.

On the same day, the Aquaculture track traces the ongoing development of marine aquaculture facilities and the consequent ramifications for the offshore aquaculture industry, and will be chaired by Lawrie Stove, Managing Director at AquaMoor; David Kelly, CEO & CTO, InnovaSea; and Keith Jeffery, Aquaculture Development Officer, Cefas.

The Ocean Observation & Sensing track, meanwhile, looks at refinements in the monitoring of ocean physics, chemistry and biology that may enhance existing weather, ocean and climate models. The session will be chaired by Carl Gouldman, Director of U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), NOAA; Matt Mowlem, Head of the Ocean Technology and Engineering Group at the NOC; and Justin Manley, Founder of Just Innovation.

The concluding Tuesday session will be part one of the Unmanned Vehicles & Vessels track, chaired by Steve Hall, CEO of SUT; Dan Hook, Managing Director of ASV Global; and Prof Russell Wynn, Chief Scientist of NOC's Marine Autonomous and Robotic Systems. This will examine the potential dividends arising from the current and projected deployment of marine autonomous systems including ASVs, ROVs and AUVs.

The first track scheduled for Wednesday, March 14, 2018 is Delivering Efficiencies Across the Offshore Oil & Gas Life Cycle, chaired by Christopher Curran, Senior Consultant at CJC Enterprises, and Steve Barrett, Senior Vice President, Business Development at Oceaneering. This timely new track will report upon cost-reduction measures which have been successfully implemented across all sectors of offshore developments.

Another new track scheduled for Wednesday is Ocean Information & Communications Technology, chaired by Nick Lambert, Maritime Domain Expert at the Satellite Applications Catapult; Dr Clare Postlethwaite, Coordinator of the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN); and Dr Helen Wells, Business Group Leader of Meteorology and Science at the Met Office. This session will be concerned with the inherent promise and expanding purview of open source data acquisition and connectivity.

Also new is the Underwater Imaging & Metrology track, chaired by Simon Waterfield, Head of Survey Support Group at Sonardyne, and Blair Cunningham, President of Technology & Divisional CEO of Coda Octopus Products. This technological showcase will demonstrate the economic and operational benefits of real-time imaging.

The Wednesday program is rounded off by part two of the Unmanned Vehicles & Vessels track.

Finally, two tracks are scheduled for Thursday, March 15, 2018. Marine Renewables, chaired by Dr Zoe Roberts, Senior Metocean Analyst at Vattenfall Wind Power (UK), and Dr Stephen Wyatt, Research & Disruptive Innovation Director at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, will confront the myriad technological and practical issues surrounding the development, installation and maintenance of the offshore renewable infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Navigation & Positioning, chaired by Xavier Montazel, Vice President, Director of Navigation Systems Business Unit at iXblue, and Walter Jardine, Upstream Survey & Positioning Authority, BP, will report upon the newest findings in this realm.

Rear Admiral Shepard Smith, Director, Office of Coast Survey, NOAA observes: “I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak alongside such an influential group of speakers, and with the breadth of audience at Oceanology. The global focus of this conference inspires me to develop deeper international ties to better understand our global ocean.”