Oceanology International China Program Released

More than 30 expert speakers from Canada, China, France, Singapore, U.K. and U.S. are lined up to impart and share knowledge at the inaugural Oceanology International China being held September 3-5 at the INTEX, Shanghai.

“While offshore activities face new and pressing challenges, the need for the major players to come together and discuss the future of marine science and ocean technology becomes increasingly important,” explained Event Director, James Coleman of Reed Exhibitions. “Oceanology International China will bring together equipment and service providers – we have more than 180 exhibiting organizations with buyers, industry professionals and government officials.”

He continued, “Our conference is a free-to attend forum where industry experts will lead discussion on the general situation of the world’s oceans resources and developments from the marine technology sector. The highly topical conference program has been developed with the Chinese Society of Oceanography and the Society for Underwater Technology, including the head of the SUT China branch, Professor Menglan Duan, Chinese University of Petroleum.”

Opening plenary session
The Oceanology International China conference opens on the morning of Tuesday, September 3 with a plenary session chaired by Professor Ralph Rayner, Sector Director, Energy and Environment, BMT Group Ltd and Chairman, Sonardyne International Ltd and  with Professor Zhenping Weng, President, China Ship Scientific Research Center delivering a welcome address.

Five influential speakers complete the Tuesday plenary session line-up: Dr Bernard Montaron, Director, 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, International Maritime Inc. The afternoon is then free for visits to the exhibition and networking.

Day two’s program
There are three conference sessions running on day two: Underwater Vehicle Technology in the morning; Navigation and Positioning in the afternoon: and Ocean Observation Systems and Instrumentation all day.

-Underwater Vehicle Technology-
Underwater Vehicle Technology comes under the conference spotlight during the morning of Wednesday, September 4 when Ian Gallett, Business Development Manager, Society for Underwater Technology, and Professor Weicheng Cui, Research Professor and Dean, Hadal Science and Technology Research Center, Shanghai Ocean University co-chair a session which starts with the presentation of the 2013 OI China Underwater Robot Competition Award; and then sees the delivery of presentations on ‘Development of Jiaolong Deep Manned Submersible’ (Professor Weicheng Cui); ‘DSV Alvin Upgrade Project’ (Kurt Uetz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution); ‘New Technologies for Undersea Operations’ (Justin Manley, Teledyne Marine Systems); ‘HyBIS – a Versatile and Cost Effective Platform for Deep Ocean Operations’ (Kenneth Cast, Hydro-Lek Ltd); and ‘Developing an Hydraulic 7 Function Manipulator for an Observation Class ROV’ (Terry Knight, SEAMOR Marine Ltd).

-Navigation and Positioning-
On the Wednesday afternoon, attention turns to Navigation and Positioning with Ian Gallett once more in the chair. Presentations include ‘HiPAP – Never Been Easier and More Accurate’ (Roar Marthiniussen, and Xin Wei Zhong, Kongsberg Maritime AS); ‘Immediate High Resolution Repeatable 3D Model Data Product Delivery using a Real-Time 3D Imagining Sonar and Tightly Fused Inertial Navigation Data’ (Blair Cunningham, Coda Octopus Group Inc); and ‘Performance of a Tightly-Coupled GNSS/INS System in a Marine Environment Using MEMS Sensors’ (Mike Mutschler, SEAHORSE Geomatics Inc on behalf of NovAtel Inc) leading up to a short networking break.

After the break the afternoon continues with: ‘Hybrid System of Underwater Localization and Communication in Shallow Waters using both USBL and LBL’ (Nicolas Laruelle, OSEAN SAS); ‘Subsea Wireless Telemetry, Standards and Technology for the Oil and Gas Community – SWIG’ (Justin Manley, Teledyne Marine Systems); ‘Cutting the Tether but Keeping Control’ (Anthony Gleeson, Sonardyne Asia Pte Ltd); and ‘Recent advances in Doppler Sonar Technology for Subsea Navigation and Current Profiling’ (Alan Kenny, Teledyne RD Instruments).

-Ocean Observing Systems and Instrumentation-
The Ocean Observing Systems and Instrumentation conference sessions will be chaired by Professor Ralph Rayner with presentations on ‘Ocean Networks Canada: An Update on the VENUS and NEPTUNE Observatories’ (Scott McLean, Ocean Networks Canada); ‘Crowdsourcing Coastal Oceanographic Data – A New Wireless Instrument for Fishing Boats to gather Seabed Temperature’ (Andy Smerdon, Aquatec Group); ‘TRIAXYS Next Wave II – The Evolution of Wave Measurements’ (Chad MacIsaac, AXYS Technologies Inc); and ‘Low Power Multi-frequency Sonar for Long-Term Observations of Volume Backscatter’ (Jan Buermans PEng, ASL Environmental Sciences Inc) before the lunch break.

Following the valuable networking opportunity the conference session resumes with: ‘Specialized Tools for Biological Assessment Using Split Beam Hydroacoustics’ (Eric Munday, BioSonics Inc); ‘Remote and Collaborative WiFi Remote Noise Monitoring Buoys for Noise Generating Works’ (Luc Simon, RTSYS – Real Time Systems); and ‘Using Acoustic Recorders as Cost Effective Monitoring for Marine Bioacoustics and Ambient Noise Simultaneously’ (Mona Doss, Wildlife Acoustics Inc); and finally ‘Use of Advanced PC Data Acquisition and Training R&D Platform Instruments (Doug Simpson, iTp Ltd).

Happy hour, which is open to all, will be held from 3-5 p.m. on the exhibition floor providing the ideal opportunity for networking for exhibitors and visitors alike.

Final day’s program
The Offshore Survey, Geophysics and Geotechnics session will comprise ten highly topical presentations, six of them before the lunch break: ‘Sonar Theory and Applications’ (Helmut Lanziner, Imagenex Technology Corp); ‘Multibeam Profiling’ (Scott McLay, Tritech International Ltd); ‘Seafloor Based Robotic Drilling Technology’ (Michael Williamson, Williamson & Associates, Inc); ‘The Arctic – A New Frontier for Submarine Fiber Optic Telecommunication Cables and the Associated Geological, Environmental and Engineering Challenges’ (Ryan Wopschall, Fugro Pelagos, Inc); ‘Ultra High-Resolution 3D Marine Seismic – Opening New Vistas in the Shallow Seabed’ (Craig Lippus, Geometrics); and ‘Hydroacoustic Mapping System for Quantitative Identification of Aquatic Macrophytes, Substrate Composition, and Shallow Water Bathymetric Surveying’ (Eric Munday, BioSonics Inc).

After the lunch break the conference looks at: ‘AUV Expanding Dynamic in Geophysics Survey’ (Kelvin Chow, Fugro Survey Pte Ltd); ‘Seeing Through the Environment to Achieve Results’’ (Blair Cunningham, Coda Octopus Group, Inc); and ‘The Role of AUV Mounted Sonar in Pipeline Inspection and Other Hydrographic Survey Projects’ (Matthew Holland, Caris); and ‘The Course and Prospect of Marine Gravimeter’ (Gao De Zhang, China Sinopec Group Company).

“We’ve certainly designed a stimulating program and we look forward to feedback from all visitors and exhibitors who are free to attend as many sessions as they wish free of charge,” says James Coleman.

Further information and registration
Further information on all aspects of Oceanology International China 2013 is available online and registration is open at http://www.oichina.com.cn/en/page/Visitor_Registration/.The show is organized by Reed Exhibitions with the Ocean Observation Technology Branch of the Chinese Society of Oceanography (CSO). The CSO together with the National Ocean Technology Centre and China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association (COMRA) are host supporters; The Society for Underwater Technology is the event’s learned society patron; and the Society of Maritime Industries, IMCA; IMarEST; The Hydrographic Society; UK Trade & Investment; China-Britain Business Council and Schlumberger China Petroleum Institute, Beijing are all international supporters.

oceanologyinternational.com/china