New Wave Media

 

Now in its 49th year, Oceanology International is renowned as an invaluable global maritime technology business networking hub, with 8,500 industry professionals from more than 79 countries anticipated to attend this year.

 

The 36-month Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE competition was launched in December 2015, with a $7 million prize purse, and challenges teams from around the world to advance deep-sea technologies for autonomous, rapid and high-resolution ocean exploration. In addition to acting as headline sponsors of the half-day Ocean Futures Forum (Tuesday, March 13, 09.30-13.30, Platinum Lounge) and Catch The Next Wave: Frontiers of Exploration (Thursday, March 15, 09.30-18.00, Platinum Lounge), XPRIZE will be represented at Oi18 by Senior Director Dr. Jyotika Virmani, Ph.D., who will be joining the panel discussion on the technology, science and sustainable operations required to support the Ocean Economy in 2030, during the Ocean Futures Forum on the event’s opening day.

As well as participating in this discussion on the future challenges and technological requirements of­ the Blue Economy, Dr. Virmani will give a closing keynote at Catch The Next Wave on Thursday, March 15 between 16.00-17.00 to announce the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE finalists and Milestone Prize winners who will be going on to the final round of the competition.

XPRIZE is also represented in the Ocean ICT: Novel Systems Using Ocean Data conference session, with Matthew Mulrennan, Director - Ocean Initiative, XPRIZE, presenting A Wave of Abundance from Big Ocean Data - Demo the Winning Mobile Apps from XPRIZE's Big Ocean Button Challenge in South Gallery Room 9, between 15:00 – 16:45 on March 14.

Other highlights at Catch The Next Wave include Orla Doherty, BBC Producer of The Deep and Our Blue Planet, talking about the imaging technology used to capture the wonders of the ocean, Pen Hadow, Director of Arctic Mission (ocean life research) and 90ºNorth Unit (ecosystem protection), about the future technology required to explore and protect Arctic ocean life, and Chris German MBE, Senior Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, talking about the frontiers of technology enabling ocean exploration on earth and other planets.

Among the other speakers at Catch The Next Wave will be diver, presenter and explorer Rory Golden. “My presentation will touch on the development of the technology used to find Titanic,” Rory explains, “the early ideas, the successful 1985 discovery, subsequent expeditions, including my own, and the forthcoming ones planned this year.” Tickets for Catch The Next Wave and the Ocean Futures Forum costs £100 + VAT ($138) for each event, and can be purchased at registration.

Central to the Oi18 conference program is a series of linked, free-to-attend Technical Tracks which will enable participants to follow given themes in detail. These range from tracks devoted to Hydrography, Geophysics & Geotechnics, Unmanned Multi-Vehicles & Vessels and Oil & Gas to tracks given over to Marine Renewables, Underwater Imaging & Metrology and Navigation & Positioning. Conference Manager Ellen Burgess says: “With an overarching agenda to confront a range of technical, practical, environmental and fiscal marine science issues while trading insights and seeking solutions, the conference schedule draws upon a wealth of accumulated knowledge and expertise.”

Key conference presentations on Tuesday, March 13 include ‘Our Land Under the Sea’ (10.25-10.45), helmed by Richard Salisbury, senior Consultant, Fugro; ‘Integrating Unmanned Systems into Maritime Mission Systems’ (13.05-13.20), hosted by Tim Munn, Maritime Autonomous Systems Technical Lead, Thales UK; and ‘Ocean Farm 1 – The World’s First “Smart” Fish Farm’ (11.50-12.10) with Thor Hukkelås, Director Aquaculture R&D, Kongsberg Maritime. The latter presentation, is one of several examining emerging solutions for operating aquaculture in more exposed environments.

Meanwhile, conference presentations scheduled for Wednesday, March 14 include ‘Copernicus: Satellites and Services for Marine Environment Monitoring and Maritime Safety’ (13.45-14.05) with Fabienne Jacq, European Commission; ‘Inside Mission Control – Challenges of Over-the-Horizon Autonomy’ (15.35-15.50), presented by James Cowles, Commercial Technical Sales Manager, ASV Global; and ‘Considerations for Dynamic Subsea Laser Scanning’ (11.20-11.45) with Gordon Beattie, Survey Innovation Lead, DOF Subsea UK. “I’ll be discussing whether new technology works straight out of the box, or if there’s work involved to reap the benefits,” Gordon remarks.

Thursday, March 15 is Oi18’s designated ‘Careers Day’ featuring the SUT Women In Industry panel session (10-00-12.00). On the same day, a few key technical presentations will include ‘A Deep Offshore Geodetic Network’ (13.20-13.45), presented by Frederic Auger, Chief Surveyor, TOTAL; ‘Computer Vision Survey of Offshore Structures’ (15.15-15.35) with Diego Carvalho, Vision Engineer, Fugro Intersite; and ‘Towards Resilient Positioning’ (11.20-11.45) with Dr Nick Ward, Research Director, General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK & Ireland. “Global Navigation Satellite Systems have become essential for maritime positioning,” says Dr Ward, “but they are vulnerable to disruption. There is a need for an integrated approach to positioning using all available means.”

In addition to the insights provided by the exhibition and main conference schedule, delegates can also attend the Entrepreneurs’ Advisory Workshop in the Investment, Trade & Innovation Theatre, intended to assist providers of new technologies in sourcing partner funding. The theatre will also host a New Technology Showcase on Wednesday, March 14 and Thursday, March 15, while the Situational Awareness for the Spill Prevention & Response Community technical session on Wednesday, March 14 (11.30-13.00) brings together Oi18 and the co-located Interspill oil spill exhibition and conference.