Visitors Hail Oi24 as Unparalleled on Busy Opening Day

Oceanology International 2024, ExCeL London, 12^th to 14^th March

London, UK – 12th March 2024 – A sea of innovation filled the exhibition floor and dockside at ExCeL London today as the global marine science and ocean technology community united for an inspirational opening day of Oceanology International 2024 (Oi24).

With a promise to help ‘shape the future of our oceans’, Oi has earned a reputation over the past 50 years as the industry’s unmissable event due to its cutting-edge technology launches, unparalleled networking opportunities and renowned interactive conferences.

The first day of Oi24 and co-located event OceanICT this Tuesday, 12th March proved that the show continues to evolve and adapt to deliver a feature-rich, forward-thinking platform for all those involved in exploring, protecting and sustainably operating in the world’s oceans and waterways.

Visitors flooding through the doors were greeted by what was widely considered to be the most impressive and well-designed array of stands ever seen at Oi London. Some 450 leading companies displayed and demonstrated their next-generation solutions, advanced products and latest applications, with more than 100 exclusive new launches set to be revealed during the three-day event.

Dr Rick Spinrad, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and NOAA Administrator, returned to the event to set an upbeat tone with the opening keynote presentation at the Ocean Futures Theatre. While taking time to honour the life and contribution of his “friend and pioneer” Captain Don Walsh, the legendary oceanographer, explorer and innovator who died in November 2023, Dr Spinrad also looked forward with optimism to the rise of generative AI and autonomous solutions, amongst other technologies.

Dr Spinrad spoke about the role of the NOAA in finding a way to balance the “environmental storm and economic development” and the “use of ocean intelligence", emphasising that "oceans are at the centre of the climate challenge and the lifeblood of building new opportunities".

The Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration was presented to Professor Peter R Girguis, Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University and Adjunct Oceanographer, Applied Ocean Engineering and Physics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Demonstrating the industry’s powerful response to the climate and biodiversity crisis, key themes across the exhibition and conference agenda are the energy transition and decarbonisation, and the drive for innovative solutions, eco-friendly processes and new technology to help achieve net zero and beyond. Autonomous systems and unmanned vessels, the latest AI and machine learning applications, cutting-edge sensors, and developments in acoustic, bathymetry, cameras, robotics and navigation features strongly.

The spotlight is on several new launches, including Teledyne Marine’s introduction of the new Slocum Sentinel Glider, an ultra-long endurance uncrewed vehicle which allows for persistent ocean monitoring on the scale of years. Boasting a 4-liter buoyancy engine, a 13-inch diameter, dual thrusters for burst speeds of up to 3.5 knots, and a 4000 Wh energy capacity, the Slocum Sentinel has the size and energy to address the widest range of oceanographic missions.

Kimberley McHugh, Marketing Manager, Teledyne Marine, said: “Oi is the perfect place to start the launch of our brand new Slocum Sentinel Glider which has been getting lots of attention. There has been plenty of action today, with lots of interest. We are very pleased with the traffic.”

On the dockside, hydrographic sonar systems company R3Vox launched the revolutionary Voxometer®, the only MA3® Multi-Aspect Hydrospatial Survey System. Powered by multiple new patented technologies which measure voxels, this all-in-one system reduces the complexity of survey operations and simultaneously collects high-quality data.

Veronique van Niekerk, Marketing Manager, R3Vox, said: “We are fully subscribed for our demos which is great. Our new Voxometer is a next generation survey system, representing the future of survey.”

Exail unveiled its latest innovation, the Phins 9 Compact. Built around a high-performance Fiber Optic Gyroscope-based Inertial Measurement Unit with advanced accelerometers, the Phins 9 Compact is the most compact high-performance INS in the market.

"The Phins 9 Compact represents a significant advancement in subsea navigation technology," said Maxime Le Roy, Subsea INS Product Manager at Exail. “With a heading accuracy of 0.07°, pitch and roll accuracy of 0.01°, it delivers exceptional reliability and navigation precision, even in the most challenging environments."

The company’s stand team commented: “Oceanology International is a dynamic and enriching gathering that Exail has considered a must-attend event for many years now. This event provides an exceptional platform for Exail to showcase our innovations, connect with industry peers, and stay at the forefront of marine technology trends.”

Visitors encompassed a broad range of professions and objectives, but all picked up on the positive vibes emanating from the event.

Oliver Foulds, subsea LIDAR specialist, said he came to “see new products, meet new clients and new people”, while Eric Kucharsky, Foreign Direct Invest, came from Canada to “pick up knowledge because everyone you need to see is here”.

Matthew Berry, Business Development and Partner Manager, said: “I came to see new partners we can open up markets with. Oi is the only show – it is very good, very organised, with good foot-fall, with lots of variety.”

Amy Stewart, Marine Geology Manager, said: “Oi has a much bigger scope, with all needs in one place. I have been here two hours and have had very effective conversations. You don’t understand how useful it is until to come. It is unparalleled.”

Highlights at the Ocean Futures Theatre included the Women in Industry panel session featured women engineers, scientists and technologists from the subsea and wider marine sector sharing insights from their experience and consideration of the present and future opportunities, challenges and solutions.

The second day of Oi24 on Wednesday, 13th March, will feature another packed schedule of new product presentations and live demonstrations, including the launch of uWare’s 15kg untethered AUV, the uOne.

In the Ocean Innovation Lounge, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) CEO Kendra MacDonald will announce new ocean innovation projects, a co-investment between Canada’s national ocean cluster and industry.

EOOS (European Ocean Observing System) Technology Forum takes place over the full day, with a range of technical sessions on offer covering Site Investigation; Data Interpretation, AI and Ocean ICT; Bathymetry Survey.

Oceanology International 2024 runs until Thursday, 14th March and is free to attend. Visitors can register for Oi24 here. To stay updated on Oceanology International 2024, please visit the Oi24 website.