This is (according to the website), the world’s biggest ocean technology event and I went to Southampton yesterday to see the latest sea-related innovations. It was held at the National Oceanography Centre which is a government funded research organisation.

It was certainly a large event with two marquees on the dockside full of exhibitors - some 340 in total. This combined with additional space in the research centre meant there was a lot booths to walk around and thousands of people to meet.

The technology centred mainly on remote operated vehicles (ROVs), sensors and data analytics/AI. The number and variety of ROVs was huge and included several small units as well as some larger ones. The small ones are generally used for inspection whereas the larger ones included manipulators for underwater work.

There were a lot of companies involved with sonar mapping of the sea floor and obstructions. Several of these were combining AI to help make sense of the data and using wireless technology that works underwater for data transfer. This is clearly a growth area.

As with the Waste Management Conference last month, there was a Canada Pavilion. They had a very red carpet/theme and dozens of Canadian companies showcasing their products.

It was well worth attending and we have plenty of technologies to add to the Idea Catalog. It is a biennial event so the next one will be 2021. Hope to see you there!