Today, there is no shortage of ocean tech conferences. For ocean professionals trying to decide which of these to attend can become an arduous task—they all show such promise. This is part of what we do at ON&T (Ocean News & Technology); as a US-based publication, every year, we pore over the calendar of international industry meets and identify those that share our underlying goal: to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the emerging opportunities set to drive innovation and collaboration across the ocean tech community in the next 12–18 months.

This year, for the first time, we are excited to partner with Sea Tech Week and can confirm that 200 print copies of our September magazine—which will focus on Remote Marine Operations—will be made available to delegates in Brest, France, from October 15–17, 2024.

For many, the biennial Sea Tech Week has been a conference mainstay for more than 20 years, attracting more than 1,200 ocean tech experts from around the globe to France to discuss a wide variety of ocean-related disciplines and strengthen sector-wide collaboration between marine science and technology stakeholders.

For ON&T, as an established publication covering the latest news, views, and insights from the ocean sector since 1981, partnering with premier events like Sea Tech Week is an important part of our outreach agenda. However, our selection of conferences is not simply about distribution—it’s content that counts.

Maritime Safety & Security

In 2024, content will be guided by an overarching theme of Maritime Safety and Security and a format that is reassuringly familiar, with several high-profile keynotes, 30+ workshops delving deeper into specific areas of interest, an exhibition floor, networking opportunities, and a gala evening to wrap up proceedings.

The program itself will scrutinize a myriad of concerns and opportunities surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI); digital transformation; system integration; cyber security; autonomous vehicles; subsea communications; environmental regulations; R&D funding; enhanced offshore safety protocols and procedures; infrastructure monitoring; and decarbonization.

All of this, and more, will be discussed by business leaders, scientists, investors, and government representatives to share progress in research and innovation, forge professional relationships, and enhance public-private sector cooperation.

There are, of course, common threads that will tie many of the discussion points together. These days, any conference agenda is somewhat defined by the constantly shifting future ambitions of ocean technology. As technology accelerates, our goal remains to keep up as we collectively determine how to effectively harness the accelerating capabilities of today’s breakthrough technologies tomorrow. And there is plenty to determine.

Uncrewed Vehicles

One undeniable quandary for ocean practitioners is how to capitalize on the opportunity of remote operations, the potential that is increasingly driven by the capacity of uncrewed assets in the field. This new generation of tools—an expanding ecosystem of highly intelligent systems and vehicles—is slowly but surely rewriting the ocean professional’s playbook, ushering in a new era of operational efficiency and maritime safety.

This will certainly be a topic covered in our September magazine but is supported by more recent work at ON&T—the publishing of our Uncrewed Vehicle Buyers’ Guide (UVBG). Published on July 19, 2024, the UVBG contains more than 500 listings of the uncrewed vehicles commercially available to ocean professionals—uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and other towed bodies. This is the industry’s most complete guide to such assets and a clear indication that maritime safety and all this comprises will greatly hinge on the trial, adoption, and integration of such uncrewed technologies.

We look forward to seeing you in Brest!