New UK marine technology show launched

The UK’s National Oceanography Centre is to host a brand new Marine Autonomy and Technology Showcase in November this year.

The week long programme of workshops, talks, demonstrations and networking builds on the success of our 2015 Marine Autonomy Showcase, and the launch of the Marine Robotics Innovation Centre, and is in response to the growing desire of UK marine technology businesses to engage with the Research base for the further development of Marine Autonomous Systems.

In 2015 the NOC in Southampton welcomed over 20,000 visitors in total, with over 500 attending an event in February 2015 showcasing the NOC’s work with industry.

Kevin Forshaw, NOC’s Associate Director, Innovation and Enterprise commented, “The NOC welcomes thousands of visitors each year, many working within the region in thriving marine technology based businesses. We are currently engaged with in excess of £10m of R&D collaborative projects with industry partners, and this showcase is both a celebration of those partnerships and, we hope, a catalyst for more collaboration within the region.”

Marine Autonomy is a transformative technology that is generating much interest from industry sectors including Oil & Gas, Offshore Renewables and Defence, and the inaugural Marine Autonomy and Technology Showcase is being established in response to this interest. It will run from 14-18 November at the NOC’s waterfront site in Southampton, and much of the newly opened Marine Robotics Innovation Centre will be used for the event, along with the NOC’s supporting conference facilities. In addition to attending the programme of seminars and workshops covering all aspects of marine technology development and regulation, businesses also have the opportunity to sponsor different aspects of the showcase.

NOC Events Coordinator, Ian Folger added, “There will be lots of networking opportunities available to delegates, but for the first time the NOC is offering more traditional sponsorship opportunities as well. By building in a sponsorship element we have been able to keep this a free event enabling marine businesses of all sizes the opportunity to attend and be involved. We have also been able to negotiate some great deals on accommodation in the city. We hope businesses will find the packages we have put together give them additional value from attending the event.”

The full programme of events and registration will be available from the NOC’s website later in the summer, but those interested can sign up to receive notifications now.