This marks a pivotal moment in the history of our event. For over two decades, the Submarine Symposium has convened annually in the United States— alongside Underwater Intervention and the International WorkBoat Show—thanks to the steadfast support of our international partners and especially our American colleagues.
Now, for the first time, we take the symposium to an international stage, fulfilling our long-term vision to rotate the event among the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
GOING GLOBAL
We want to be clear: this is not a departure from our roots, but a step forward—toward greater inclusivity, global collaboration, and the evolution of a truly international platform. While this shifts some travel burden for US-based partners, it opens the door to wider participation from European and Asian colleagues. Our goal is not to shift the center—but to expand the circle.
Since 2003, the MTS Submarine Committee (formerly MUV) has nurtured this symposium as a dedicated space for advancing the submarine and submersible industry. As early as 2014, we envisioned rotating the event globally. The pandemic delayed implementation— but not the vision.
We now act on that long-held goal. We’re excited to partner with the Submersible Operators Group (SOG) for this landmark four-day event, marking a new era of industry collaboration.
“This is more than a conference,” says Leighton Rolley, Chairman of SOG, “it’s a global convergence of minds committed to raising the bar for our industry.” The joint program reflects a shared commitment to advancing safety, innovation, and operational excellence in the submersible sector.
THREE EVENTS IN ONE
Bringing together experts, regulators, and innovators from around the world, the conference offers technical presentations, collaborative discussions, and global networking opportunities—organized across three focused sessions.
- SOG 2025: A focused two-day forum for submersible operators, manufacturers, and classification bodies. This gathering will explore operational challenges, share technical expertise, and promote collaborative safety initiatives through workshops and panels.
- WSO Flag State Meeting: A closed-door session uniting port and maritime authorities worldwide to advance a unified classification framework for small submarines and submersibles. This initiative is a critical step toward global safety and regulatory harmonization.
- MTS Annual Submarine Symposium: Our flagship event, featuring cutting-edge technical papers and in-depth discussions on human-occupied vehicle technologies, regulatory trends, research applications, and engineering innovations.
We invite everyone to this important milestone. Attendance to the conference is free, opening access to all and reinforcing our commitment to a stronger, more connected international submarine community. The door opens wider and remains fully open.
To our North American colleagues, we extend a special invitation: your voices and leadership remain vital. This evolution is built on the foundation you helped create. Your continued engagement ensures the strength of our future.
The journey continues. The ship sails on—toward broader horizons.
This spotlight appeared in ON&T Magazine’s 2025 June Edition, Deep-Sea Exploration, to read more access the magazine here.
