Subsea Expo 2023 – Into the Blue

February will see the return of Subsea Expo, the world’s largest subsea exhibition and conference.

Organized by Global Underwater Hub, the leading trade and industry development body for the UK’s underwater sectors, the three-day event is a showcase of the capability, innovation, technologies and skills that exists across the underwater industry.

Staged at the P&J Live event venue in Aberdeen, Scotland, from Tuesday, February 21 until Thursday, February 23, the free-to-attend event will welcome up to 6,500 industry professionals. Taking the theme of ‘Into the Blue’, the event will once again provide a platform for cross-sectoral collaboration and discussion in the underwater industry, which is estimated to be currently worth around £8 billion to the UK economy.

Showcase of underwater innovation and technologies

Subsea Expo will bring together around 150 exhibiting companies and organizations working in the oil and gas, decommissioning, renewable energy, defense, cabling and aquaculture sectors. The well-established exhibition and conference has developed a reputation as an event where business deals are done.

This year’s exhibiting companies include Boskalis, Bureau Veritas, Concept Cables, EODEX, Imenco, J+S Subsea, JDR Cable Systems, Spectis Robotics, Subsea Tooling Services and The National Decommissioning Centre.

Subsea Expo is also being supported by Wood, TechnipFMC, Argentex, C-Kore Systems, Fugro, Havfram, Knight Optical, Panolin, Scottish Renewables, the Society for Underwater Technology and Viper Innovations.

Subsea Expo 2023 set to feature around 150 exhibiting companies

Conference program

Running alongside the exhibition will be a busy conference program. Multiple parallel sessions will take place over the three days, featuring presentations from industry leaders and technical experts on a number of current industry topics and stimulating debate among attendees.

The conference program will open on Tuesday morning with a panel of industry leaders discussing the event’s theme, Into the Blue. They will highlight the potential of the Blue Economy and debate how industry must come together to work in partnership to maximize the blue economic opportunities.

The Blue Economy encourages sustainable exploitation, innovation and stewardship of the Earth’s oceans and seas and its blue resources. From offshore energy and aquaculture through to telecoms and subsea mining, the Blue Economy is a vast source of economic potential estimated to grow to a value of £3.2 trillion by 2030.

One conference session, where significant debate is expected, will explore the security of critical national underwater infrastructure.

Subsea pipelines have long been the backbone of the global oil and gas industry, while inter-array and export cables are vital components of offshore wind farms and more than 400 subsea data cables criss-cross Earth’s oceans and seas, keeping the world connected. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has heightened concerns over global energy supply, whilst attacks on the Nord Stream pipeline and fears over strikes to similar undersea structures around the world have brought protection of these unseen assets into sharp focus.

Subsea Expo organized by Global Underwater Hub

Allied to this theme will be a focus on pipelines, and robotics and autonomous operations. Alongside highlighting the latest developments in remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) technology, discussion is also expected to cover how their surveillance capabilities could be used to help protect key subsea infrastructure.

Other conference sessions will examine vessels and equipment, doing business underwater, subsea production systems, integrity and inspection, and data and digital. Marine energy, the energy transition and cable technologies for floating offshore wind form the topics for the remainder of the conference proceedings.

Celebration and inspiration

A highlight of the three-day event is the prestigious Subsea Expo Awards. Held on the Wednesday evening, the black-tie dinner recognises the companies and individuals who are leading the way in the underwater sector. Finalists in six of the seven award categories were announced recently, with the recipient of the seventh award – outstanding contribution to the underwater sector – being announced on the night.

Companies from across the underwater sector will be exhibiting at Subsea Expo

The final day of the Subsea Expo aims to inspire schoolchildren and university students to become the next generation of subsea talent and consider a career in the underwater sector. Attendees will hear from British engineer, space scientist and tv personality Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE, who will share her passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics and illustrate the important role they play in shaping our everyday lives.

There will also be opportunities for the young people to visit the exhibition and learn more about the underwater industry. Young professionals in the early stages of their careers will also discuss their route into the industry and highlight the breadth of opportunity that exists across the sector.

Subsea Expo will be back in its stride in 2023 and visitors can expect to see an excellent array of exhibitors showcasing their capabilities and latest technologies.

Subsea Expo will feature a range of exhibitors including ROVs

Recent global events will inevitably be debated, demonstrating the critical role our underwater infrastructure plays in everyday life and the need to protect it.

Our oceans can help power and drive the economy. To harness the full potential of the Blue Economy we need to evoke the pioneering spirit that defined the traditional subsea sector and apply existing technologies in new underwater settings. Subsea Expo 2023 is an opportunity for all sectors of the underwater economy to come together and collectively explore how best to effectively unlock the opportunity offered by our oceans.

Entrance to the exhibition and conference is free of charge. Advance registration is recommended via the event website, www.subseaexpo.com.