If anyone tells you nothing is happening in ocean energy, point them towards The Hague in October 2026.
Around the International Conference on Ocean Energy (ICOE) and Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) conference, the city became a meeting point for researchers, engineers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and investors working to unlock the potential of our oceans. But ocean energy was not just discussed inside the conference halls. Through a series of activities hosted by Campus@Sea and its partners, the conversation extended across the week, connecting international expertise with the innovations taking shape in the Netherlands.
Before ICOE–OEE 2026 opened its doors, Campus@Sea hosted International WaTERS on Wednesday and Thursday. Bringing together 33 delegates representing 20 countries, alongside six country representatives, the event created space for international exchange on some of the sector’s most pressing challenges: testing, deployment, certification and collaboration.
Moving ocean energy from promising technology to commercial reality requires more than engineering breakthroughs. Developers need reliable testing environments, clear certification pathways and opportunities to learn from one another. International WaTERS provided a setting to explore how countries and organisations can share knowledge, strengthen cooperation and collectively accelerate progress.
The message was clear: collaboration is essential to turning individual innovations into solutions that can be deployed at scale.
The weekend continued the momentum with the Scheveningen Port Innovation Showcase, hosted by Campus@Sea. Around 50 attendees were taken behind the scenes of Scheveningen’s maritime innovation ecosystem, discovering technologies and companies contributing to the Netherlands’ evolving blue economy.
The showcase brought participants closer to the people developing practical solutions for a more sustainable relationship with the sea. Among the organisations featured were WECO, Slow Mill Wave Power, Oceans of Energy, Mecal, Equinox Ocean Turbines, DMEC and Dutch Wave Power.
Together, these organisations illustrated the breadth of the maritime innovation landscape, from wave and tidal energy to offshore technologies and the wider infrastructure needed to support a sustainable ocean economy.
For participants, the showcase offered more than an overview of emerging technologies. It provided an opportunity to connect with innovators, explore real-world applications and see how collaboration between companies, researchers and supporting organisations can help bring new ideas closer to implementation.
From 5 to 7 October, the international ocean energy community gathered in The Hague for ICOE–OEE 2026. The AMARE Theatre brought together researchers, engineers, innovators, policymakers and investors to discuss technological developments, policy frameworks, testing, investment and the partnerships needed to accelerate deployment.
Across the programme and exhibition floor, one theme stood out: developing a technology is only part of the journey. Demonstrating performance, establishing standards, securing certification and building investor confidence are equally important steps towards commercial deployment.
Discussions on policy, finance and partnerships explored how the right conditions can help the sector progress, while innovation activities offered opportunities to engage directly with emerging technologies. The involvement of students and schoolchildren also highlighted the importance of inspiring the next generation of people who will design, build, install and maintain tomorrow’s ocean energy systems.
Connecting innovation with education was also a key part of the programme. Students from Maris College explored solar and tidal energy through expert-led masterclasses with Oceans of Energy and Water2Energy, followed by a visit to the ICOE–OEE exhibition at AMARE. Meeting technology developers and exploring 3D models brought classroom learning to life, inspiring students to discover future opportunities in renewable energy, engineering and the wider blue economy. The Schools Programme was supported by Offshore For Sure and Offshore Proof, organised by Campus@Sea with Bluespring.
Relive ICOE–OEE 2026
Want to see the highlights for yourself? Watch the ICOE–OEE 2026 aftermovie on YouTube for a glimpse of the people, technologies and conversations that brought the international ocean energy community together in The Hague.
The conversation did not end with the conference. Through Blue Week 2026, The Hague also welcomed photography exhibitions offering a different perspective on the future of ocean innovation.
Developed by Bluespring and Ocean Energy Europe, Beyond the Surface invited visitors to explore the people, projects and technologies shaping new energy solutions for and in the water. Complementary exhibitions, including Kracht uit de oceaan and Bring in the Dutch!, showcased European advances in wave and tidal energy alongside Dutch innovations in floating solar, offshore energy storage and marine ecology.
By bringing these developments to life through photography, the exhibitions connected technical innovation with the places and communities it affects: our coastlines, ports and cities.
They also offered an important reminder that ocean innovation is about more than technology. It is about creating a sustainable future in which the ocean can contribute to the energy transition while respecting the natural environment.
The exhibition will be on display at the South Holland Provincial House from October 2026 until January 2027. Make sure to visit and discover for yourself the power of a picture to tell the story of ocean innovation and inspire a more sustainable future.
As part of ICOE–OEE 2026, the Offshore For Sure Flagship Tour Southern Delta took international delegates beyond the conference halls to explore the Netherlands’ rich maritime engineering heritage and emerging marine energy technologies. From the iconic Eastern Scheldt Storm Surge Barrier to pioneering innovations in tidal and wave energy, the tour demonstrated how Dutch expertise in water management is helping shape new energy opportunities.
Participants visited Water2Energy in Vlissingen to learn about its vertical-axis tidal turbine, explored wave energy testing at the AE Wave HexaPod facility in Dordrecht, and discovered Dutch Wave Power’s approach to harnessing ocean waves. Along the way, discussions with technology developers highlighted the importance of testing, knowledge-sharing and international collaboration in bringing marine renewable energy closer to deployment.
The tour offered a powerful reminder that the Netherlands’ long-standing relationship with water is not only part of its history, but also an important foundation for its sustainable energy future.
From International WaTERS and the Scheveningen Port Innovation Showcase to ICOE–OEE 2026 and the Blue Week exhibitions, the activities demonstrated the value of bringing different parts of the ocean innovation ecosystem together.
Each initiative offered a different perspective, but all shared a common ambition: to exchange knowledge, build partnerships and turn innovative ideas into practical solutions.
At Campus@Sea, we believe that progress happens when people have the opportunity to meet, experiment, learn from one another and work across disciplines. By connecting international expertise with local innovation, we aim to help create the conditions in which ocean energy and wider maritime innovations can flourish.
Ocean energy is advancing. The technologies are developing, the conversations are becoming increasingly practical, and the partnerships needed to move the industry forward are taking shape.
The future of ocean energy is not just something to watch from a distance. It is something we can help build together.
Campus@Sea
Hellingweg 9c
2583 DZ DEN HAAG
info@campusatsea.nl