Registration Now Open - 9th UO Expo & 11th International Forum
10 September, Beijing - Following the release of the International Speaker Preview for the 11th International Forum on Diving, Salvage and Offshore Engineering Technology on 31 August, 2026, China Diving and Salvage Association held a press conference in Beijing on September 10 for the 9th International Underwater Operations & Offshore Industry Expo and the 11th International Forum on Diving, Salvage and Offshore Engineering Technology.
Co-hosted by China Diving and Salvage Association (CDSA), Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), the 9th International Underwater Operations & Offshore Industry Expo will run from November 6 to 8, 2026 at Qingdao International Convention Centre (Laoshan). Under the theme “Intelligence in Deep Blue, Innovation for New Horizons”, the expo builds an international platform integrating government-enterprise liaison, technology promotion and trade cooperation for government departments, public institutions, research institutes, domestic and global marine-related enterprises, diving, salvage and offshore engineering contractors, and equipment manufacturers. It promotes in-depth integration of industrial, innovation and supply chains and supports the intelligent, green and high-end growth of the industry.
Having been successfully staged for eight editions, the expo has kept expanding its exhibition footprint and brand reputation and established itself as a well-recognized market-driven offshore equipment show. The previous edition occupied 15,000 m² exhibition space and drew participants including leading enterprises such as COOEC, CNOOC Inspection, Zhenhua Heavy Industries, Huangpu Wenchong, China Rescue & Salvage, Huadian Engineering, maritime universities including Dalian Maritime University, Shanghai Maritime University and Guangdong Ocean University, alongside overseas players like Wärtsilä. Multiple cutting-edge pieces of equipment made their premier debut, attracting high-level attention from global specialists and industry media.
For 2026, the expo lands in Qingdao for the very first time, with comprehensive upgrades in exhibition scale, content programming and supporting services. Leveraging Qingdao’s robust marine‑industry cluster, the event connects the Asia‑Pacific region with global markets as a benchmark international gathering for subsea and offshore professionals.
Upgraded Scale: A Full-value-chain Exhibition Landscape
The upcoming expo will offer 20,000 m² total exhibition floor space, expecting more than 300 exhibitors with strengthened industrial clustering effects. It will continue to feature mature segments covering diving, salvage and general offshore engineering equipment, underwater intelligent technologies, emergency-rescue hardware, ship equipment and accessories, and offshore wind power. Two brand-new themed zones will be created, namely the National Key Technical Equipment Showcase and the Qingdao Offshore Engineering Innovation Achievements Pavilion, to display state-of-the-art national marine hardware and local scientific and technological transformation outcomes.
Showcasing cutting-edge equipment, technologies and services across the value chain, the expo vividly demonstrates how technological innovation fuels marine-industry transformation. Industry champions including CCCC and Huadian Engineering as well as home-grown Qingdao star enterprises will bring their innovative products and breakthrough technologies to the show.
Pragmatic Events: Building an Industry-research Exchange Platform
A multi-faceted portfolio of concurrent professional events will be organised to foster technical dialogue, unlock collaborative opportunities and enable targeted business matching. The 11th International Forum on Diving, Salvage and Offshore Engineering Technology will be held in parallel, convening over 300 high-profile delegates including government representatives, international-organisation officials, academic experts, academicians and corporate leaders. Participants will hold in-depth discussions on industrial shifts, technical iteration, bottlenecks and innovative application scenarios. To date, delegates from more than 10 countries and regions including the United Kingdom, the United States, Norway, South Africa, Singapore, the Republic of Korea and Hong Kong, China have registered to attend.
Additional on-site activities will cover the intelligent water-search-and-rescue competition, university-enterprise matchmaking sessions, marine-major graduate recruitment fairs, thematic salons and new-product launch ceremonies. Tailored to real-world business needs, these sessions create venues for technical exchange, brand exposure, lead generation and academy-industry cooperation while removing barriers for marine-sector talent flow.
Targeted Liaison: Delivering Tangible Business Results for Exhibitors
Drawing on its solid industry resources, the organising party prioritises business matching and transaction-oriented outcomes with multi-pronged measures. First, core procurement resources will be precisely curated. CDSA counts over 1,100 member organisations, of which more than 70 % are key contractors and service providers for diving-salvage and offshore projects. Member resources across special committees and branches will be mobilised to bring core procurers to the show floor for face-to-face talks. Second, global buyers will be sourced through the networks of co-hosts ADCI and IMCA to match international procurement requirements and enlarge cross-border business possibilities. Third, full advantage will be taken of Qingdao’s status as one of China’s top-tier marine-economic cities. Key enterprises clustered within Haixiwan Ship-and-Offshore-Engineering Base will be invited to maximise the spill-over effect of industry leaders. Fourth, targeted invitations will go out to relevant units across rescue, salvage, maritime affairs, emergency management, fire-rescue, marine survey-mapping and municipal-engineering operation systems, inviting procurement and R&D managers for business negotiations.
Reinvented Format: A Marine-industry Gala Open to the Public
Breaking the conventional purely-professional-show model, the expo adopts immersive interactive formats. Highlights include underwater-robot performances, AI-digital-human interactions and Marine Science Open Day. Moving beyond static displays, these activities make sophisticated marine technology visible, tangible and experiential. Open both to trade visitors and members of the public, the programme shortens the distance between the marine industry and society. Through edutainment-style engagement, it disseminates marine-tech knowledge and showcases the dynamism of marine innovation, giving this professional exhibition both industry authority and public-outreach value.