Our reporter Afryea Charles travelled from Trinidad and Tobago to The Hague for ICOE–OEE 2026 — and captured just how busy, ambitious and international this industry really is. From 5–7 October, the global ocean energy community came together for three days of technology, policy, testing, investment and partnership-building.cinea.ec.europa+1
The AMARE Theatre was full of researchers, engineers, innovators, policymakers and investors. The conversations ranged from next-generation technology to the practical barriers between a promising device and commercial deployment.
And the exhibition floor showed the breadth of the sector: international technology developers, Dutch innovators, research organisations and companies from across the ocean energy value chain — including those working with Offshore Proof.
One message came through clearly: inventing technology is only half the battle. Standards, testing, certification, performance evidence and investor confidence are essential to turning innovation into deployable projects — and these topics featured throughout the conference programme.interregvlaned+1
Policy, finance and partnerships matter just as much. Through the EWA and O4S side events, policymakers and investors discussed the conditions needed to accelerate deployment, while the innovation tour brought participants face to face with real technologies and real engineering.
One of the most inspiring moments? Seeing schoolchildren discover ocean energy — a reminder that this sector is also building the future workforce that will design, build, install, operate and maintain these technologies.
Ocean energy is not standing still. The technology is advancing, the conversations are getting serious, and the partnerships needed to move the industry forward are taking shape.
It is time more people knew what is happening in this industry. Stop sleeping on ocean energy.
A big thank you to Afryea for bringing the energy, curiosity and perspective of The Blue Power Movement to ICOE–OEE 2026.
Watch the video to have an impression: