Upcoming Ocean Events (September-December 2026): Key Dates for the Ocean Observing Community
19 August 2026
The months ahead offer a busy calendar of conferences, workshops and policy events across the ocean community. Below, we highlight a selection of upcoming events taking place between September and December 2026 that may be of particular interest to the European ocean observing and operational oceanography communities, covering topics ranging from ocean observation and forecasting to marine biodiversity, technology, governance and science communication.
Policy, Governance & International Cooperation
EU Arctic Forum, Indigenous Peoples' Dialogue and Arctic Youth Dialogue | 1-3 September 2026 | Brussels, Belgium
Bringing together policymakers, researchers, Indigenous representatives, civil society and youth, the forum will focus on Arctic cooperation, sustainable development, climate change, research and innovation, and future priorities for the region. A series of side events on 3 September will expand the discussion to Arctic science and observations, regional cooperation, security, space initiatives, and health.
Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea Stakeholder Conference 2026 | 30 September 2026 | Burgas, Bulgaria
A key regional forum supporting the implementation of the Common Maritime Agenda (CMA) for the Black Sea, bringing together policymakers, researchers, businesses, investors and regional organisations to discuss shared priorities, strengthen regional cooperation and support the sustainable development of the Black Sea region. The conference forms part of the broader CMA Black Sea Week (28 September-2 October), a series of workshops, stakeholder meetings and outreach activities supporting a healthy, resilient and sustainable Black Sea blue economy.
Atlantic Summit Galway 2026 | 8-9 October 2026 | Galway, Ireland
An official event of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Summit will bring together policymakers, researchers, industry and civil society to help define priorities for the next chapter of Atlantic Ocean research and innovation. Discussions will also address the implementation of the EU Ocean Pact and Ocean Act, innovation for Europe's ocean leadership, and future skills and capacity needs for the sustainable blue economy.
Event page: https://atlanticsummit2026.clr.events/
Arctic Circle Assembly 2026 | 8-10 October 2026 | Reykjavík, Iceland
One of the world's leading international forums on Arctic affairs, bringing together policymakers, scientists, Indigenous organisations, industry and civil society to advance dialogue on climate change, governance, innovation and international cooperation in the region.
Event page: https://www.arcticcircle.org/
Ocean Observation & Forecasting Systems
SEA-EU International Week on Ocean Observation and Environmental Monitoring | 29 September - 1 October 2026 | Valletta, Malta
Organised within the SEA-EU Alliance, a European university alliance advancing higher education and promoting sustainable ocean management, the event will explore advances in ocean observation and environmental monitoring. Sessions will cover sensor development and integration, in situ measurement techniques, system deployment, data transmission, and scientific studies based on observation infrastructure data.
Event page: https://sea-eu.org/sea-eu-international-week-on-ocean-observation-and-environmental-monitoring/
Land-Sea 2026 Conference | 30 September 2026 | Brussels, Belgium
Organised by the LandSeaLot project, the conference will present project achievements and contribute to the development of a Common Observation Strategy for land-sea interactions.
Event page: https://landsealot.eu/land-sea-2026/
MonGOOS General Assembly and Workshop 2026 | 3-5 November 2026 | Heraklion, Greece
The annual assembly of the Mediterranean operational oceanography community, fostering regional collaboration. The assembly will be followed by a workshop on “New trends in Mediterranean Sea operational oceanography”.
Event flyer: https://eurogoos.eu/api/files/file/2026_MonGOOS_Leaflet.pdf
OceanPrediction DCC Global Event 2026 | 3-5 November 2026 | Online
Bringing together the global ocean forecasting community to discuss developments in operational forecasting systems and innovations supporting climate resilience, coastal safety, ecosystem protection and sustainable ocean governance.
Event page: https://events.unoceanprediction.org/oceanprediction-dcc-global-event
International Conference on Research Infrastructures (ICRI 2026) | 2-4 December 2026 | Rome, Italy
The leading global forum on research infrastructures, addressing international cooperation, advanced facilities, services and data ecosystems, and the role of research infrastructures in the broader socio-economic context and as instruments of science diplomacy.
Event page: https://icri2026.it/
Ocean Technology & Data
Ocean Optics XXVII Conference | 14-18 September 2026 | Ghent, Belgium
An international conference highlighting advances in optical science and technology for aquatic environments, bringing together oceanographers, engineers and Earth observation specialists.
Event page: https://oceanopticsconference.org/
OCEANS 2026 Monterey | 21-24 September 2026 | Monterey, USA
One of the world's leading ocean science and technology conferences, bringing together researchers, engineers, industry representatives and ocean professionals to explore advances in marine engineering, ocean observing systems, autonomous and robotic platforms, data services and operational oceanography.
Event page: https://monterey26.oceansconference.org/
Sea Tech Week 2026 | 6-8 October 2026 | Brest, France
Bringing together international experts from research, industry, government and the innovation sector, the event will showcase scientific and technological developments supporting the blue economy, with a focus on ocean technologies, digital solutions, autonomous systems, observation systems and sustainable maritime activities.
Event page: https://www.seatechweek.eu/
International Conference on Marine Data and Information Systems (IMDIS 2026) | 30 November - 3 December 2026 | Split, Croatia
Bringing together data managers, information specialists, researchers and infrastructure providers, the conference will address data stewardship, interoperability, standards, digital infrastructures and information services that support access to marine knowledge and enable marine research, monitoring and informed decision-making.
Event page: https://imdis.seadatanet.org/
Blue Economy, Resilience & Adaptation
Joint Atlantic-WestMED Stakeholder Conference 2026 | 15-16 September 2026 | Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Bringing together stakeholders from the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions to discuss marine resilience, innovation, sustainable blue economy development and cross-basin cooperation.
BlueAdapt Final Conference | 22 September 2026 | Brussels, Belgium
Bringing together policymakers, researchers, practitioners and civil society, the conference will examine how Europe can strengthen resilience to climate-related health risks and explore adaptation, prevention, and preparedness strategies in coastal areas.
Event page: https://blueadapt.eu/news/final-conference/
Fisheries, Marine Biology, & Ecosystems
ICES Annual Science Conference 2026 | 15-18 September 2026 | Brest, France
The conference will bring together marine scientists from around the world to share innovative research across key areas of ICES science, including ecosystems, human impacts, emerging technologies, and conservation.
Event page: https://www.ices.dk/events/asc/2026/Pages/default.aspx
World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2026 | 17-20 November 2026 | Bruges, Belgium
A UN Ocean Decade-endorsed event examining progress towards biodiversity targets and priorities for marine biodiversity science, conservation and sustainable ocean management.
Event page: https://www.wcmb2026.org/
Science Communication
CommOcean 2026 | 2-3 September 2026 | Bergen, Norway
An international conference dedicated to ocean science communication, public engagement, ocean literacy and knowledge exchange between science and society.
Event page: https://commocean.org/
Blue Impact Lab | 17-18 September 2026 | Ostend, Belgium
A hands-on workshop hosted by VLIZ, helping researchers and practitioners strengthen the communication of scientific knowledge and project outcomes to stakeholders and decision-makers.
Event page: https://oceanexpert.org/event/5064