Oceans 2024 in Halifax
In 2024, Halifax had the privilege of hosting the global Oceans Conference and Exhibition, an event that is co-sponsored by Marine Technology Society (MTS) and the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society (OES). By all measures, the event was a huge success and is just one more example of how our city is making a positive impact on a global stage. Interested in hosting your own event here? Get in touch with our team today.
Halifax isn’t just surrounded by the ocean, it’s defined by it.
The ocean is woven into the very fabric of who we are, and it’s not just a historical connection. The growing ocean sector represents a modern, thriving ecosystem that spans marine research, ocean technology, renewable energy, fisheries, defence, and more. The ocean is a driving force for innovation, a key economic driver for high-skilled jobs, and it’s what’s putting Halifax on the map as a global leader in innovation.
Oceans Conference and Exhibition
Given our city’s status as a marine leader, it’s no surprise that one of the world’s leading ocean events, the Oceans Conference and Exhibition, made Halifax a port of call in 2024 for their twice-yearly conference.
Held in September 2024, the four-day event brought together over 1,600 professionals specializing in all areas and aspects of ocean technology—from government to academia to private industry and all points in between. The event is unique as it serves as both a highly-regarded academic conference as well as a trade show where professionals can come together to network, discover new business opportunities, and enjoy other collaborations.
The event rotates between different cities throughout the year. Though it’s not the first time the event has been hosted in Halifax, a lot has changed in the sector since it was last here in 1997. According to Christopher Whitt, General Chair of the conference, “We started thinking about bidding to host this event in 2018—maybe earlier. At that time, the oceans sector was expanding but nowhere near where it is today. It’s always been clear that Halifax has a vibrant community that covers all the major areas of ocean technology.”
What makes Halifax a leader in ocean technology?
One trip to Halifax’s waterfront is all it takes to start to understand just how important the ocean is to our way of life—Halifax has one of the largest and deepest ice-free harbours in the world. But beyond the beauty and proximity the ocean brings, there are a variety of other factors that make Halifax uniquely positioned as an oceans hub.
The city is home to world-class academic institutions, cutting-edge research facilities, strong government support, and a thriving private sector—all within close proximity due to our relatively small size. Some of our key facilities include:
- COVE (Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship), a high-tech innovation hub currently home to more than 70 start-ups, scale-ups, researchers, and global companies, all focused on the marine sector.
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO), Canada’s largest ocean research centre, with over 600 scientists, engineers, and technicians.
- Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI), a collaborative initiative led by Dalhousie University, Memorial University Newfoundland, and the University of Prince Edward Island, focusing on interdisciplinary research to address complex ocean challenges.
While proximity and infrastructure certainly play an important role, it’s the people of Halifax who have a shared commitment to shaping to future of marine technology who have put the city on the map as a leader in ocean technology and research.
Don’t just take our word for it, we recorded an entire podcast episode about Halifax’s oceans sector with Jim Hanlon, one of our most well-known and highly-regarded oceans sector champions.
Leadership in action
For event organizers like Christopher Whitt, hosting the Oceans Conference and Exhibition in Halifax sent a powerful message to the industry.
“The ocean technology sector is growing and Halifax is a really exceptional place to bring all those people together. Halifax has a critical mass of expertise, support, facilities and companies in the marine sector. So not only do we have that base to host a major event, we can effectively bring together people from all over the world because there is something for everybody to come here to Halifax.”
In fact, Christopher’s vision for the event was so impactful, he was recognized with a Take The Lead award for his work. For our city to grow and continue to be part of the global conversation, we need more events like the Oceans Exhibition and Conference to experience all we have to offer.
It takes a village
Beyond the boost to the local ocean sector, hosting events like the Oceans Conference and Exhibition also has a positive impact on the larger community. According to an economic impact assessment we conducted after the event, Oceans 2024 attracted over 1,600 attendees and contributed more than $3.7 million in positive economic impact to our city’s economy.
It truly takes an entire city to host an event of this scale—something partners like The Halifax Convention Centre understand. In conjunction with the Oceans Conference and Exhibition, HCC facilitated a Local Oceans Pop-Up Market for conference attendees that was open to the public. The market aimed to increase ocean literacy and extend the event to the entire city so everyone could be part of the excitement. The market also helped attendees get to know more about Halifax by being introduced to local suppliers and businesses who may have been outside of the scope of the conference.
In terms of what’s next, the oceans community isn’t just sitting idly by waiting for the world to choose us again. Marking its 10th year in 2025, the H20 Conference is a home-grown conference that has been steadily growing in prominence since its inception. Organizers have been working hard for the past decade to build the conference into a can’t-miss event for the oceans and marine community.
As the oceans sector becomes more central to solving some of the biggest challenges we face—climate change, food insecurity, the global energy transition, to name a few—the industry itself is no longer niche. And through hosting events like the Oceans Conference and Exhibition and H20, Halifax isn’t just participating in the future, we’re shaping it. At the same time, the industry is working hard to give folks from all over the world more reasons to want to come back to Halifax on an annual basis. We can’t wait to welcome them.
