Advances in Technology for Underwater Vehicles (ATUV)
At the World Maritime Technology Conference

 

6–10 March 2006 London conference and exhibition
 

Report by Ian Gallett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) hosted the second World Maritime Technology Conference (WMTC) in London, in partnership with 23 of the world's leading maritime associations. Organised for the first time in San Francisco by The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), WMTC is held every three years and came to Europe in March 2006.

There were ten conference streams at the impressive Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre covering marine engineering systems, commercial shipping, naval engineering, offshore oil and gas, marine renewable energy, EEZ management, coast and ocean mapping, operational oceanography and reefs of the world as well as underwater vehicles in the shape of the joint SUT/IMarEST ATUV (the second of this series). There were other events alongside as well as an innovation hour during the lunchtimes.

Running alongside WMTC was SUT's Advances in Technology for Underwater Vehicles (ATUV). Its 1 1/2 day conference attracted a good number, considering the rather restricted potential audience and the newness of the conference series, this being only the second iteration following the first alongside Oceanology International in 2004.