The industry's fixed dates are Underwater Intervention (New Orleans, December), Subsea Expo (Aberdeen, February), Ocean Business (Southampton, biennial) and Oceanology International (London, biennial). For a diver, the exhibition floor matters more than the talks: that's where the contractors, manufacturers and personnel managers are, all in one place and approachable.
In commercial diving almost nothing moves through job boards. It moves through contacts, references and people who've seen your face. Subsea trade fairs are one of the few settings where a diver can run into half a dozen contractors in two days without asking anyone for an appointment.
This calendar covers the dates that actually matter between late 2026 and 2027, with what can be verified today on each event's official website. When an edition doesn't yet have exact dates published, I say so rather than inventing them: always confirm on the organiser's website before booking flights or a hotel. In the events section we keep the list up to date.
What you actually get out of a subsea trade fair
It's worth understanding what a trade fair is before spending money on a flight. It's not a job board or a recruitment office. It's a commercial space where service companies, equipment manufacturers and operators show each other work. That people get hired there is a side effect, not the purpose.
That said, the side effect is powerful. In a hall in Aberdeen or New Orleans you'll find operations managers, diving superintendents, HR people and sales staff all at once who know exactly which vessels will be short-staffed the following season. That information isn't published anywhere.
- Direct contact with contractors: thirty seconds talking to someone from operations is worth more than thirty emails sent to a generic inbox.
- A read on the market: what projects are being awarded, which areas are active and which companies are growing or shrinking.
- Technical developments: chambers, umbilicals, saturation systems, hydraulic tools and ROVs you'll be seeing on the job in two or three years.
- Training and regulatory information: sessions on safety, incidents and changes to industry standards.
- Community: running into people you've worked with is the fastest route to a reference.
If your main goal is to find a berth, back up the fair with the groundwork: well-prepared applications, paperwork in order and steady follow-up. We've written about that in the jobs section and in how to get your first job as an offshore diver.
Underwater Intervention (New Orleans, United States)
It's the fair most focused on commercial diving proper of the whole calendar. It's organised in partnership with the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and the ROV committee of the Marine Technology Society, and runs alongside the International WorkBoat Show, which multiplies the number of exhibitors and visitors from the marine sector.
The edition confirmed by the organisers runs from 2 to 4 December 2026, at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. It's held annually, always on the Gulf, which remains the reference market for commercial diving in the United States.
Who it's for: surface and saturation divers looking to work in the Gulf of Mexico, ROV technicians and pilots, systems maintenance staff, and anyone who wants to understand how the American market works, with its own certification framework and its own hiring culture, different from the European one.
Subsea Expo (Aberdeen, Escocia)
Subsea Expo is the annual date for European subsea. It's organised by Global Underwater Hub and held at the P&J Live venue in Aberdeen, with an exhibition, a conference and an awards dinner that in practice functions as the industry's big social event in the United Kingdom. Entry to the exhibition is free.
The 2026 edition was held in February, and the official website has already announced the next one for February 2027, at P&J Live, with no specific days published as of this writing. It's an annual event and the dates usually fall in the first half of the month, but it's worth waiting for official confirmation before booking travel.
It's probably the fair with the best return for effort for a European diver. Aberdeen is home to the offices of a good part of the contractors operating in the North Sea, and during those days the city is full of industry people. If you're thinking about moving to the area, it's worth reading first why the North Sea remains the capital of saturation diving and going through where saturation diving work is found.
Oceanology International (Londres, United Kingdom)
Oceanology International is the big global showcase for marine technology. It's held at ExCeL London every two years, a tradition going back to the late sixties, and brings together manufacturers of sensors, acoustic systems, autonomous vehicles, ROVs and positioning equipment, plus an extensive conference programme.
The 2026 edition was held in March, and the next one has been confirmed by the organisers for 14, 15 and 16 March 2028, again at ExCeL London. In other words, there's no London edition in the 2026-2027 window: if it interests you, it's a date you need to plan for well in advance.
Here the focus isn't the diver but the technology. Even so, it's the best place to understand where underwater intervention is heading, which tasks are shifting to unmanned systems, and which hybrid profiles (a diver trained in ROV, inspection or NDT) will be in demand in the coming years.
Ocean Business (Southampton, United Kingdom)
Ocean Business is held at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, and what sets it apart is that it's a hands-on fair: demonstrations in the water off the quay, in test tanks, aboard vessels and in training classrooms. You can try the equipment, not just look at it.
The next edition has been announced by the organisers for 6, 7 and 8 April 2027. It runs every two years, in odd years, so it alternates with Oceanology International, and between the two they cover almost the whole British technology calendar.
It's of interest mainly to technical staff: inspection, survey, vehicle operation and underwater metrology. For a diver looking to branch out into inspection work, it's an excellent place to talk to manufacturers and see what specific training the users of each system ask for.
Other dates worth having on your radar
SPE Offshore Europe (Aberdeen)
The big European offshore energy event, held every two years in odd years, headquartered at P&J Live. The organisers have confirmed dates of 7 to 9 September 2027. It's not a diving fair, but one for operators, EPC contractors and suppliers across the whole offshore chain, including offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon storage. It's useful for understanding who awards the work that later reaches the dive vessels.
Seawork (Southampton)
Annual fair for workboats and commercial marine, at Mayflower Park. The organisers have announced 15 to 17 June 2027 and has already published the 2028 dates too, 13 to 15 June. A good part of the exhibitors are owners and shipyards of support vessels, a world directly connected to ours; you can see the context in dive support vessels.
Association seminars and school open days
Besides the big trade fairs, IMCA and ADCI run seminars and technical sessions for their members, and many schools and training centres hold open days with contractors present. They don't have a fixed calendar published years in advance, so the practical approach is to follow their channels and those of the reference schools in your area.
How to prepare for a fair if you're job-hunting
Before you go
- Download the exhibitor list and mark ten to fifteen target companies. Going without a list is wasting the day.
- Research what each one does: a saturation contractor in the North Sea is not the same as a port works company or a hull inspection firm. You can start with our list of industry companies.
- Keep your paperwork in order and digitised: valid medical certificate, diving card, survival courses, dive log. You should be able to show them on your phone in thirty seconds.
- Prepare a one-page CV, in English, with bottom time, depths, systems used and previous contracts. No flashy design.
- Register in advance: most of these events are free or very cheap for visitors, but registering at the door costs time.
During the fair
- Dress smart-casual, not workwear and not a suit. Trousers, a shirt or polo, and comfortable shoes; you'll be doing a lot of walking.
- Introduce yourself in thirty seconds: who you are, what certification you hold, what you've done and what you're looking for. No embellishment.
- Ask for whoever handles personnel or crewing. The sales rep on the stand rarely makes the decision, but almost always knows who to pass your name to.
- Write down the full name and job title of everyone you talk to. A business card with no context is useless two weeks later.
- Make the most of the technical sessions and social events. Many useful conversations happen in the coffee queue, not at the stand.
- Don't monopolise anyone. If the stand is busy, leave your contact details and come back later.
Afterwards
- Write within the following 48 hours, while they still remember you. A short email, a reference to the specific conversation, and your CV attached.
- Also submit your application through the company's formal channel: many only process what comes in through their portal.
- Follow up reasonably, without being pushy: a reminder after three or four weeks is acceptable.
- Keep your contact list organised. In this trade a call can come two years later.
Common mistakes and realistic expectations
Mistakes that keep happening
The first is going without a valid certification, hoping someone will fund it for you. It doesn't happen. Before spending money on a flight to Aberdeen, it's worth having your training route sorted out; in certifications we explain what each scheme requires and in what order.
The second is treating the fair like an interview. It isn't one. Nobody's going to hire you in a hallway. What you get is a name, a direct email, and the implicit permission to write. That's enough if you follow up properly afterwards.
The third is focusing only on the big, well-known companies. Small stands are often staffed by people who can actually decide, with much less noise around them. Many first contracts come from there.
And the fourth is going to all of them. Two well-prepared fairs a year pay off more than five visited in passing. Choose by target market: North Sea, go to Aberdeen; Gulf of Mexico, go to New Orleans.
Budget and expected results
Many of these fairs are free for visitors, so the real cost is travel, accommodation and days not working. In cities like Aberdeen, hotel prices spike during the event week, so booking months ahead changes the sums considerably. Only booking once the dates are confirmed by the organisers avoids nasty surprises.
As for results, the sensible measure isn't how many offers you get, but how many qualified contacts you come away with and how many reply to your follow-up email. A fair that leaves you with three real contacts inside active contractors has more than done its job. The rest is persistence.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth going to a fair if I don't have a diving certification yet?
It can help you get your bearings: seeing what companies exist, what work they do and what training they require in each market. What you shouldn't expect is a job offer or someone paying for your course. If your budget is tight, prioritise investing first in your certification and medical certificate, and save the fair for when you can turn up with valid papers.
What's the best fair for a diver who wants to work in the North Sea?
Subsea Expo, in Aberdeen, by a distance. It's annual, free, and brings together the contractors operating in the area, plus manufacturers and operators. During those days the city is full of industry people and side events are organised. SPE Offshore Europe, also in Aberdeen and held every two years, is useful for understanding who awards the projects.
Do you have to pay to get into these fairs?
It depends on the event and the type of access. The Subsea Expo exhibition is free, and Ocean Business is also free to enter with prior registration. Conference programmes, awards dinners and workshops usually have a separate cost. Registering in advance on the official website is always cheaper and faster than accrediting at the door on the day.
How often are Oceanology International and Ocean Business held?
Both are biennial and alternate. Oceanology International is held in even years at ExCeL London, and the next confirmed edition is 14 to 16 March 2028. Ocean Business takes the odd years at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, with the next edition announced for 6, 7 and 8 April 2027.
What do I bring to a fair besides my CV?
Your certificates in digital format, accessible from your phone: diving accreditation, valid medical certificate, survival courses and dive log. Add simple business cards of your own with name, phone and email, a notebook for jotting down contacts, and comfortable shoes. Avoid bulky folders: almost nobody is going to read paper documentation in the middle of an exhibition hall.
Published 18 August 2026 · By Arthur More, professional saturation diver
Photo: M McBey · CC BY via Openverse