It is our pleasure to warmly invite you to attend Ocean Optics XXVII, the twenty-seventh edition of the biennial international Ocean Optics Conference. This event brings together a diverse ocean optics community, including oceanographers, limnologists, optical engineers, Earth observation scientists, resource managers, and policy professionals from across the globe, all united by a shared passion for optics in aquatic environments.
Continuing the rich tradition of the Ocean Optics Conference, this year’s program will feature invited plenary speakers, selected oral presentations, and numerous poster presentations showcasing the latest advancements and discoveries in the field. For those looking to deepen their skills, pre-conference short courses and workshops will offer hands-on training in data analysis and emerging technologies.
Continuing on the strong showing from 2024, this September Ocean Optics XXVII will welcome more than 350 members of the ocean optics community, representing 29 countries. The conference will include over 50 oral, plenary, and award presentations, more than 270 poster presentations, and short courses and workshops attended by over 100 students and early career researchers. These numbers reflect both the growth and increasing diversity of our community.
We look forward to continuing this legacy in Fall 2026 and to providing an environment that fosters scientific exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional development.
Ocean Optics XXVII will be held at two exceptional venues located in the heart of Ghent, just across the street from one another: Wintercircus, a stunningly renovated innovation hub centered around a dramatic circular arena, and Arts Center VIERNULVIER, with its iconic Theater room, known for its historic elegance and architectural grandeur. These inspiring, fully accessible spaces are ideally suited for presentations, exhibitions, and networking. The venues are surrounded by Ghent’s vibrant cafes, hotels, and cultural attractions, creating the perfect setting for meaningful engagement.
Visit the Ocean Optics 2026 website
Chelsea Technologies, Forcys, and Wavefront Systems have formally merged under the Forcys brand. This integration strengthens the new company’s ability to meet the evolving demands of the defence sector and other critical markets, while reinforcing its position as a technical leader in the provision of underwater solutions. The move reflects a continued commitment to innovation and collaboration.
The newly combined organisation will bring together decades of expert engineering excellence, creating a stronger, more integrated offering for customers in defence and security, while continuing to serve blue technology sectors.
Paul Badger, CEO of Forcys, stated: “Combining the three organisations provides us with the critical mass required to deliver against a more ambitious vision. With underwater threats to our critical national infrastructure and peer adversaries that increasingly rely on autonomous platforms, we need to be ready to meet the mission head-on. We are doing exactly that.”
Building on a record-breaking period of defence deliveries, the combined Forcys team is well positioned to help the industry navigate the shift from traditional systems toward a more autonomous future. The new entity will be ideally placed to deliver integrated underwater payloads to support a range of missions from ISR to underwater intruder detection and deterrence.
Ioseba Tena, CCO of Forcys, stated: “Building on the proven defence pedigree of Chelsea Technologies and Wavefront Systems, we are integrating world-class expertise to help our customers outperform the competition by delivering increased value through our integrated underwater sensing solutions. We are confident that this is the right team at the right time to lead the next chapter of industry innovation.”
While the Forcys name will represent the new organisation, Chelsea Technologies will continue as a product brand within the new structure, retaining its long-standing reputation and presence within the blue technology sector providing specialist sensing and water quality monitoring.
This is not an acquisition. It is a coming together of three companies within the same group. The three organisations seek to amplify their impact, improve efficiencies, and better serve customers across all sectors.
Chelsea Technologies Introduces MicroSTAF, a compact, deployable Single Turnover Active Fluorometer
MicroSTAF delivers the same exceptional sensitivity and automation as LabSTAF in a low-power, deployable format designed for Marine Autonomous Systems.
Chelsea Technologies, a global leader in optical sensing and marine science instrumentation, is proud to announce the launch of MicroSTAF, a deployable Single Turnover Active Fluorometer (STAF) derived from the company’s renowned LabSTAF platform.
Building on LabSTAF’s proven reputation for the continuous interrogation of phytoplankton photosynthesis, MicroSTAF delivers the same scientific precision in a compact and low power format that
is ideal for integration with Marine Autonomous Systems, including Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASV), gliders and floats.
The high level of automation available in LabSTAF has made it the platform of choice for ship based underway systems worldwide, with tens of thousands of Fluorescence Light Curves now recorded from research vessels.
MicroSTAF inherits this automation and exceptional sensitivity while requiring only 2 W of power. This creates new opportunities for wide scale and long duration measurements and increases both the spatial and temporal coverage of STAF based assessments of phytoplankton photosynthesis.
Benefitting from the same scientific advancements that have made LabSTAF a research standard, MicroSTAF features:
- Photochemical Excitation Profiles (PEPs) – enhancing STAF-based assessments through improved
- characterisation of phytoplankton photosynthetic parameters.
- Dual Waveband Measurements (DWMs) – providing full spectral correction and compensation for the package effect for more accurate fluorescence readings
These features ensure that MicroSTAF delivers high quality and comparable data across a wide range of
environments, from coastal zones to open oceans.
With an integrated pump for automated sample exchange and an optional Spectral Photosynthetically Active Radiation (SPAR) sensor, MicroSTAF brings full laboratory capability into the field.
In measuring SPAR at the point of sampling,it optimises Fluorescence Light Curve protocols in real time, applying automated spectral correction to enhance data quality.
Key features include:
- Windows 11-based interface for protocol design and post-processing
- Autonomous sample acquisition and real-time analysis
- <2 W typical power requirement
- Real-time data output via RS232
- Internal logging of all primary data for post-processing
- Accurate measurements in extreme oligotrophic conditions
- Seven excitation wavebands for PEP-based spectral correction
- Dual Waveband Measurement (DWM) for Package Effect Correction (PEC)
Enhanced Features Position FastBallast as the Gold Standard for Maritime Compliance.
Chelsea Technologies, a global leader in maritime compliance solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of its next-generation FastBallast system, poised to modernise ballast water compliance testing.
Launching December 2025, FastBallast redefines what an upgrade can be.
Designed to meet the latest IMO regulations, FastBallast empowers all maritime stakeholders involved in shipping operations to meet evolving environmental regulations with confidence, combining laboratory-grade accuracy with robust, shipboard practicality.
The maritime industry has changed drastically. With two significant IMO resolutions taking effect on 1 February 2025, the landscape of ballast water management is shifting rapidly. These resolutions mandate a new format for ballast water record books (BWRBs) and introduce approval requirements for electronic BWRBs, signalling a decisive move towards digital record-keeping.
FastBallast is not simply prepared for these changes. It anticipates them instead.
Investing in FastBallast now is a strategic move for operators seeking to stay ahead of evolving compliance demands and strengthen their competitive edge.
Key Features & Benefits
- Designed to Meet IMO Regulations – Provides unmatched reliability for regulatory compliance.
- Enhanced Testing Accuracy – Improved detection capabilities ensure compliance with the most stringent discharge standards.
- User-Friendly Interface – Streamlined design and intuitive software minimise crew training time.
- Portability and Durability – Compact and robust for seamless use onboard or at port facilities.
Water, Wastewater and Environmental Management Expo make waves in the water industry with business opportunities found nowhere else
Join hundreds of engaging conversations, strategic meetings, and thought-provoking presentations at this two-day event dedicated to water management, treatment and emergency response sectors. Network with potential customers, suppliers, and partners who can revolutionise your perspective and open doors to new opportunities.
In 2025, WWEM welcomed 6,124 high-level attendees eager to discover cutting-edge technologies, lucrative investment opportunities, and crucial insights that elevated their operations.