Six domains converge at shorelines: water surface, underwater, land, air, cyber/wireless, and space. These are high stakes areas of military, infrastructure, and environmental importance. Spiri Robotics has developed an automated system for consolidating data from across those domains, then fusing, understanding, and sharing results to end users on a real time basis. This system is further designed to expand by offering others open source and standards to connect.

A 15-minute brief on the importance of Cybersecurity in the Maritime and Oceans environment worldwide with the current Political and Business Environments with a concentration on experience from Canada and Europe. I will discuss the need for cybersecurity to protect IP, Operations and reputation in a fast-changing world and what we’ve seen happening since the beginning of the Invasion of the Ukraine up to now.

Growing concern over underwater noise pollution is accelerating efforts to measure underwater radiated noise (URN) from commercial and government vessels, with the IMO expected to move toward mandatory protocols. A URN measurement captures a form of acoustic signature, though often simpler than the analyses performed for naval applications. For URN measurement, current standards require controlled vessel passes and nonetheless extensive processing to accurately estimate source levels, creating operational and cost barriers. Emerging technologies, including portable hydrophone ranges deployed from unmanned platforms and cabled arrays at strategic locations, offer more flexible, real time, and even opportunistic URN measurement that supports environmental programs and compliance needs. As high accuracy streamlined URN measurement technologies and procedures are developed, civil and defence activities are converging, creating opportunities for dual use approaches that enhance both environmental stewardship and maritime situational awareness.

DeepSense presents a series of applied AI projects supporting offshore wind, maritime surveillance, and ocean security in increasingly complex operating environments. Featured examples include reinforcement learning–based autonomous control systems for floating offshore wind developed with Memorial University, and WhisperLoop, a real-time vessel detection and classification system built with Sensor Technology Ltd. using edge-based acoustic monitoring on uncrewed platforms. These projects highlight how AI can enhance resilience, improve situational awareness, and enable faster decision-making across the marine sector. With over 40+ projects delivered in 2025–2026, DeepSense is scaling a collaborative model that bridges industry and academia to rapidly move solutions from concept to deployment. Attendees will gain practical insights into deploying AI at the edge, developing dual-use technologies, and building partnerships that strengthen maritime domain awareness, security, and sustainability in Canada.

The Artemis eFoiler® system powers next-generation, high-efficiency, zero-emission vessels that lift the hull above the water to dramatically reduce drag, energy use and wake. By integrating advanced control systems, electric propulsion and lightweight composite structures, Artemis eFoiler® vessels enable faster, quieter and more sustainable operations. This presentation will showcase how the core technology supports mission-specific platforms including the electric Artemis EF12 Pilot, Artemis EF12 Patrol, Artemis EF12 CTV, and the Artemis EF24 Passenger—a high-capacity, commuter ferry due to launch later this year. The Artemis EF-24 Passenger consumes significantly less energy at transit speeds than conventional displacement ferries, reducing charging infrastructure and dwell-time requirements—reducing both capital and grid-capacity requirements. Drawing on real-world trials of a 12-metre Artemis eFoiler® in British Columbia and Halifax, attendees will gain practical insights into how Artemis eFoiler® technology can decarbonise regional ferry services, optimise operational efficiency and enhance connectivity for communities.

The talk will describe Maritime Unmanned Systems (MUS) experimentation at NATO REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Unmanned Systems), with a focus on JASCO’s work in underwater gliders. The benefits and challenges for Canadian Industry participating in REPMUS will be discussed. Other Canadian industrial participants will be acknowledged. The Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Barrier experimentation at REPMUS 25 will be described. Dual-Use: How Canada can use Swarm Gliders for both Persistent Maritime Surveillance and Marine Mammal Monitoring/Mitigation in support of Offshore Wind. The future dual-use of underwater gliders will be discussed: • What are the operational implications? • What are the key areas needing additional R&D/investment? • How can Canadian Government / Industry / Academia help? • REPMUS 2026 Preview. Conclusions / Acknowledgements and a fun video of Dolphins swimming with a target at REPMUS 2025.

Preparing for operations in Canada’s Arctic is challenging due to the remoteness, costs and risks associated with training in ice covered waters. The National Research Council and Virtual Marine have jointly developed a digital twin of Canada’s northern environments creating a high-fidelity link between physical testing environments and digital simulation capabilities. The ice models in the simulated training environments represent Canada’s unique western hemispheric ice. Practicing in ice conditions is key to successful operations in Canada’s north, which include duties related to ice management in offshore oil and gas operations, maintaining transit, and security and sovereignty. This capability is currently being used to model the Royal Canadian Navy’s Canada’s Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships and Canadian Coast Guard vessels, and to train offshore personnel for emergencies in ice covered waters. This session will discuss how the technology was developed and how it is being used for training and research in Canada.

This session looks at the role of ocean technology suppliers in turning research investment into deployable capability for industry and defence. It brings together suppliers, research infrastructure organizations, and end users to unpack how engagement works in practice—translating research requirements into viable products, aligning development timelines with mission needs, and navigating procurement, testing, and deployment pathways. The discussion also highlights where collaboration typically breaks down and what mechanisms—clear demand signals, early engagement, shared risk, and trusted intermediaries—help accelerate adoption and scale.

While high-density batteries remain the gold standard for short-to-medium range autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) missions, the next frontier of applications requires a significant leap in energy endurance. To meet this demand, Cellula Robotics has been burn-in testing its 4th-generation hydrogen fuel cell. On March 12, 2026, their Envoy AUV achieved a landmark 2,000 km submerged transit—a distance equivalent to traveling from Halifax, NS, to Savannah, GA, on a single fuelling.

This milestone shifts the paradigm of AUV applications from intermittent data collection tools to systems capable of persistent subsea "work." In this presentation, we will explore the engineering challenges the Cellula team faced trying to achieve the 2,000 km goal and the solutions that helped them get there. We will discuss the technical hurdles of hydrogen storage at depth, the integration of green energy in marine robotics, and how extreme endurance fundamentally changes the economics of ocean surveying.

This panel explores Maine’s ecosystem approach to electric boat adoption. Since 2020, Island Institute has helped lead marine electrification efforts to support a resilient and prosperous marine economy. Through targeted grant-making, technical assistance, and cross-sector partnerships, more than two dozen electric workboats have been deployed along the Maine coast. The panel brings together sector leaders and early adopters to share lessons from demonstration boats and how barriers such as cost, charging infrastructure, and industry buy-in are addressed. Attendees will gain insight into how coordinated, on-the-water efforts can accelerate adoption and drive system-level change.

In an era where over 90% of global trade travels by sea, accurate and reliable marine data is more critical than ever. At M.E.C we train the next generation of hydrographic professionals to master the science, technology, and operational expertise required to map the world’s oceans, ensure safe navigation, and support sustainable blue economies.

Marine domain awareness is no longer just about monitoring the water—it is about understanding a dynamic, data-rich environment in real time. In this presentation, Marine Thinking will share its approach to integrating autonomy and connectivity to enhance how marine environments are observed, managed and enjoyed. Built on the Marine Tensor Autonomous System, vessels equipped with different propulsion systems can operate with varying levels of autonomy while also acting as distributed sensing platforms, continuously contributing data to a broader awareness system. With deployments in commercial tour boat operations in Asia and shared marine platforms in Europe, Marine Thinking will highlight how these systems are operating in real-world environments. The session will also touch on key considerations in moving from pilot deployments to scalable operations. Rather than focusing on autonomy alone, this talk highlights a shift toward integrated, data-driven marine systems that support safer operations and better-informed decision-making.

Blue Futures Pathways (BFP), an initiative of the Students on Ice (SOI) Foundation, is a youth-focused workforce development program within the Sustainable Blue Economy, connecting emerging talent with organizations across Canada’s ocean and water sectors. This presentation will highlight BFP’s approach to building partnerships and leveraging strategic funding to support innovative internship cohorts that strengthen Canada’s talent pipeline. BFP serves as a key ecosystem connector, helping organizations build capacity, create impact, and support meaningful internships, mentorship, and career pathways for youth aged 15–35. Attendees will learn how BFP participants can contribute to organizational goals, foster skill development, and enhance sector resilience. The session will also explore ways to engage with BFP, access wage subsidies, and share success stories of youth navigating career pathways. Participants will leave with practical insights on workforce development and building effective partnerships.