IMCA Global Summit 2026: 
Raising Standards. Empowering People. Sustaining the Future

The Global Summit is IMCA’s flagship event and will bring together hundreds of business leaders, decision-makers, and technical experts from across the world to shape the future of the marine construction industry.

As well as addressing today’s technical challenges, Global Summit 2026 will chart a course for 2030, defining how IMCA Members will work together to advance technical excellence and global standardisation, champion a safe, skilled, and diverse workforce, and support sustainability and operational efficiency in line with IMCA’s new 2030 strategy, which will be unveiled at the two-day conference.

Through in-depth discussion and collaboration, the event will tackle the challenges and opportunities shaping offshore operations and will deliver actionable technical insights while addressing the sector’s current practical challenges.

28 October AM programme

Registration and refreshments

08:00 – 09:00 – Registration and refreshments

Atrium & ZOO Gallery

Welcome to the IMCA Global Summit 2026

09:00 – 09:10 – Welcome to the IMCA Global Summit 2026

Okapi Rooms

Welcome to the IMCA Global Summit 2026

Susannah Streeter

| Host

Global offshore outlook - What's next?

09:10 – 09:30 – Global offshore outlook - What's next?

Okapi Rooms

IMCA 2030 - Board & CEO vision

09:30 – 10:05 – IMCA 2030 - Board & CEO vision

Okapi Rooms

IMCA 2030 - Board & CEO vision

Iain Grainger

IMCA | CEO

IMCA 2030 - Board & CEO vision

Hugo Bouvy

DEME Offshore | IMCA President

IMCA 2030 - Board & CEO vision

Cinthya Lopes

Simwave BV | IMCA Board member / Director

Welcome to Antwerp

10:05 – 10:15 – Welcome to Antwerp

Okapi Rooms

Refreshment break and exhibition

10:15 – 11:00 – Refreshment break and exhibition

Atrium & ZOO Gallery

Session 2 breakouts

11:00 – 12:15 – Session 2 breakouts

Marble Hall, Gorilla Rooms, Darwin Hall

2a: What we can learn from industries that chose people | 2b: Preventing the next Serious Injury or Fatality (SIF): from insight to action | 2c: Navigating change: EU and IMO policy developments

28 October PM programme

Lunch and exhibition

12:15 – 13:25 – Lunch and exhibition

Atrium & ZOO Gallery

Keynote Session

13:25 – 13:55 – Keynote Session

Okapi Rooms

Movement

13:55 – 14:00 – Movement

Movement break

Session 3 breakouts

14:00 – 15:00 – Session 3 breakouts

Marble Hall, Gorilla Rooms, Darwin Hall

3a: From entry to impact: what the next generation really needs | 3b: Offshore security in a changing threat landscape | 3c: DP in offshore wind: beyond position keeping

Refreshment break and exhibition

15:00 – 15:30 – Refreshment break and exhibition

Atrium & ZOO Gallery

Session 4 breakouts

15:30 – 17:00 – Session 4 breakouts

Marble Hall, Gorilla Rooms, Darwin Hall

4a: Shaping the future of offshore survey: IMCA Guidance and workforce development | 4b: Getting the deal right: contracts and insurance in offshore wind | 4c: The end game: offshore wind decommissioning in practice

Gala Dinner and Awards

19:00 – 22:00 – Gala Dinner and Awards

Horta & Art Noveau Hall

Gala Dinner and Awards

Susannah Streeter

| Host

29 October AM programme

Registration and refreshments

09:00 – 09:30 – Registration and refreshments

Atrium & ZOO Gallery

Welcome to day two

09:30 – 09:35 – Welcome to day two

Okapi Rooms

Welcome to day two

Susannah Streeter

| Host

TBC

09:35 – 09:55 – TBC

Okapi Rooms

Movement

09:55 – 10:00 – Movement

Movement break

Session 5 breakouts

10:00 – 11:15 – Session 5 breakouts

Marble Hall, Gorilla Rooms, Darwin Hall

5a: Mental fitness in offshore diving | 5b: From ROV simulation to live operations: training, remote intervention and the future of subsea operations | 5c: Lifting and Rigging

Refreshment break and exhibition

11:15 – 11:45 – Refreshment break and exhibition

Atrium & ZOO Gallery

29 October PM programme

Session 6 breakouts

11:45 – 13:15 – Session 6 breakouts

Marble Hall, Gorilla Rooms, Darwin Hall

6a: From policy to practice: designing offshore for a changing workforce | 6b: Beneath the surface: evolving practices in commercial diving | 6c: Closing the loop: how circular collaboration enables decarbonization and supply‑chain resilience

Lunch and exhibition

13:15 – 14:15 – Lunch and exhibition

Atrium & ZOO Gallery

Reflections on the last 2 days

14:15 – 14:25 – Reflections on the last 2 days

Okapi Rooms

Reflections on the last 2 days

Susannah Streeter

| Host

TBA

14:25 – 14:35 – TBA

Okapi Rooms

Keynote Session - Chris Jewell

14:35 – 15:25 – Keynote Session - Chris Jewell

Okapi Rooms

Keynote Session - Chris Jewell

Chris Jewell

| Keynote speaker

Wrap and close

14:35 – 15:30 – Wrap and close

Okapi Rooms

Wrap and close

Susannah Streeter

| Host

Event details:

A Room with a ZOO
Koningin Astridplein 20-26
2018 Antwerp
Belgium

Venue website | Google Maps

Price: Earlybird Member: £515, Standard Member: £575 | Earlybird Non-Member: £775, Standard Non-Member: £865 | Earlybird rates end 19 June

Register / Book

IMCA contacts

Iain Grainger

Iain Grainger

Chief Executive

Winnie Dehaney

Winnie Dehaney

Events Manager

Susannah 2026 1

Meet our host-Susannah Streeter

Susannah is an award winning financial expert and a former BBC business anchor. She has been head of money and markets for the the UK's largest retail investment platform, and appears daily on radio and TV, updating audiences on economic trends affecting businesses and what it means for our finances. She is a keynote speaker at international events and chairs global conferences focusing on the economy, financial markets, energy and the environment. 

CPD Certified

CPD Certified: Attendance at this event qualifies for Continuing Professional Development accreditation.

We’re delighted to announce that ​Global Summit​ is CPD certified. That means by attending, you’ll not only gain valuable insights and practical knowledge, but you’ll also earn official Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits to support your career growth.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn, network, and gain recognition for your professional development.

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