Offshore Energy 2020 connects international community at live virtual event

After two days of talk shows, round tables and networking, the 13^th Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference has successfully wrapped up its first virtual edition. Thousands of viewers, partners and clients participated in over 45 hours of unique content. With 138 session, 181 content contributors and 1,342 one-on-one matches, the combination of global online participation and live hosting from the RAI in the Netherlands has proved to be highly effective. And it’s not over yet. All talk shows, showcases and interviews can be viewed on-demand here.

Soon after the opening words of Coert van Zijll Langhout, Managing Director of Navingo BV, and Anne Visser, Director of Operations at Navingo BV, thousands of participants logged in to the virtual event area to experience or participate in the programme’s talk shows, round tables, Energy Talks, skill sessions, chat carrousel and even a pub quiz.

The digitally enhanced format, largely broadcasted live from the RAI in Amsterdam was designed for sharing knowledge, exhibitor visibility and networking opportunities. Guided by knowledgeable facilitators, live talk shows were held on topics ranging from offshore wind to start-ups and from marine energy to heavy lifting. Visitors gained insights from a broad range of international companies and institutions of all shapes and sizes, such as Boskalis, Van Aalst Group, Inyanga Marine Projects, Damen Shipyards, Jumbo Maritime, Bionic Production, Wave Energy, Nortek, MO4, Royal IHC, Feadship, SAL Heavy Lift, IRO, Buccaneer Delft and DEKC Maritime.

In addition to this, there were invite-only round table sessions, a dedicated Mexico programme, corporate showcases, a workshop by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and expert Energy Talks. These were delivered by, for example, representatives of Utrecht University, the UK government, Neptune Energy, the editors of the Offshore-Energy.biz platform, Peutz, the TU Delft Solar Boat Team, Resolute Marine, Tidal Flyer and Tata Consultancy Services.

The 1-on-1 Matchmaking tool, developed specifically for this year’s event proved to be an efficient way of getting in touch with other visitors or company delegates. Many participants connected with each other and engaged in spirited conversations. The tool will continue to work after the event and those who visited Navingo Career Event will be added to the database, creating not only industry networking opportunities, but also engagement options for recruiters and jobseekers.

The Best Innovation Award highlights the best innovation in the entire offshore energy market in the last two years (2019 and 2020) and ispresented to companies enhancing the energy transition through key factors, such as innovation and significant technological benefits beyond existing technologies. From the three finalists, Siemens Gamesa, FLASC and Van Oord, the expert jury and public voting chose FLASCas the winner. FLASC has won the Best Innovation Award for their Hydro-pneumatic energy storage system.

This year, the Navingo Career Event was combined with the virtual programme of Offshore Energy, enabling jobseekers not only to connect with specialists and recruiters via showcases and the Matchmaking tool, but also to gain a lot of knowledge about where the industry is heading.

“After 12 editions in large venues with corporate stands and on-stage presentations, it was quite a challenge, both in time and in format to go virtual. I am very proud of the team to have pulled off this virtual live event in such a professional and worthwhile way. In the course of these two days we have received much positive feedback from our clients and participants. I am thankful that they have given us the chance to push through and am very pleased to be able to say that the event has provided true value, knowledge and interaction. We will continue connecting the global community. Via our matchmaking programme and by sharing all content to the wider audience, by presenting all session on demand.”

Coert van Zijll Langhout, Managing Director at Navingo