The Oceaneering/MTS Symposium is the fall meeting of the Washington DC Section of the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and is open to MTS members and invited guests. Symposium guests include representatives from the U.S. Navy, NAVSEA, SOCOM, NASA, NSA, and U.S. Air Force, MTS members, Oceaneering employees, clients, maritime businesses, academia, and military service members. Foreign nationals may be in attendance.
The ocean is entering a new operational era—one defined not by occasional missions, but by continuous presence. Advances in robotics, sensors, communications, and data analytics are making it possible to monitor, understand, and operate in the maritime domain with unprecedented persistence. Yet the true challenge is no longer just developing these technologies; it is deploying and sustaining them at operational scale. This year’s symposium will explore how industry, government, and the research community are working together to move from episodic ocean activity to continuous maritime operations. Discussions will focus on the systems, infrastructure, and partnerships required to enable persistent presence—supporting maritime security, protecting critical infrastructure, advancing ocean science, enabling ocean exploration, and unlocking the full potential of the blue economy.