From October 5 to 7, Techno-Ocean 2023 was held by the Kobe Tourism Bureau at the Kobe International Exhibition Hall and surrounding area.
Techno-Ocean, which has taken place once every two years since 1986, is Japan’s only comprehensive international convention pertaining to the ocean. At the exhibition, events were held to allow the general public to see the latest equipment and facilities that are normally confidential in order to encourage visitors to cultivate an interest in the marine world. Techno-Ocean was free to enter and mainly focused on general public participation.
An onboard tour of the Japan Coast Guard’s Heiyo hydrographic survey vessels was offered for the first time. Heiyo, which conducts surveys of seafloor topography and geology, is equipped with state-of-the-art multibeam depth-sensing equipment and is responsible for the important duty of protecting Japan’s oceans. This was the first public release of the inside of the ship since it was commissioned in January 2020, after being decommissioned for 20 years. In the wheelhouse and observation room, which are ordinarily inaccessible even to the crew, visitors can see the actual operation of the sonic survey and multibeam depth sounding instruments, as well as observation equipment. A model exhibit and a photo session with the Japan Coast Guard mascot, Umimaru, was also available.
In addition, the “Underwater Robot Competition” was held at Techno-Ocean as an opportunity for the youth who will lead the next generation of the marine engineering field to further explore the field and get their foot in the door. Underwater robots require a high level of technical skill to operate accurately while taking into account rocky obstacle situations, wave forces, water currents, and water pressure. The competition was split into 3 divisions, in which teams competed in a heated battle for the performance of their underwater robots and their operation techniques.
90 companies and organizations exhibited in the convention hall, showcasing the newest breakthroughs in ocean robotics, offshore wind power, aquaculture, and other marine topics. The following two vehicles were on special display:
1. World’s first Water-Air Combined Drone by KDDI SmartDrone Inc.
A Water-air combined drone that can fly in the sky and dive in the ocean. With no need to launch a boat, it is the world’s first drone that can remotely photograph underwater conditions.
2. Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle XU-M by ShinMaywa Industries
An unmanned aircraft that takes advantage of the ability of amphibians to take off and land on water. It was developed with the aim to help solve and alleviate various problems such as resource, energy, security, and population reduction in the vast ocean area.