on May 20, 2026
Launched in 2016 following the first French tenders for offshore wind power, the exhibition brings together several thousand representatives from industry, academia, institutions and politics each year to discuss the sector’s key challenges. Over two days, conferences, business meetings and exhibition spaces highlight innovations and development prospects for technologies related to offshore wind, tidal power, wave energy and carbon-free maritime transport.
During the inauguration of the Pays de la Loire region’s pavilion, several key figures were highlighted: the Pays de la Loire region currently accounts for 40% of the sector’s national turnover and 25% of French jobs related to MRE.
During the round table discussion “2000–2050, 25 years of R&D and what lies ahead?”, Sandrine Aubrun, a lecturer and researcher at Centrale Nantes, shared several perspectives on the major research challenges ahead, notably the need to overcome technological barriers relating to grid connection and the anchoring of devices, in order to harness more consistent and predictable offshore winds.
These ideas pave the way for new, innovative concepts for ships and maritime infrastructure, championed in particular by Fondation OPEN-C, Farwind and Circeo.
Another key theme of this edition is the significant and immediate need for skills to support the industrialisation of marine renewable energy. Beyond technological development, the sector must now address the challenges of scaling up industrial capacity and structuring the workforce. Initial and continuing training, immersive tools, and closer links between research, industry and higher education: several initiatives were presented to build a skills ecosystem across the region. The FORTEIM project illustrates this collective drive to prepare the talent the sector needs.
The event was also marked by the accolades received by the OPEN-C Foundation, which won two awards at this year’s event. Among the projects honoured is PIAFF&CO, launched in collaboration with Centrale Nantes. Through its presence at Seanergy 2026, Centrale Nantes reaffirms its commitment to the energy and maritime transitions, through its training and research activities and its collaborations with regional stakeholders and the MRE sector.
