BUSAN — Busan is hosting a trade fair this week where companies in shipbuilding, offshore plant and marine energy will showcase their latest technology and seek overseas buyers, as the industry adapts to global decarbonization and the shift toward artificial intelligence.
The Busan Metropolitan Government said Offshore Korea 2026, the International Offshore & Marine Energy Plant Industry Exhibition, will run for three days from Oct. 14 to 16 at BEXCO Exhibition Center 1. The city is co-hosting the event with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, with BEXCO, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and the Busan Shipbuilding & Marine Equipment Cooperative serving as organizers.
The focus this year is on technology exchanges that reflect shifts in the global industry and on whether exhibitors can close export deals. About 170 companies from 15 countries will take part, with 443 corporate exhibition booths and a total of 600 booths including conference space.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean and HJ Shipbuilding & Construction — the country's four largest shipbuilders — will each run large booths to display next-generation eco-friendly vessel and plant technology. Procurement managers from the shipbuilders will also hold one-on-one technology talks with local equipment makers.
An integrated export consultation session on Oct. 14 and 15 will bring together about 40 overseas buyers and some 70 Korean companies for tailored meetings. Organizers plan to run AI-based digital marketing support and networking programs to raise the share of meetings that lead to actual contracts.
The event also features specialized programs. The 2026 International Offshore Plant Technology Conference will present 26 topics, including global sessions from the U.K. and the U.S. and sessions on AI and automation technology, to share market outlooks. A special AX pavilion devoted to AI applications in shipbuilding and offshore industries will open alongside a university-linked job fair aimed at recruiting young talent.
"I hope this exhibition becomes a venue for technological innovation that responds to the green and AI transitions, and an opportunity for real export growth," Mayor Jeon Jae-soo said. "We will develop Busan into a hub for international cooperation that drives the global shipbuilding and marine energy industry."