| YEAR | LOCATION | THEME |
| 2020 | OCEANS 2021 Singapore – Gulf Coast | Visions of the Blue Economy |
| 2019 | Seattle, WA | Blue Sea, Blue Sky, Blue Tech |
| 2019 | Marseille, France | Let’s sea our future together |
| 2018 | Charleston, SC | Healthy Oceans, Resilient Coasts, Robust Commerce… Strong Nations |
| 2018 | Kobe, Japan | Ocean Planet – It’s our home. |
| 2017 | Anchorage, AK | Our Harsh and Fragile Ocean |
| 2017 | Aberdeen, Scotland | A Vision for Sustaining our Marine Futures |
| 2016 | Monterey, California | The Sea’s the Limit |
| 2016 | Shanghai, China | Our Future is With Oceans |
| 2015 | Washington, DC | Sea Change: Dive into Opportunity |
| 2015 | Genoa, Italy | Discovering Sustainable Ocean Energy for a New World |
| 2014 | Saint John’s, Newfoundland | Oceans: Where Challenge Becomes Opportunity |
| 2014 | Taipei, Taiwan | Oceans Regeneration |
| 2013 | San Diego, CA | An Ocean in Common |
| 2013 | Bergen, Norway | The Challenges of the Northern Dimension |
| 2012 | Hampton Roads, VA | Harnessing the Power of the Ocean |
| 2012 | Yeosu, Korea | The Living Oceans and Coast – Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities |
| 2011 | Kona, HI | Oceans of Opportunity |
| 2011 | Santander, Spain | Oceans of Energy for a Sustainable Future |
| 2010 | Seattle, WA | Innerspace: A Global Responsibility |
| 2010 | Sydney, Australia | Showcasing Advances in Marine Science and Engineering |
| YEAR | LOCATION | THEME |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Biloxi, MS | Marine Technology for Our Future: Global and Local Challenges |
| 2009 | Bremen, Germany | Balancing Technology with Future Needs |
| 2008 | Quebec City, Quebec | Oceans, Poles and Climate: Technological Challenges |
| 2008 | Kobe, Japan | Voyage Toward the Future |
| 2007 | Vancouver, BC | On the Edge of Tomorrow |
| 2007 | Aberdeen, Scotland | Marine Challenges: Coastline to Deep Sea |
| 2006 | Boston, MA | Revolutionizing Marine Science and Technology |
| 2006 | Singapore | The Next Frontier |
| 2005 | Washington, DC | One Ocean |
| 2005 | Brest, France | Today’s Technology for a Sustainable Future |
| 2004 | Kobe, Japan | Bridges Across the Oceans |
| 2003 | San Diego, CA | Celebrating the Past…Teaming Toward the Future |
| 2002 | Biloxi, MS | Marine Frontiers – Reflections of the Past, Visions of the Future |
| 2001 | Honolulu, HI | An Ocean Odyssey |
| 2000 | Providence, RI | Where Marine Science and Technology Meet |
| YEAR | LOCATION | THEME |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Seattle, WA | Riding the Crest into the 21st Century |
| 1998 | 1998, Baltimore, MD | Celebrating 1998 International Year of the Ocean |
| 1998 | Nice, France | Engineering for Sustainable Use of the Oceans |
| 1997 | Halifax, NS | 500 Years of Ocean Exploration |
| 1996 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | Prospects for the 21st Century |
| 1995 | San Diego, CA | Challenges of Our Changing Global Environment |
| 1994 | Washington, DC | Challenges and Opportunities in the Marine Environment |
| 1994 | Brest, France | Ocean Engineering for Today’s Technology and Tomorrow’s Preservation |
| 1993 | Long Beach, CA | Technology Requirements for the Nineties |
| 1993 | Victoria, BC | Engineering in Harmony With the Ocean |
| 1992 | Washington, DC | Global Ocean Partnership |
| 1992 | Newport, RI | Mastering the Oceans Through Technology |
| 1991 | New Orleans, LA | An Ocean Cooperative, Industry, Government, Academia |
| 1991 | Honolulu, HI | Ocean Technologies & Opportunities in the Pacific for the 1990s |
| 1990 | Washington, DC | Science and Technology for a New Oceans Decade |
| 1990 | Washington, DC | Engineering in the Ocean Environment |
| YEAR | LOCATION | THEME |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Seattle, WA | The Global Ocean |
| 1988 | Baltimore, MD | A Partnership of Marine Interests |
| 1987 | Halifax, NS | The Ocean – International Workplace |
| 1986 | Washington, DC | Science – Engineering – Adventure |
| 1985 | San Diego, CA | Ocean Engineering and the Environment |
| 1984 | Washington, DC | Industry, Government, Education…Designs for the Future |
| 1983 | San Francisco, CA | Effective Use of the Sea: An Update |
| 1982 | Washington, DC | Industry, Government, Education…Partners in Progress |
| 1981 | Boston, MA | The Ocean – An International Workplace |
| 1980 | Seattle, WA | Ocean Engineering in the 1980s |
| YEAR | LOCATION | THEME |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | San Diego, CA | The Technical Challenge of Inner Space |
| 1978 | Washington, DC | The Ocean Challenge |
| 1977 | Los Angeles, CA | Impact of Developing Technology on Public Policy and Education |
| 1976 | Washington, CD | Ocean Imperatives |
| 1975 | San Diego, CA | Engineering in the Ocean Environment |
| 1974 | Halifax, NS | Engineering in the Ocean Environment |
| 1973 | Seattle, WA | Engineering in the Ocean Environment |
| 1972 | Newport, RI | Engineering in the Ocean Environment |
| 1971 | San Diego, CA | Engineering in the Ocean Environment |
| 1970 | Panama City, FL | Engineering in the Ocean Environment |
The above conference listing (only for IEEE/OES sponsored OCEANS conferences) provides the following regarding the number of past conferences vs. location.
Number of hosted conferences:
- 8 – Washington, DC
- 7 – San Diego, CA
- 7 – Canada (Halifax, NS – 3; Victoria, BC – 1; Vancouver, BC – 1; Quebec City, QC – 1, St. John’s – 1)
- 5 – Seattle, WA
- 3 – Hawaii (Honolulu – 2; Kona – 1)
- 3 – France (Brest – 2; Nice – 1)
- 2 – Newport, RI
- 2 – Biloxi, MS
- 2 – Boston, MA
- 2 – Kobe, Japan
- 1 – All others (16 conferences)