IOWTC 2025 – Optional Tours in Toulon, France. Ahead of the IOWTC 2025 conference, the organizers are pleased to offer a selection of complimentary tours for registered attendees on October 27, 2025. While these tours are free of charge, advance registration is required to reserve your spot.
Registration for Technical Tours is open, please log into the registration website and purchase your 24€ ticket.
IFREMER Site Visit – La Seyne-sur-Mer
Expertise in floating offshore wind energy in the Mediterranean
Located in the bay of Toulon, a strategic position for access to deep waters, the La Seyne-sur-Mer site is one of Europe's leading scientific ports.
With 400 metres of quay, it can accommodate vessels from the French Oceanographic Fleet operated by Ifremer, as well as personnel from Genavir, a subsidiary of the Institute responsible for their operation.
The site is also equipped with:
- Test tanks and hyperbaric chambers for testing and implementing underwater equipment and systems.
- A virtual and augmented reality hall dedicated to telescience and digital development activities.
- The European Centre for Underwater Technologies (CETSM), a leading international centre for deep-sea intervention.
Key Activities
Development and implementation of underwater technologies:
- Engineering of manned, remotely operated, and autonomous deep-sea vehicles
- Positioning, robotics, acoustics, and optics
- Data processing and artificial intelligence
- On-board computer, electrical and electronic systems
- Intervention engineering
Environmental observation and monitoring:
- Marine biodiversity
- Ecosystem resilience and restoration
- Contaminants, waste, and pathogens at sea
- Ecological engineering
- Environmental modelling and scenario analysis
OCEANIDE Site Visit
Hydrodynamic engineering and model testing – South France Ocean Basin
OCEANIDE is an independent SME based in southern France. For over 25 years, it has operated the South France Ocean Basin, a world-renowned test facility specialized in hydrodynamic model testing.
The facility is particularly suited for:
- Floating and bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines (FOWT, FOSS)
- Complex marine operations
- Research on mooring systems and power cables
Key features:
- Simultaneous emulation of waves, currents, and wind
- Adjustable water depth (up to 5 m)
- Significant dimensions ensuring minimal wall effects and cost-effective testing
Over 45 offshore wind-related campaigns have been conducted, including:
- Provence Grand Large (SBM TLP floater – EDF EN / SBM)
- EolMed (BW Ideol floater – QAIR / BW IDEOL)
- Erebus (PPI semi-sub floater – Blue Gem Wind / PPI)
- And many innovative concepts (Gazelle Wind Power, BlueTwin, GE semi-sub in 1000 m depth, X1Wind, BW Ideol 16 MW, MonobaseWind MSPAR, GustoMSC Tri-Floater…)
Most recently, OCEANIDE completed the Beefore R&D project under the French "France 2030" investment program, using the VolturnUS floater.
The project focuses on real-time hybrid modelling (Software-in-the-Loop via OrcaFlex) to simulate wind loads on the RNA during tests.
Both the South France Ocean Basin and the Beefore project will be featured during a side event at IOWTC 2025.