The Great Barrier Reef Commercial Marine Conference is the premier forum for the region’s commercial marine industry. This event brings together vessel operators, owners, key stakeholders, and industry leaders to share insights and shape the future of marine operations in the GBR. Featuring keynote presentations and panel discussions, the conference offers unparalleled opportunities for networking, business growth, and industry collaboration. 

The first Great Barrier Reef Commercial Marine Conference was successfully held in Cairns on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, bringing together 50 industry leaders, operators and suppliers for a focused event exploring the future of the commercial marine sector in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef region.

Sponsored by Tropical Reef Shipyard, the inaugural conference brought together a strong cross-section of the industry and was followed by a networking lunch, providing delegates with an opportunity to connect, share insights and discuss opportunities for collaboration across the region’s commercial marine sector.

A key highlight of the event was the official launch of the much-anticipated Australian Commercial Marine Economic Impact Study (EIS), presented by Ashley Page, CEO and Principal Economist at AEC Group. With more than two decades of experience supporting the marine sector, Ashley outlined the findings of the study, which quantifies the direct and flow-on contribution of Australia’s commercial marine industry to national and state economies.

Read More About the Conference

2026 SPEAKER LINEUP

THANK YOU TO OUR CONFERENCE PARTNER