At Maritime XR Conclave 2026 in Mumbai we exhibited a HoloBox911 holographic display, showing how ships, shipyards and engineering models can be presented at scale in the room rather than on a flat screen.
The conclave, held on 22 September 2026 at the Indian Register of Shipping in Powai, brought together maritime leaders, engineers, researchers and immersive-technology specialists. Our display combined 3D visualisation and interactive content on maritime equipment, infrastructure and processes.
What it showed
- Vessel concepts, layouts and engineering models, for reviewing complex designs visually
- Machinery, equipment components and maintenance procedures, for training
- Maritime content for academies, classrooms and skill-development programmes
- Specialists and instructors shown life-size, for remote knowledge sharing
- Vessel, shipyard and engineering digital twins, for explanation and review
Where else our work has gone live
About Maritime XR Conclave 2026
Maritime XR Conclave 2026 was a one-day industry event on extended reality in shipping and shipbuilding, billed as “Where Maritime Meets Extended Reality”. Maritime work is large, costly to replicate and often dangerous to rehearse. The conclave brought maritime organisations together with the companies building immersive tools that let people train and review designs without the ship, the shipyard or the risk.
Date, venue and organiser
- Date: Tuesday 22 September 2026
- Venue: Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) campus, Powai, Mumbai
- Organiser: Centre of Excellence in Maritime & Shipbuilding (CEMS)
- Title sponsor: Exposit Immersive
- Knowledge partners: Plutomen and XTIC, the Experiential Technology Innovation Centre at IIT Madras
- Announced speakers: Prof. Manivannan of IIT Madras and Ms. Shiji Sunil, CEO of The Unicorn Pictures
IRS is India’s ship classification society, established in 1975 and a member of the International Association of Classification Societies. It surveys and certifies ships, offshore structures and marine products. Holding the conclave on its campus put the demonstrations in front of the surveyors and engineers who certify maritime assets.
CEMS was announced by IRS on 17 November 2017 as a special purpose vehicle with the Ministry of Shipping and Siemens Industry Software India. It runs centres on the IRS campus in Mumbai and at the Indian Maritime University in Visakhapatnam, covering ship design, design support to Indian shipyards and training in hull design, maintenance, product lifecycle management and digital manufacturing.
Focus and programme
The themes were immersive training, digital engineering, smart operations and workforce transformation, across shipbuilding, operations, maintenance, inspection and engineering. The technology scope covered VR, AR, mixed reality, digital twins, spatial computing and the industrial metaverse. The organisers published five programme elements:
- Live XR immersive demos for delegates to try
- Hands-on XR training for maritime skills and procedures
- Live demonstrations by technology providers
- A digital twin showcase of vessels, systems and yard assets
- Structured networking between maritime and technology participants
Exhibitors reported their own activity: Aatral demonstrated a VR crane simulator, and Plutomen reported an MoU with CEMS formalised at the conclave. No attendance figures were published.
Why workforce training matters here
According to the BIMCO–ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, India has 311,936 seafarers and has moved from fifth to second largest supplier, behind the Philippines. Indian officers are 13.41% of the global officer pool and ratings 11.29% of global ratings. Global supply was 2.57 million against demand of 2.55 million, and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has set a 20% share target. Training at that scale is where simulation helps.
HoloBox911 at Maritime XR Conclave 2026
Our stand ran a holographic display covering six areas: immersive ship visualisation, shipyard walkthroughs, XR training and simulation, digital twin visualisation, remote assistance and maintenance, and engineering and design visualisation. Delegates could see a vessel or a system at scale in the room rather than on a flat screen.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was Maritime XR Conclave 2026?
On Tuesday 22 September 2026, on the Indian Register of Shipping campus in Powai, Mumbai. It is a different event from the Maritime AI Conclave 2026, held at the same venue on 10 September.
Who organised the conclave?
The Centre of Excellence in Maritime & Shipbuilding (CEMS), which was set up by the Indian Register of Shipping. IRS hosted the event, and Exposit Immersive was title sponsor.
What is the Indian Register of Shipping?
India’s ship classification society, established in 1975. It writes classification rules and surveys and certifies ships, offshore structures and marine products.
How much did it cost to attend?
The official listing gave an early-bird rate of ₹2,499. Other rates were not published.
How many people attended?
No attendance figure was published before or after the event.
What is the difference between AR, VR and MR?
VR replaces your surroundings completely. AR keeps your surroundings and overlays information on them, such as a pump’s service history. MR anchors digital content to the physical space so it stays in place as you move.
What is a maritime digital twin?
A virtual model of a vessel, system or yard facility, kept in step with the real asset through its design data and, where fitted, live sensor readings. A 3D model is a picture; a twin carries the asset’s current state.
Why does XR training matter for India?
The BIMCO–ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 puts India at 311,936 seafarers, 12.16% of the global workforce, with a government target of 20%. Simulation helps train that many people to a consistent standard.
This guide was first published on holobox911.com.