OCEAN INSTITUTE

'Seasteading' Movement Third Conference

The recent Seasteading Institute conference united those who aspire to live in experimental communities founded in permanent ocean habitations The Seasteading Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to enabling the establishment of permanent communities on the ocean, recently held its third conference, at San Francisco’s Le Méridien Hotel. Since 2008, The Seasteading Institute has been the focal point of the seasteading movement, which aims to utilize the high seas to spur innovation within the government industry. Seasteading enthusiasts believe humanity would benefit from a new place to experiment with new societies, but since all of terra firma is claimed, they look to the ocean as the next frontier. “The ocean provides a space to innovate with political and social systems that could advance and serve humanity,” says The Seasteading Institute director Randolph Hencken. The conference, attracted over one hundred individuals from at least seven countries, representing an array of backgrounds and perspectives, and making for a lively and energetic affair throughout. The focus of the conference was not politics or ideology. Rather, it was on what Maritime Alliance representative William Riedy referred to as the “blue-tech revolution”—the technologies, discoveries, and partnerships that could soon unlock the oceans’ vast potential.

FAU Gets Funds to Help Create Base at Sea

Florida Atlantic University is helping the U.S. military move to the next level, according to a report on www.bocaratonnews.com. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has provided $2 million to the university to design and build a sea base – a large platform to be used as a jumping-off point for the operations of a Navy unit. FAU’s SeaTech – Institute for Ocean and Systems Engineering in Dania Beach – received a $2 million grant from ONR to investigate, design and build a prototype.

OTE Debuts in Providence

The inaugural OceanTech Expo (OTE) debuted today at the Rhode Island Convention Center. The industry-led expo, slated for September 5-7, will showcase new equipment, training and demonstrations of technologies in the marine science and ocean technology industries. OTE will feature emerging trends in subsea technologies and markets, as they pertain to: homeland security, port & harbor defense; military and government; offshore oil & gas; and marine science and exploration.

Piracy Fight Becoming a Private Battle

New report reveals boom in private military security forces fighting Indian Ocean pirates. Research into the use of private military security companies in the Indian Ocean has found the fight against Somali-based pirates has become a private battle as global defence cuts reduce naval counter-piracy deployments. The report, 'Pirates and Privateers: Managing the Indian Ocean's Private Security Boom'  sheds new light on the serious problem of Somali piracy and highlights new problems

Jensen Hires Jianjun Qi

Jensen Maritime Consultants hired its third naval architect, Jianjun Qi, in the company’s new office in the New Orleans business district, reporting to Jensen General Manager Sergio Fifi. Qi brings to Jensen a decade of naval architecture, marine engineering and shipyard expertise.  Before joining Jensen he worked as a naval architect at Incat Crowther, of Morgan City, La., a diversified naval architecture group

UDEI Hosts Wind Energy Symposium

Experts explore future of wind energy research in two-day symposium at the University of Delaware Energy Institute (UDEI). How would wind turbines in the ocean alter the wind flow? Is wind energy a practical solution for powering electrical grids? Forward-looking questions such as those were addressed by experts in the field of wind energy at a recent symposium sponsored by the University of Delaware Energy Institute (UDEI)

West Joins PCCI

PCCI, Inc. announced that Todd West joined the professional staff in its Alexandria, VA office as a Project Engineer. Mr. West will be working with Ocean Facilities engineering, Dry Dock engineering and Salvage engineering. Previously, Mr. West held the position of Engineer at T.Y. Lin International, where he worked on bridge design. He received a Masters of Civil Engineering, with a concentration in structures, from the University of Delaware

DHS Adopts Detection Equipment Standards

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a Press Release stating that it has adopted standards for radiation and nuclear detection equipment for its personnel and other first responders. The standards, which address, among other things, pocket-sized instruments to be carried on the body and instruments for detection of photon-emitting radioactive substances, were developed in cooperation with the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology

USNI Appoints VAdm Daly Chief Executive Officer

On July 27, 2011, the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) begins an important new chapter with the appointment of Vice Admiral Peter H. Daly, U.S. Navy (Ret.) as the professional society’s Chief Executive Officer. Daly served from August 2008 until June 2011 as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. He brings more than 30 years experience as a commissioned naval officer, to include command of the destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59); Commander

MSI to Train NOAA Officers

Maritime Simulation Institute to Provide Professional Maritime Training to NOAA Officers; Instruction to Include Critical Simulator Experience in Shiphandling at Institute Headquarters.      The Maritime Simulation Institute was recently selected to provide professional maritime training to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Corps Officers.  In the NOAA Basic Officer Training Class