The American Society of Naval Engineers will host a Tug & Salvage Technology Symposium on January 29-30, 2009, at the Crowne Plaza National Airport Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The symposium will provide a forum for discussion about current and developing tug and salvage technologies and the possibility of combining the designs of tug boats and salvage ships to create a new, integrated vessel that has the capabilities of both.
The U.S. Department of the Navy has identified a need to recapitalize its fleet of tug and salvage ships. The Navy staff and the Navy’s Military Sealift Command believe that commercial platforms currently in design or under construction by industry can address Navy requirements and afford the opportunity to leverage commercial technologies in hull forms, dynamic positioning systems, and tow capabilities for this future fleet.
Symposium highlights include:
• Navy and salvage industry representatives will give their respective views on technical and operational requirements including historical perspective, lessons learned and current operations.
• Designers and builders will discuss key design considerations and state of the art capabilities of modern ships used by commercial towing and salvage operators. Equipment and systems providers will describe how advanced features can enhance the capabilities and efficiency of mission critical systems.
• Academic and research institutions will review relevant research and comparative design studies with recommendations to improve methods for requirements analysis and conceptual design.
• The symposium will conclude with an expert panel intended to stimulate interaction between government and industry regarding mission requirements and desired capabilities and performance for the next generation towing and salvage fleet.
Confirmed participants include representatives from:
• Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV)
• Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)
• Salvage Industry
• Ship Design and Construction Industry
• System and Equipment Vendors
• Academia
Co-sponsors include:
• The American Salvage Association (ASA)
• The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME)
• And the National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS)
(www.navalengineers.org/TugSalvage.html)