Liesl News

The Marine Technology Society (MTS) announced that its membership has elected Dr. Josh Kohut, a professor at Rutgers University at the Center for Ocean Observing Leadership, to serve on its Board of Directors as the Vice President of Education, from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2022.The Vice President of Education ensures that the Society develops and maintains positive and productive relationships with academic institutions, laboratories—both public and private—and research institutes and helps develop opportunities for students.“Josh has a great record of working with students in our Marine Technology Camps and students sections, and he is experienced in leading research teams of graduate and undergraduate students in the field,” said MTS President Dr. Rick Spinrad.

After registration, delegates were taken on industry site visits to view rig designers, Southern Spars; large sailing-yacht builders, Southern Wind Shipyard, and the state-of-the-art facilities at Quantum Sails, which produce sails for multihulls and keelboats. Two more industry visits followed at catamaran builders Robertson and Caine and Two Oceans Marine. Congress commenced on Wednesday 18 April, and consisted of various committee meetings and the annual ICOMIA/IFBSO Joint Session was held on the Friday. The key note speakers were Michael Lalor of Ernst and Young, who spoke about the African market; Liesl Nel of Moorings, who gave a presentation on the global charter market…

HMS Dragon is the fourth of six Type 45 destroyers being built for the Royal Navy. All will be based in Portsmouth. The first, HMS Daring, was commissioned in July 2009 and the fifth, Defender, is due to arrive in Portsmouth for the first time this summer. All six are scheduled to be in service by the middle of the decade. Hundreds of guests including families of the 190-strong ship's company attended a colourful 'christening' ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base which marked the ship's transition into front line service.