The University Of Pennsylvania News

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise company, announced its current Chief Operations Officer Josh Weinstein will assume the role of President and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, effective August 1, succeeding Arnold Donald, who is being appointed Vice Chair and member of the Boards of Directors.A 20-year veteran of Carnival Corporation & plc, Weinstein has held critical senior-level roles for the company. In his most recent assignment for the past two years as Carnival Corporation & plc's Chief Operations Officer…

Irish wind and solar projects developer Mainstream Renewable Power has appointed Raghuram Natarajan chief executive of its Asia-Pacific business."This key appointment to the Group’s Leadership Team, based out of its newly opened regional headquarters in Singapore, comes ahead of significant expansion plans for the region," said a press release.Natarajan brings a decade and a half of senior leadership experience in the wind and solar industry across India, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Australia.His most recent position was APAC CEO with Juwi where he had responsibility for delivering 1.2 GW of solar…

The dry cargo vessel player Navios Maritime Partners announced the appointment of Mr. Alexander Kalafatides to its Board of Directors.The international owner and operator of dry bulk and container vessels said in a press release that Kalafatides has nearly 30 years of experience in general management and marketing.Kalafatides also serves as an adjunct professor in International Business at Drexel University. Kalafatides served in the Board of Directors of Navios Maritime Midstream Partners L.P. from 2014 to 2018.Kalafatides received his M.B.A. in marketing and international business from the New York University, his B.S.E. in computer…

Crowley Maritime Corp. has announced the promotion of Tiffanny King and Jeannie Stewart to the positions of vice president of People Services. While each has different areas of focus, both will ultimately support Crowley’s mission of ensuring high-performance and employee development across the company. King and Stewart report to Carl Fox, senior vice president, corporate services, in Jacksonville, where all are based.In her new position, King has responsibility for human resources, compensation and employee health and well being.

Stolt-Nielsen Limited announced Jens F. Grüner-Hegge has been appointed as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective from April 2, 2018. Grüner-Hegge, who has served as Vice President, Corporate Finance since 2007, succeeds longtime CFO Jan Chr. Engelhardtsen, who will retire from his executive role and has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the company’s board of directors. With the addition of Engelhardtsen as a director, the SNL Board now has seven members, four of which are independent.

Gulf of Mexico vessel builders – and their customers – adapt to a lean offshore market. After oil prices plunged in late 2014 – pressured by shale output – demand for offshore vessels in the Gulf of Mexico shrank, day rates for boats fell and non-working units were idled. This year, several GoM boat builders filed for Chapter 11, or voluntary bankruptcy, while others consolidated. The most diversified companies kept their heads above water. Today, the outlook's a bit brighter. Crude oil prices hit bottom early last year. Tidewater Inc.

Mary Cullen has been appointed vice president of nuclear propulsion at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division. Cullen will assume her new role on November 14 following a transition into the job with the help of Barry Fletcher, who will retire from the position after 37 years of shipbuilding service. “Throughout his tenure, Barry has made significant contributions to the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program, earning him the respect of many and the ultimate responsibility of serving as our company’s ‘head nuke…

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced today that they will honor the men and women who serve on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sycamorefor outstanding service to the 17th District and our nation. The Alaska Awards Dinner will be held at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorageon Wednesday, August 10, 2016. Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, commandant of the Coast Guard will deliver keynote remarks and RADM Michael McAllister, commander of the 17th Coast Guard District will also address attendees. Alaska's Senator Lisa Murkoswki and Congressman Donald Young will also be in attendance. Special guest will be the renowned Iditarod Musher, AliyZirkle.

Knowledge@Wharton, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania journal, says that the transformation Panama Canal expansion project will bring to Panama’s domestic economy and society have been largely overshadowed by the historic expansion. With the opening of the long-awaited Panama project this June, all eyes are on the impact the $5.25 billion engineering marvel will have on maritime traffic across the vital international lanes that link the Pacific, the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. The expansion has already bolstered Panama’s efforts to become the Singapore – or perhaps Dubai – of Central America. It also promises to help to transform the role that Panama is playing for many U.S. and other foreign firms that are doing business in Central and South America.

Export hulls – through the FMS Program, as well as Direct Sales – are a key piece of the business model. Even as the crash in energy prices feeds the oversupply of offshore support vessels – a key staple of U.S. boatbuilding diets – and the dwindling backlogs of some so-called ‘second tier’ yards,  a number of U.S. boat builders are still seeing robust demand for security vessels. Separately, tightening federal, state, municipal and overseas budgets are being trumped by the increased need for security craft that can perform more than one function.

Akastor ASA announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Kristian Røkke as its Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Røkke will succeed Frank O. Reite, who will take the position of Chief Financial Officer at Aker ASA. Kristian Røkke, who is currently Chairman of Aker Philadelphia Shipyard ASA (AKPS), a leading U.S. commercial shipyard, and previously President & CEO of AKPS, will assume his new position in Akastor ASA on August 10, 2015. Aker ASA will propose to the nomination committee of Akastor ASA that Frank O. Reite takes the position as Chairman of the Board of Akastor ASA later this year. "I am very pleased that Kristian has accepted the position at the helm of Akastor.

Vessels are stacked as Gulf oil operators retrench and day rates fall. In the Gulf of Mexico, vessels serving offshore oil-and-gas exploration and production are being stacked or idled as the rig count there declines. Oil companies are retrenching while crude prices remain weak, with smaller operators and the shallow-water sector scaling back the most. As the situation unfolds, MarineNews asked David Barousse, general manager at Fleet Operators, Inc., a marine transportation firm in Morgan City, La., for his take on today’s predicament and what the future holds.

Comark, a designer and manufacturer of high performance computer and display solutions, will exhibit at the 2015 Intelligent Ships Symposium May 20-22, at the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Center in Philadelphia. The Intelligent Ships Symposium is a biennial event which provides a forum for the military, government, academia and industry to come together to discuss technology initiatives that provide solutions to current and future needs of the U.S Navy. Located in booth #22, Comark will exhibit the latest computer and display systems of the MissionVue product line. Developed for the CDS TI-16 program, the MV242D 24 Display offers the latest in multi and glove touch technology with a Hi-Bright LCD LED Display.

It's a career-defining moment for 36 college and university faculty April 30, as the Department of the Navy announces the recipients of its 2015 Young Investigator Program, one of the oldest and most selective scientific research advancement programs in the country. Collectively, awardees will receive $18.8 million in grants to fund research across a range of naval-relevant science and technology areas. This is a banner year for the program, administered by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), which increased funding by 50 percent over last year. "These recipients demonstrate the type of visionary, multidisciplinary thought that helps the U.S. Navy anticipate and adapt to a dynamic battlespace," said Dr. Larry Schuette, ONR's director of research.

Willard Marine, Inc. has appointed Mark Lougheed to its engineering team. Lougheed brings more than 25 years of experience in naval engineering and project management to Willard Marine. Lougheed was most recently at Coast Dynamics Group as an Engineering Project Leader developing technology for SHOXS Seats. He was also the Senior Research and Development Engineer at Zodiac Hurricane Technologies, a division of Zodiac MilPro in Canada, where he managed the development of a line of composite and metal stepped hull planing boats.

BAE Systems has named Joseph Campbell as vice president and general manager of the company’s Ship Repair business, effective Jan. 14. Campbell succeeds Bill Clifford, who will retire after a successful 46-year career in the U.S. Navy and the private sector. Campbell will be responsible for leading the strategy, operations and financial and business performance of Ship Repair, including the commercial shipbuilding operations. He previously served as vice president and director at American Systems Corporation, where he was responsible for undersea warfare and naval combatant programs.

The Port of Los Angeles has appointed Marla Bleavins as its Chief Financial Officer. Bleavins will oversee the port’s financial affairs, which include accounting, financial management, debt and treasury, risk management and audit functions. She will manage approximately 60 employees and report to Molly Campbell, Deputy Executive Director of Finance and Administration. Bleavins replaces Karl Pan, who retired last week after 11 years with the City of Los Angeles, including the last six years at the port.

Gibbs & Cox, Inc., an independent naval architecture and marine engineering firm, announced the appointment of Patrick J. Keenan as Vice President, Platform Solutions Group. In this role, Keenan will have responsibility for leadership and management of the company's government and commercial ship design solutions across the Gibbs & Cox global portfolio. "Who do you want on your team to salvage the Costa Concordia? You want the guy who led salvage and recovery of USS Cole. That's Pat Keenan," said Rick Biben, CEO. Prior to joining Gibbs & Cox, Inc., Pat served as Global Operations Director for Crowley/Titan Salvage, where he led operations in the recent raising of the Costa Concordia, the largest salvage job in maritime history.

Dr. Arthur H. Sulzer, Captain USN (Ret), Sworn in as Member, Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. Dr. Dr. Arthur H. Sulzer, Captain USN (ret), is President of Arthur H. Sulzer Associates, Inc., a position he has held since 2001. From 1974 to 2005, Captain Sulzer served in the United States Navy. His active duty assignments included Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, where he commanded the U.S. Naval Ship COMET. In 2003, Captain Sulzer joined several colleagues from Philadelphia to open Maritime Academy Charter High School.

MOL Liner Ltd. has announced that Richard “Dick” Craig has been promoted to President and CEO of MOL (America) Inc. effective June 24, 2014. He has 34 years of experience in the container shipping industry including over 11 years with MOL. MOL Liner Ltd.’s President & Chief Executive Officer Toshiya Konishi said, “Dick was instrumental in bringing MOL (America) Inc. up to one of the most efficient and productive organizations within MOL Liner in the last 10-plus years. Craig, currently the executive vice president, sales and operations of MOL (America) Inc., joined MOL (America) Inc.

Education for the next generation, employment for life. A new source of talent emerges for maritime stakeholders everywhere. Primary and secondary maritime schools are sprouting up across the country, inspiring K-12 students to learn about the exciting, yet sometimes obscured domestic waterfront. The goals of these maritime school programs are many and multifaceted, but at the core they motivate and engage students by bringing something new and exciting to the classroom while giving teachers an effective means for capturing the attention of their classes.

MOL (America) Inc. issued a release announcing several changes to its North American sales management, including the promotion of Richard Craig to the position of executive vice president, sales and operations. Additionally, Richard Jung, who currently assistant vice president of sales, central region, has been appointed to assume the duties of vice president of sales in replacing Dennis Sheehan, vice president of sales, who has decided to leave MOL (America) Inc. to pursue other opportunities.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research (LASR), partner in the Navy's Damage Control for the 21st Century project (DC-21), recently hosted robotics research teams from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) to demonstrate the most current developments of advanced autonomous systems to assist in discovery, control, and damage control of incipient fires. Fighting fires…