University Of Houston News

The Borders, Trade, and Immigration Institute, a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, led by the University of Houston, announced the creation of the annual Port of the Future Award for “Excellence in Port Communications and Community Relations.”  Each year, this award will be presented at the annual Port of the Future Conference, held the first week of April, in Houston, Texas. Finalists may be invited to participate on the Conference panel “Port Communications and Community Relations.”  This year’s Port of the Future Conference will be held April 2-4…

A new decision-support tool could become a game changer in the dredging of ship channels. Millions of dollars are at stake every time a major ship channel is cleaned up. Delays in dredging can cost even more by triggering increased risks, repeated maintenance and lost revenue. In either case, the task cannot be put off indefinitely.All ship channels must be regularly cleared of sand, debris settled on the bottom (called shoal) and miscellaneous trash. That means ship channel management regularly faces the mighty task of dredging.

As part of a $175M grant for 68 novel clean energy technology projects from the U.S. Department of Energy, these four offer promise in helping the maritime industry meet its decarbonization goals.Makai Ocean Engineering – Waimanalo, HIRemotely Installed Anchorages for Floating Offshore Wind and Other Offshore Renewables Cost Reduction -$849,951The Makai Ocean Engineering (Makai) team will develop novel mooring and anchoring methods to reduce the costs of offshore renewable energy.

Houston-based naval architecture, marine engineering and marine surveying firm The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) announced it has hired mechanical engineer Ethan Johnson.Johnson graduated from the University of Houston with a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Continuum Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Convection Heat Transfer, and Nonlinear Controls. For his undergraduate research project, Johnson created an energy recovery system for thermal losses within transformers.Johnson is a registered Engineer-In-Training in the state of Texas and holds a U.S.

Nashville-based Ingram Marine Group, one of the largest barging companies in the U.S., announced Monday that David O’Loughlin will retire from his role as CEO. He will be succeeded by John Roberts, the company’s current chief operating officer, who will take the helm as the new president and CEO on February 1. O’Loughlin will stay with the company as vice chair for the remainder of 2022 to assist with the transition. “Dave has been invaluable to our company and our people,” said Ingram Barge Company chairman Orrin H. Ingram II.

The University of Houston’s College of Technology will host the 12th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium, a virtual event, in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences from November 1-5, 2021.The Maritime Risk Symposium is an annual conference in which government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, researchers, and solution providers convene to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security.RegistrationRegistration for this year’s virtual Maritime Risk Symposium has been reduced to $50 per person. Registrants will receive a personalized code to participate in conference sessions. Following the Symposium…

The 11th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium: A Virtual Event Exploring All Too Real RisksThe past year has been as impactful for the world’s maritime transportation xystem as it has been for the rest of society. From the Suez Canal to the Arctic and beyond, human, technology and environmental events disrupted maritime activity. And the pandemic highlighted supply chain vulnerabilities in many ways, from mariners quarantined aboard vessels to port congestion due to COVID-driven surges in e-commerce.

The University of Houston’s College of Technology will host the 12th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS 2021), in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences, from November 2-4, 2021, at the at the University of Houston’s Student Center-South.The Maritime Risk Symposium is an annual three-day conference in which government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, researchers, and solution providers convene to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security.

The University of Houston’s College of Technology will host the 12th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS 2021), in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences, from November 2-4, 2021, at the at the University of Houston’s Student Center-South.The Maritime Risk Symposium is an annual three-day conference in which government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, researchers, and solution providers convene to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security.

The University of Houston’s College of Technology will host the 12th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS 2021), in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences, from November 2-4, 2021, at the at the University of Houston’s Student Center-South.The Maritime Risk Symposium is an annual three-day conference in which government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, researchers, and solution providers convene to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security.

Niels Aalund was elected President of the International Propeller Club at their 93rd International Convention and Conference. The prominent maritime industry stakeholder will serve a two-year term, commencing from October 17th. Aalund, a well-known maritime subject matter expert and executive, also serves as an Officer and as Senior Vice President of the West Gulf Maritime Association (WGMA). WGMA communicates and coordinates with various governmental entities throughout the West Gulf…

Niels Aalund was elected at the 93rd International Convention and Conference in New Orleans on October 17th.New Orleans, LA: Prominent maritime industry stakeholder Niels Aalund has been elected President of the International Propeller Club. Mr. Aalund will serve a two-year term, commencing from October 17th. Aalund, a well-known maritime subject matter expert and executive, currently serves as an Officer and as Senior Vice-President of the West Gulf Maritime Association (WGMA).

A maritime consortium, including ABS and Sandia National Laboratories, recently proved the viability of a hydrogen fuel cell ferry designed for operations in the environmentally sensitive San Francisco Bay area. The IMO’s mandate to cap the sulfur content in marine fuel at the start of next year may be the biggest regulatory change in shipping since the requirement for double hulls, but the challenge will fade in comparison to its future goals to reduce green-house gases (GHG).A year ago (April 2018)…

Crowley Maritime Corp. has announced that Tim Bush has been promoted to vice president and deputy general counsel. In his new position, Bush will help support the company’s growth as a provider of solutions for the U.S. government and various public-sector agencies. He will be based in Houston and report to Michael Roberts, senior vice president and general counsel. “Tim is an outstanding lawyer, and adds a great deal of value to the Crowley team,” Roberts said. Bush will continue to serve as Crowley’s lead attorney on several large projects for the U.S government, including the Defense Freight Transportation Services (DFTS) contract for the U.S.

Growing interest in hybrid-electric power systems is expanding the search for new propulsion and energy-storage systems in the workboat sector, where compliance with emerging environmental regulations and a relentless pursuit of operational efficiency are driving change. To meet demands for cleaner more efficient power, owners are examining the potential for less conventional methods of energy generation and storage – such as fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, super-capacitors, flywheels, wind and solar – to propel their vessels.

ABS weighs in on the way forward for marine autonomous systems and navigation technology. The era of digitization and hyper-connectivity is taking the maritime industry on a journey as it transitions from ‘smart’ to remotely operated and then, to autonomous vessels. The OSV sector – and offshore workboats in general – may well be leading that transition, with some projections for remote-controlled vessels as soon as next year. Many new technologies (sensors, navigational systems…

ABS announced three senior management appointments as part of the organization’s digital class strategy. “As our markets are increasingly shaped by digital technology, ABS is setting the pace in digital innovation,” said ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “As part of our digital class journey, our entire organization is focused on digital developments and opportunities. Howard Fireman, previously the organization’s chief technology officer, will take on the role of ABS Chief Digital Officer (CDO) leading a global team of experts across the organization in the fields of data analytics, innovative inspection technologies…

In today’s marine-scape of declining newbuild activity, many boatbuilders are seeking to buoy up productivity by reducing time to market. But how do you go about contracting intricate concurrent design and production flows without loss of quality, let alone the risk of production spiraling out of control? The general tendency is to overlap design phases. However, this potentially creates a greater number of uncertainties. Ship design includes multiple disciplines and specialties in spiraling activity cycles.

Len Badal has joined the senior executive team of BioBlend Renewable Resources, LLC, as the company grows its management team to help meet growing demand for environmentally friendly lubricants. Badal is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Rice University in Houston. Throughout his career Badal has held a number of high-level positions with both Chevron and ExxonMobil and delivers a diverse range of experience that will aid BioBlend’s future growth, the company said.

Crowley Maritime Corporation has appointed Paul S. Manzi as the company’s new vice president of safety, security, quality and environmental stewardship (SSQE), effective July 1. Manzi, who will be based in Jacksonville and report to Carl Fox, senior vice president, corporate services, succeeds Charlie Nalen, who is retiring after 36 years of service to Crowley. Reporting to Manzi will be Daniel Smith and Ketra Anderson, who are both directors of SSQE based in Seattle. Manzi joined Crowley last year as director of health and safety…

On September 24, 2016 the Houston International Seafarers Centers will host their Annual Maritime Gala . Niels Aalund, Senior Vice President, West Gulf Maritime Association, will be honored as the " Bronze Anchor Award” recipient. Niels Aalund, serves as an Officer and as Senior Vice-President, West Gulf Maritime Association, with primary responsibility for advocating on behalf of member companies (steamship agents, vessel owners, and industry stakeholders) with local, state and federal agencies. From organizations such as Washington, D.C, based, National Maritime Association, to the commercial sector, Aalund has provided leadership for a variety of maritime related positions. He has extensive strategic planning experience in both operations and commercial maritime activities.

SEACOR Holdings Inc. has appointed William “Bill” C. Long as the company's Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, effective immediately. He will report directly to Charles Fabrikant, SEACOR's Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Long brings to SEACOR more than 20 years of business and legal experience with publicly-traded companies. Prior to joining SEACOR Holdings, Long served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of GulfMark Offshore, Inc., and previously spent more than 17 years with Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc., where he was Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary.

Today, a team of eight students from West Side High School in Houston emerged victorious from the first annual High School Offshore and Technology Stars Challenge, which was co-hosted by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Ocean Energy Safety Institute (OESI) at the University of Houston. Other participating schools include Energy Institute High School, Charles H. Milby High School and Young Women’s Preparatory Academy. BSEE Director Brian Salerno welcomed the students to the Technology Challenge, with a strong message of encouragement for the young competitors. “Experts have projected that there will be a workforce need of one million additional science, math and engineering graduates by 2022,” said Salerno.