Saic News

Chinese automakers and shippers are ordering a record number of car-carrying vessels to support a boom in EV exports, data showed, putting China on course to amass the world's fourth-largest fleet by 2028.China currently has the world's eighth-largest fleet with 33 car-carrying ships, showed data from shipping consultancy Veson Nautical. Japan has the world's largest with 283 ships, followed by Norway's 102, South Korea's 72 and Isle of Man's 61.But Chinese companies have 47 ships on order, accounting for a quarter of all orders globally.

BYD's first chartered vehicle carrier has set sail from China's southern city of Shenzhen, carrying more than 5,000 electric vehicles to Europe, state media Xinhua reported on Tuesday.Chinese automakers including BYD, Chery Automobile and SAIC Motor, have been placing orders for vessels to counter rising shipping costs as they boost exports.The new roll-on, roll-off vehicle carrier named "BYD Explorer No.1" departed on Monday for Flushing Port in the Netherlands and the German port of Bremerhaven…

U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has promotedf Garry Schwartz to president of its Mission Driven Innovative Solutions (HII-MDIS) group, part of its Technical Solutions division. He will be based in the Fairfax office and will be responsible for the overall leadership, performance, culture and growth of the HII-MDIS business.Schwartz was most recently the vice president and general manager of the training, cyber and engineering business unit within HII-MDIS. Prior to joining HII-MDIS, Schwartz was a vice president and operations manager with Alion Science and Technology.

Researchers tackle the tough problems despite a lack of funding and official incentives to move forward. Progress, in particular for Arctic spill response equipment and techniques, is being made. Even in the messy but now seemingly distant wake of such environmental disasters such as the Exxon Valdez grounding and the Deepwater Horizon accident, domestic oil spill response requirements still provide little or no incentive for responders in the U.S. to develop and deploy new equipment. Elsewhere, other countries (especially Norway) have better options for testing and approving systems using an intentional spill. Here at home, this approach has been recommended especially for the Arctic by many stakeholders, to no apparent avail.

Gibbs & Cox, Inc. (G&C) Chairman Ned Daffan announced today the appointment of Chris Deegan as President and Chief Executive, effective immediately. Deegan, previously Vice President of G&C's Engineering Group, will replace Rick Biben, who is retiring but will remain on the G&C Board of Directors. Deegan spent nearly 28 years in the Navy's acquisition and cost engineering communities, leading nuclear submarine, ship and combat systems programs prior to joining Gibbs & Cox in 2013.

Modern Terminals Limited (MTL), Hong Kong’s longest established container terminal operator, today announced the appointment of Mr. Keith Saunders as its new Managing Director – Hong Kong, effective from 1st February 2016. Mr. Saunders will lead Modern Terminals’ Brand Promises initiatives in Hong Kong, especially in the areas of operational excellence, innovation and infrastructure development. Mr. Saunders brings three decades of container terminal and operating systems experience to Modern Terminals. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Saunders held a number of senior management positions in American President Lines (APL) focusing on US West Coast terminal, rail and cargo management operations.

KS Kolbenschmidt GmbH, a subsidiary of first-tier auto-component supplier KSPG AG, has in its Large-Bore Piston unit established a new company specifically for the Asian markets. From its newly opened sales and production location in the Shanghai region, KSLP (China) Co. Ltd. will as from now supply large-bore pistons for marine engines, locomotives and stationary generators to customers in China, Japan, and Korea. The new company thus takes into account these markets' dynamic regional growth.

Horst Binnig was appointed CEO of Rheinmetall Automotive's parent company KSPG AG and will take over beginning January 1, 2014. As Executive Board member of Rheinmetall AG, he will also represent the interests of the automotive sector within the Rheinmetall Group. From the start of 2014 and in both these positions he is succeeding Dr. Gerd Kleinert who after 13 years of successful activities in the Rheinmetall Group is stepping down from his CEO position and enetering retirement.

Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) has announced the program for the eighth annual Ocean Renewable Energy Conference presented by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC). “Community and Industry: Collaboration, Innovation and Opportunity” is the theme of the event that takes place September 25-26, 2013 at the Liberty Theater in Astoria, Oregon. Over the past two years, Oregon has been engaged in a one-of-a-kind effort to plan for the development of ocean wave energy in our territorial seas. OWET has been proud to represent the wave energy industry and ensure that the territorial sea plan provides a flexible and reasonable plan for accommodating ocean energy.

Raytheon Company awarded a sub-contract from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) for its latest medium frequency hull-mounted sonar system. The sub-contract is part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) program. According to the U.S. Navy , 43 nations operate more than 600 submarines; the steady increase in undersea vessels makes tracking a challenge. Raytheon's Modular Scalable Sonar System (MS3) will integrate into SAIC's prototype trimaran vessel as the primary search and detection sonar. The systemis designed to provide search, detection, passive-threat filtering, localization and tracking capabilities without requiring human operation.

Shanghai MHI Engine Co., Ltd., a manufacturer and marketer of diesel engines jointly established by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Shanghai Diesel Engine Co., Ltd. (SDEC) – a Chinese diesel engine manufacturer – has launched operation. The JV aims to establish a solid position in the Chinese market for industrial-use diesel engines by building up market share through more competitively priced products. To celebrate the commencement of operation, Shanghai MHI Engine held an opening ceremony at the company's site in Yangpu District, Shanghai.

Shanghai MHI Engine Co., jointly established by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) & Shanghai Diesel Engine Co. (SDEC) now manufacturing. Shanghai MHI Engine was established this February based on a JV agreement signed in March last year between MHI and SDEC. The JV is capitalized at 200 million yuan (approx. 3 billion yen), with ownership divided equally between the two companies. It manufactures industrial-use diesel engines with power outputs in the 500 to 1,600 kW range under a manufacturing and marketing license from MHI. Leveraging MHI's advanced technology in industrial-use diesel engines and SDEC's vast domestic networks in procurement…

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) to provide operational & environmental support to United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF). The contract with the United States Navy is to provide operational and environmental support for fleet training range complexes for the United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) and Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. The single-award firm fixed-price contract has a one-year period of performance, four one-year options, and a total contract value of approximately $21 million, if all options are exercised. Work will be performed primarily in Norfolk, Va., Virginia Beach, Va., Kauai, HI, Whidbey Island, Wash., San Diego, Calif., Fallon, Nev., El Centro, Calif, and Guam.

Science Applications International (SAIC) awarded US Navy DARPA contract for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Unmanned Vessel. The contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) program phases two through four to design, build and test a new prototype unmanned autonomous surface vessel. The DARPA ACTUV program aims to develop an unmanned autonomous surface vessel with the ability to track a quiet diesel-electric submarine overtly for months over thousands of kilometers, with minimal human input. SAIC provided conceptual design services in phase one of the program, creating an innovative wave piercing trimaran solution.

Science Applications International Corporation announced it was awarded a prime contract by the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) to produce the Battle Force Tactical Network (BFTN) system. The contract has a one-year base period of performance, four one-year options, and a contract value of approximately $57 million, if all options are exercised. Work will be performed in Sterling, Va. As the Navy's Information Dominance Systems Command, SPAWAR designs, develops and deploys advanced communications and information capabilities. The BFTN system provides secure connectivity to the maritime operational environment for Navy and joint forces.

Stonington, Conn. – The Coast Guard Foundation announced the financial support of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the Law of the Sea Institute of California's Berkeley School of Law’s Leadership for the Arctic conference, which will take place on April 12 and 13, 2012, in New London, Connecticut. The two-day conference will focus on the issues global leaders face concerning the shaping and implementing of policies pertaining to the rapid emergence of human activities in the Arctic. Bringing together the best and brightest scientists and policy makers from around the country, the interdisciplinary conference will play a key role in discussing Arctic procedural strategy for the coming decade.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Shanghai Diesel Engine Co., Ltd. (SDEC), a major Chinese diesel engine manufacturer, have signed an agreement to establish Shanghai MHI Engine Co., Ltd., to manufacture and market diesel engines in China. The aim of the new joint venture is to make a full-fledged entrance into the rapidly expanding Chinese market for industrial-use diesel engines and to build up market share through more competitively priced products. The JV is scheduled to begin manufacturing and marketing in December of this year.

Science Applications International Corp., Mclean, Va., is being awarded a $10,647,009 modification to a previously awarded, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N66001-11-C-4116) for the Deep Sea Operations Program to introduce surveillance that operates at extreme ocean depths to detect quiet submarines. The exercising of this 15-month option brings the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $12,199,237. Work will be conducted at contractor facilities located in Arlington, Va. (27 percent); Long Beach, Miss. (27 percent); San Diego, Calif. (22 percent); Austin, Texas (17 percent); Germantown, Md. (six percent); and Melbourne, Fla. (one percent). Work is expected to be completed April 11, 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

MarineNews spoke with Rick Biben, Chief Executive and President of Gibbs and Cox, Inc., about his background in the industry, the state of the naval design market, how his company is investing for the future and technological and design advancements in the field. What is your background in the industry? After college (Bryant University, 1972, BS Management) I went into the U.S. Peace Corps (Ecuador, 1972 – 1975) for about three years. I left the government and entered the contractor community in 1979. I was with Syscon Corporation from 1981 through late in 1999.

Science Applications International  Corporation (SAIC) [NYSE: SAI] announced today it was awarded a prime contract by  the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to design a concept for a new autonomous unmanned surface vessel to help counter the modern threat submarine. The contract has a six month period of performance and a total value of $2 million. SAIC is one of six companies selected for Phase I of the DARPA Program. Officially named the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) Phase I, the program involves a broad range of activities which include: concept exploration; technology surveys; wargaming; risk assessment; and production of a concept design, construction plan and preliminary performance specification.

Gibbs & Cox, Inc., an independent naval architecture and marine engineering firms, announced the appointment of Frank DeMasi to Deputy Director of its Government Services Group. In this role, DeMasi will carry out  initiatives to expand the group's core expertise to provide life cycle design and engineering support services that meet the evolving needs of U.S. naval and maritime defense customers. DeMasi, a former Naval Captain, served in the U.S. Navy for 29 years, and has also worked for ten years as SAIC's Vice President and Deputy Operations Manager of the Defense Engineering and Management Solutions operation.

Gibbs & Cox, Inc., an independent naval architecture and marine engineering firms, announced the appointment of Frank DeMasi to Deputy Director of its Government Services Group. In this role, DeMasi will carry out strategic initiatives to expand the group’s core expertise to provide life cycle design and engineering support services that meet the evolving needs of U.S. naval and maritime defense customers. “Spanning 29 years of military service and 10 years of senior management with SAIC, Frank brings an impressive legacy of proven business results, leadership and dedication,” said Rick Biben, Chief Executive, Gibbs & Cox. Prior to joining Gibbs & Cox…

The Marine Technology Society (MTS) announced the results of its recent elections for positions on its Board of Directors. The following Vice Presidents were elected: Jill Zande, Education and Research; Ray Toll, Industry and Technology; Donna Kocak, Publications; and Justin Manley, Government and Public Affairs. Election results were announced at the Society’s Annual Meeting during OCEANS’11 MTS/IEEE Kona in Hawaii. Jill Zande is the Associate Director and ROV Competition Coordinator for the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center. “Each year over 400 schools, middle through university, participate in MATE ROV competitions.