Naval Engineering Conference & Exhibition Program Launched

The 11th International Naval Engineering Conference and Exhibition (INEC 2012), featuring the theme ‘Engineering Naval Capability,’ is set for Edinburgh next month with a keynote address by Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope GCB OBE ADC, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Ministry of Defense.

Organized by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) INEC 2012 is being held from Tuesday May 15 through Thursday May 17, with sessions on ship design, electric propulsion, survivability, system selection, environment and safety, submarines, design, and civil/military transfer, sustainability, unmanned operations, and affordability. Speakers come from 11 countries – Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Russia, UK, and USA.

Networking plays an important part in proceedings, and two social events are planned – a reception on the first evening, which coincides with the Sea your Future @inec2012 Careers Event; and a reception aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia on Wednesday. Once the formal proceedings come to an end, there is an industrial visit to Rosyth to view the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier Project planned for Friday 18 May.

“We all continue to face a number of challenges, financial pressures (a reduced level of government funding, as viewed by both many navies and industry), engineering improved solutions into new-build platforms and existing ships, the availability of suitably qualified and experienced personnel in our industry and, of course, ever-changing and unpredictable threats,” said Commodore John Newell, MBE RN, the INEC 2012 Conference Chairman. “In order to keep on with this trend of doing more with less, fewer hull numbers, continued pressure to reduce crew sizes, taking the man out of harm’s way and yet still providing platforms capable of global and expeditionary operations will require an unparalleled degree of engineering skill not seen before. These austere circumstances will similarly require a degree of flexibility never experienced before, as we learn from other industries, evolve and adapt, innovate and collaborate.”

Held under the patronage of Vice Admiral Sir Robert Hill, Vice Admiral Andrew Mathews, Rear Admiral Nigel Guild, Rear Admiral (retired) Ruurd Lutje Schipholt and Commodore (ME) Dr Ir Arie Jan de Waard, INEC 2012 will be attended by representatives of navies, commercial and military ship operators, designers and shipbuilders, classification societies, machinery and equipment manufacturers, universities and other defense related organizations. The event has been held biennially since the early 1990s.

The full conference programme, and registration, is now online at www.imarest.org/inec.