2011 IMarEST Arctic Shipping and Offshore Technology Forum

This fall, the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) will sponsor the IMarEST Arctic Shipping and Offshore Technology Forum 2011, including the 1st Annual IMarEST ClassNK Lecture. The conference, to be held in central London, will consider Arctic Shipping Technology on Wednesday, October 5, and Arctic Offshore and Energy Technology on Thursday, October 6. The 1st Annual IMarEST ClassNK Lecture will take place on the first day of the conference.

Professor John Carlton FREng, Professor of Marine Engineering, City University London and the 109th President of IMarEST, will chair the first day of the conference. Topics will include ‘Prospects for safe shipping in harsh environments,’ ‘Material and construction for low temperatures,’ ‘Special research into hull forms for ice breakers,’ and ‘Technology and design challenges for offshore vessels.'

In the first session of the afternoon, attention will turn to ‘Podded propulsion in ice,’ with presentations programmed on ‘Results of the Joint Industry Project on the Skarven’ and ‘Preparing ships for ice navigation.’ The second afternoon session will look at Operational Considerations: discussion will focus on ‘Ice navigation and voyage planning,’ ‘Challenges to oil spill response in the Arctic,' and the ‘Development of a mandatory IMO Polar Code – update on progress.’

“Our packed and stimulating first day of the Arctic Forum ends with the inaugural Annual IMarEST ClassNK Lecture, to be delivered by Mr. Noboru Ueda, Chairman and President of ClassNK and Chairman of IACS,” explains IMarEST’s Interim Chief Executive, Fiona Morris. “The lecture, which is open to all whether or not they have been to the conference, will begin at 1900hrs with networking opportunities both before and after Mr. Ueda’s address.”

On the second day, attention will turn to Arctic Offshore and Energy Technology. Following an address by Dr. Paul Jukes, President, MCS Kenny and President IMarEST Americas Division, the day’s chairman and a keynote address on ‘Technology and innovation supporting design integrity of future Arctic developments,’ there will be sessions on Environmental Considerations, Design Challenges and Technology Solutions, and two case studies.

There will be two presentations in the Environmental considerations session – ‘Minimizing the environmental footprint of Arctic exploitation’ and ‘Drilling in the Arctic post-Macondo.’ Topics being addressed in the Design Challenges and Technology Solutions session include ‘Lessons learned from Sakhalin and Caspian Arctic pipelines – extreme load conditions and demanding strength requirements,’ ‘Latest advances in pipeline integrity management for harsh environments,’ and ‘Arctic subsea projects: Ensuring their successful development.’