Tag: ABS

Recognizing contributions made by ABS in advancing maritime safety The SNAME Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) Reception on Monday, April 30th, at the Hotel ZaZa's Grapevine Room in Houston, Texas, provided an excellent opportunity for the Society to recognize the professional contributions made by members actively engaged in the offshore industry.SNAME was privileged to have many of the leaders in the industry joining in this celebration, which proved to be the ideal setting to honor the 150th anniversary of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Houston is the location of ABS' world headquarters and the center of worldwide offshore activities, in which ABS is the leading classification society.In presenting the proclamation, President Comstock highlighted the many contributions made by ABS in advancing maritime safety and serving the public interest by promoting the security of life, property and the natural environment through a worldwide leadership position in marine and offshore President Comstock also highlighted the innovative professional and technical leadership provided by ABS employees, and their deep commitment to disseminating knowledge in conjunction with a longstanding ABS commitment to education.Proclamation on behalf of ABS, Bob Somerville expressed his appreciation to ABS employees, those men and women of ABS who have been responsible ...

150th Annual Meeting of the Classification Society Speaking at the 150th Annual Members Meeting of the classification society on 24 April 2012, in New York, ABS Chairman Robert D. Somerville reported that every sector of the ABS enterprise "contributed to another year of record performance in terms of the size of the ABS-classed fleet and strong orderbook." ABS will continue to use its experience and knowledge "to create the innovations that will shape the maritime classification," said Somerville.ABS President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki told the assembled members, "ABS' achievements came by maintaining a clear sense of mission with a sharp focus on our clients and the markets we serve. This sense of mission and responsiveness has been at the core of our daily activities for the past 150 years."The class society closed the books on 2011 with a fleet that exceeded 185m gt, the largest ever, further cementing ABS' position as the second largest class society in the world based on gross tonnage. The year-on-year increase in the ABS-classed fleet was 12m gt. Wiernicki attributed the remarkable performance to ABS' team of dedicated professionals and the strong support of clients around the world.ABS' orderbook for new vessels stood at ...

Series of senior management appointments at ABS ABS President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki announced a series of senior management appointments at the leading classification society aimed at further strengthening the delivery of the growing range of technical and quality-based services available to the industry.James (Jim) Gaughan replaces Dr. Kirsi Tikka as Chief Engineer of the society who was recently appointed President and COO of the ABS Europe operating division. Gaughan returns to ABS after spending the past 13 years as an international engineering consultant with a particular focus on the design and operation of LNG carriers. During his consulting years, Gaughan worked closely with ABS on a wide variety of projects, including LNG-related initiatives. During his previous time with ABS, Gaughan served in a variety of senior engineering positions."Jim Gaughan has in-depth knowledge of ABS and his activities over the last few years have given him great insight into the engineering priorities of shipping companies and the design challenges of the shipyards," says Wiernicki. "With his comprehensive knowledge and insight, I am confident that he will strengthen the delivery of engineering-related services to our clients around the world."To ensure a seamless transition, Gaughan will receive direct assistance from Robert ...

With the election of Tony Nassif as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer In response to its continued global expansion, leading international classification society ABS has strengthened its executive leadership team with the election of Tony Nassif as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the society.The election was made by the ABS Board of Directors at its meeting this week. Nassif moves to ABS from his position as President and CEO of the society's wholly owned affiliate, ABS Group of Companies Inc.Current ABS President, CEO and COO Christopher J. Wiernicki relinquishes the chief operating officer responsibilities to Nassif effective immediately. Since 2006, Nassif has led the rapid growth of the non-classification activities handled by the ABS Group's principal operating entities - ABSG Consulting, ABS Quality Evaluations and EQECAT - by developing a strong leadership team and implementing strategies to create a client-centric organization."ABS has grown significantly over the last two decades," said Wiernicki when announcing the appointment. "We are continuously setting records in terms of gross tonnage under class and on top of that, our orderbook remains strong. Due to this activity level, ABS' workforce continues to grow and this is requiring more management engagement across the ...

Appointment focused on developing client relationships ABS President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki has announced that ABS Vice President and current Chief Engineer Dr. Kirsi Tikka will transfer to London to assume the role of President and COO of the ABS Europe Division. The division is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the society throughout Scandinavia, Northern and Southern Europe, the British Isles, the wider Mediterranean region and Africa. Tikka, a native of Finland, takes over from John McDonald who is transferring to Houston as Vice President and Chief of Staff of the organization."Kirsi Tikka brings an unmatched combination of technical knowledge, client focus and operational understanding to this position," says Wiernicki. "She is very well known throughout the region, with very strong client contacts. Her appointment allows us to further strengthen the delivery of the growing range of our classification products and services to the European market, including energy efficiency and environmental solutions for regulatory requirements."Tikka has previously served as the society's Vice President of Global Technology and Business Development, Vice President of Technology and as Vice President of Engineering within the ABS Europe Division. Prior to joining ABS she gained direct operational experience with Chevron Shipping. Tikka holds ...

Middle East Operating Region to move under Pacific Division Due to increasing commercial relationships between Dubai, India and Singapore, leading classification society ABS is reorganizing its divisional responsibilities to improve service delivery. The Middle East Region, headquartered in Dubai and responsible for the society's activities in the area will now fall under the ABS Pacific Division, headquartered in Singapore rather than ABS Europe, headquartered in London."Given the manner in which the operational, financial and trading patterns are emerging between the entire Middle East Region, the Indian Sub-continent and Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore and Malaysia, this new structure will allow us to offer a more seamless, integrated delivery of services and products to our clients within this wider geographic area," says ABS President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki.Joe Brincat will continue in his role as Regional Vice President of the Middle East. "Many of our clients are expanding into the India-South East Asia region and this realignment allows ABS to maintain a client-centric perspective in our service delivery," Brincat said. "Although we already work closely with our colleagues in India and Singapore, this new structure will strengthen those ties and promote greater efficiencies and integration to the benefit of ABS clients ...

$600,000 investment for the ABS Harsh Environment Technology Center Newfoundland and Labrador's knowledge and technological capacity for ships and offshore structures operating in harsh ocean environments is about to be strengthened with the launch of a research program at Memorial University's Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.The Research & Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador (RDC) and ABS of Texas today announced a combined $600,000 investment for the ABS Harsh Environment Technology Center and associated research program. This investment will fund research on how ship and offshore structures can be improved to work more effectively in volatile ocean conditions, such as the North Atlantic."This partnership further demonstrates Newfoundland and Labrador as a recognized leader on the international stage when it comes to research and development of technologies for ships and offshore structures operating in harsh environments," says the Honorable Keith Hutchings, Minister Responsible for the RDC. "Worldwide, there is an industry need for this type of research and development. Our geography, academic environment and strong economy make Newfoundland and Labrador the best place for international companies to learn about operating in cold ocean environments."The research program within the ABS Harsh Environment Technology Center will focus on themes such as dynamic ...

Strengthening ABS presence in Southeast Asias emerging deepwater hub ABS, the leading provider of classification services to the global offshore industry, announces the expansion of its presence in Singapore. Recognizing the growing role Singapore is playing as a global offshore energy center, ABS is moving key offshore leadership positions from Houston to Singapore and is strengthening its research and development (R&D) capabilities at the ABS Singapore Offshore Technology Center (SOTC).Growth in the deepwater sector will continue to be driven by advances in technology, and Singapore will be at the center of these advancements in the Asia-Pacific region as the country positions itself as a regional deepwater hub. The level of investment expected in the Asia-Pacific region (US $225 billion in capex through 2015*) will bring rapid growth in the deepwater arena that will require mature technical competence."ABS has had a strong presence in Singapore for decades," says ABS President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. "Our expanded offerings in Singapore reflect the country's growing role as a center for deepwater research." ABS is undertaking a three-pronged approach to expansion, relocating key offshore leadership positions, including its Chief Engineer for Offshore to the Singapore office, adding a Virtual Model Basin to its ...

Events were held in Qatar, Greece and Cyprus ABS, the leading provider of classification services to the global offshore industry, has delivered a seminar series addressing developments in the construction and design of liquefied gas carriers. Events were held in Doha, Qatar; Athens, Greece; and Limassol, Cyprus."As liquefied natural gas (LNG) becomes a more attractive fuel for power generation, increased demand for LNG will require the construction of more liquefied gas carriers to support both LNG and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)," says Vassilios Kroustallis ABS Regional Vice President, Eastern Europe. "The ABS seminar series on liquefied gas carriers is our way of meeting the need for information and guidance in the industry."More than 85 members of the shipping community attended the seminar in Athens, which took place on 21 March 2012. Participants included vessel owners, investors, and representatives from a number of Korean shipyards, including Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI)."This event was the first to bring together the builders from the Korean yards with the Greek shipping community," says ABS Vice President for Engineering, Europe Division Dimitrios Kostaras. He stresses the significance of establishing a synergy link among designers, shipyards, ...

Complexity in Determination of EEDI Dr John Kokarakis, VP of Technology and Business Development, ABS Europe, is giving a presentation regarding Complexity in Determination of EEDIThe Safety4Sea Energy Efficiency Forum, a PRO BONO event, successfully completed on 8th of March 2012 in Athens, covering a wide range of Technical, Operational and Market Based Issues regarding Energy Efficiency in Shipping.The event has been well attended by over 250 delegates at the venue representing more than 140 companies. The event organized by IBS Marine Consulting Group and sponsored by MARORKA, Dorian Hellas and Transmar Shipping.For more information about the Forum visithttp://www.safety4sea.com/forum/3For more information about Safety4Sea visit the official site http://www.safety4sea.com