For all that our SNAME Annual Meeting is and offers there is one thing that it is NOT: a spectator-only event. Interaction is a key hallmark, and this is evident in the four Panel Discussions offered annually at the AM. The two panels held this morning addressed:
- Improving the Competitive Posture of U.S. Shipbuilding ... An International Perspective
- Naval Architects, Marine & Ocean Engineers - Key Professionals in the Offshore Industry
Seeking to increase my knowledge of and exposure to the offshore industry, this was the panel I attended. Indeed, the panel upheld expectations and the past practice of enabling attendees to ask questions, interject impressions and suggest follow-up action after the panelists had each presented about twenty minutes of material from their experience. Two naval architects on the panel described their business in this field, leaving me with the impression that offshore is not so alien a field to one accustomed to boat and ship design as I'd initially thought. This is fortunate - as offshore's business places it in a needful category for current and new talent - as well as one considerably less impacted by the global economic crises in our midst than other maritime ventures - making it a fruitful venue for opportunities for individual professionals, engineering and design firms and equipment vendors alike.
If anything is lacking at the AM, it would be the ability to attend every technical session I would have liked - there are simply too many papers from which to choose to hear and be able to experience all that I'd like. The relevant and robust content among several tracks, spread across three conference rooms plus the T&R sessions, was second to none. Both our Society's contribution to the maritime industry and the AM's value to attendees and participating companies continue to be upheld by the technical program.
Vessel stability being a key element of my experience, I took interest in The Second Generation of Intact Stability Criteria. So did many of my colleagues here at Houston; this seems to be one of the most heavily reviewed and commented paper in this year's line-up, with ten attendees offering comments and inquiry. These will eventually be fleshed out and answered by the authors in the upcoming Transactions featuring this paper.
Later today, I attended the Student Papers track. On listening to these enthusiastic young undergrad and graduate presenters and hearing of their work, I began wondering who in the industry is teaching whom. Indeed, our SNAME student population is well capable of teaching even the most seasoned professionals in our industry plenty of new concepts and apprising us of edge-of-the-art technological updates through their careful research. The presentations covered a cutting-edge concept design of an Arctic oil-recovery barge, a solar-powered eco-tour vessel, an analysis of early-stage design options for U.S. Naval projects, and semi-planing hull model tests compared with performance of current market vessel samples.
Enhancing knowledge within my own field of influence and following on Tom Lamb's Shipbuilding course, I also partook of several Ship Production Symposium (SPS) papers. One paper covering the productivity of Naval Dockyards in Britain and opportunities for improvement suggested implications for yards here in the U.S. as well. Another paper presented introductory research into U.S. shipbuilding quality concepts and value investigated from a more holistic perspective than traditionally addressed, with future implications and plans for further research.
I closed out today's Proceedings with the T&R session "LNG as a Fuel", presented by T&R Panel M-43, Alternate Fuels. With more developments in this arena, more new and refit vessels and propulsion systems using LNG for fuel, and gradually improving fuel delivery infrastructure, the area of maritime LNG fuel development is a premier example of how the future encroaches upon us before we know it if we don't keep abreast. This reinforced the value of SNAME membership as well as T&R exposure and participation - invitations for which participation by all interested Members were extended by the Panel M-43 moderator at the close of this session.
While I did not attend the Annual Banquet this year, this was once again a pinnacle of the 2011 AM. Presentations of four medals for outstanding industry achievements plus the playing of U.S., Canadian and Greek National Anthems enhanced the dining experience. Of course, the Banquet continues its tradition as a venue for dining with close associates or meeting still more new acquaintances at table, with the added opportunity for Student Members, who dine free of charge, to further network among experienced Members young and young-at-heart.
Of course, the sessions and presentations I've mentioned barely scratch the surface of what the AM has offered even just this one day. I cite them only because they are the ones in which I found interest and had time to attend and, thus, with which I became familiar. All AM participants have their own profession- or interest-driven topics on which they've sought to stay informed, and I expect there are few if any disappointed attendees. I'm sure the Navigating Risk in Marine Business forums, the Vessel Environmental Performance and other T&R sessions, and the many other technical and SPS papers likewise had a devoted fan base! Truly, the SNAME AM is again proving itself as the premier maritime event at which marine professionals of all stripes can remain informed of the broadest variety of crucial, relevant issues and developments, with the greatest time efficiency and best return on money invested of virtually any maritime conference or symposium.