The Center will support the development of technologies for ships and offshore structures operating in harsh environments, particularly the Arctic. Applied research will be conducted to study vessels and units operating in ice covered waters, low temperature environments and severe wave and wind climates. It is envisioned that the R&D facility will become an established fixture on the campus.
“This joint initiative with Memorial is timely and a natural outgrowth of our working relationship with the university. Their strong naval architecture and ocean engineering program dovetails neatly with our Arctic program initiatives,†said Roger Basu, Director, Research and Development, Corporate Technology, ABS and head of the class society’s Harsh Environment program.
Memorial is Atlantic Canada’s largest university and ABS has a longstanding relationship with the academic institution having worked together on various research and development projects as well as maintaining an on going student internship program for Memorial engineering students.
“The establishment of this new Center will fill a void in research in support of our offshore industry,†said Dr. Ray Gosine, Vice President, Research (pro tempore) at Memorial University. “Creating a safer working environment for those employed in harsh conditions is pivotal to the economic growth of the industries directly linked to Canada’s Arctic. Memorial is delighted to partner with ABS to take the lead in research and development in this important field.â€
The ABS Harsh Environment program, coordinated within its Corporate Research and Product Development Department, develops state-of-the-art methodologies and tools for the assessment of ships and offshore structures intended to operate in ice and provides guidance on harsh environment operations.
ABS has extensive experience with vessels and offshore structures designed for service in harsh environments stretching back to the landmark Manhattan project and the first offshore facilities operating in the waters north of Alaska. More recently the society has been involved in evaluating semisubmersibles and drill barges designed for harsh environment operations and has dual classed the Vasily Dinkov series of 70,000 dwt Arctic shuttle tankers with Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS). The society has also developed extensive guidance relating to the design of the expected new series of LNG carriers for service in the northern waters of Russia.
Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and the marine environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.
