A conference on marine power and propulsion systems will be held in April in Southampton, UK, with an aim to identify a range of solutions for workboats, wind farm support vessels, survey vessels, etc.
Next Generation Marine Power & Propulsion Conference, consisting of a two-day conference and one-day workshop, will take place from 26 to 28 April, 2016, at the Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton.
Attendees will include commercial and military end-user organisations, operators, boat builders, engine manufacturers, mechanical & electrical engineers, systems integrators, naval architects and legislators.
The programme includes 20 expert speakers covering three phases. ‘Here and Now Technology’ will consider how the marine industry can utilise the latest engineering, ‘Next Generation Systems’ will focus on systems that are within a few years of commercial release, and ‘Innovation and Future Possibilities’ will discuss pushing the boundaries far and wide, according to the organiser.
The second conference day will end with a guided tour of the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI) facility located alongside Lloyd’s Register at the new £140m Boldrewood Innovation Campus at Southampton University.
The workshop day will be dedicated to ‘new marine energy’, with presenters highlighting how fuel can be saved, maintenance costs reduced and engine life extended. The spotlight will be on the Hour Of Power concept, which enables vessels to run in and out of port for an hour on electric with battery power. Fast moving sessions will focus on informal discussion and industry experience from experts including Lloyds Register and DNV GL. A relevant topic will be high energy battery installations and lithium-ion onboard, including the latest MCA Marine Guidance Note.
Conference organiser, John Haynes , said: “This is not just green energy for the sake of it. Hybrid is now a viable option and we are focussing on simple and viable business cases for next generation vessels of all sizes.”