The Society for Underwater Technology’s (SUT’s) next Virtual Subsea Awareness Course will be held 20-24 September 2021, featuring 15 hours (over five days running from 10:00-13:00 BST) of foundation-level interactive sessions presented by leading industry figures.
The course is aimed at new entrants who are already technically qualified but just entering the offshore energy industry and/or the subsea sector; technically qualified experienced personnel undergoing a technology transfer and conversion process into the subsea sector; and non-technical personnel from legal or finance sections who regularly deal with the subsea sector. It is based on SUT’s highly successful face-to-face 5-day course from which more than a thousand delegates have benefited over the past 20+ years. The course is CPD approved. Registration is at www.sut.org/event/virtual-subsea-awareness-course-3/
Sessions will be delivered by a dozen experts drawn from Fellows and members of the SUT including selected speakers from BP, Wood, the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, Subsea 7, and Oceaneering and will cover subsea production equipment and systems; flow assurance; pipelines and risers; construction and installation; metocean; renewables and future technology trends; operation, maintenance and decommissioning.
Looking back at the first Virtual Subsea Awareness Course held earlier this year, Cheryl Burgess, SUT’s Chief Executive explained:
“It was attended by 20 delegates from the UK and overseas and attracted very positive feedback with comments such as ‘Really well worth it!’; ‘It was enlightening. Experts with decades of experience explaining principles at exactly the right level… and answering questions!’; ‘Thanks for an enjoyable course’; ‘Virtual courses really work. I would recommend it to individuals trying to improve their understanding and companies wishing to invest in their employees’; ‘I’m taking away a lot of new awareness from the course’; and perhaps, best of all ‘I wish I had been on this course years ago!’.
“We look forward to welcoming new delegates and know they will find it similarly inspiring. Our confirmed speakers are Paul Benstead; Michail Birdas; Dave Brookes; Ila Glennie; Steve Hall; Hooman Haghighi; Tony Laing; David Saul; Bernadette Weber; and Graham Whitehead. We thank them for giving of their time so generously and freely.”
The course fee for SUT members if £715 (with this discounted price also available to EEEGR, OES, IMCA and EIC members); and £845 for non-members (excluding VAT where applicable).
Following the implementation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the UK in March 2020, the SUT HQ staff adapted to working from home. The SUT has taken the decision to enable all HQ staff to continue to be home-based as the SUT office leases in Aberdeen and London have come to term. SUT staff have provided continuous valuable services to members throughout the pandemic: engaging with members directly and through the Branches and Special Interest Groups, running webinars, and online training courses.
Like many organisations we have adjusted to working in the new normal. We have adapted with our online offering and virtual meetings, planning for the future and return to face-to-face meetings and events including international conferences and exhibitions. SUT’s new address, HQS Wellington, will be a postal address only. Please update our contact details. You can still write to us and send hard-copy communications to:
Society for Underwater Technology, HQS Wellington, Victoria Embankment, London WC2R 2PN
The Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics (OSIG) committee of the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) will hold its first ‘in-person’ seminar in almost 18 months in mid-September.
The full-day event will address ‘Energy in Transition and its Impact on Offshore Site Investigations’, followed by a drinks reception and dinner; all being held at St. James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, the home of Newcastle United FC.
The seminar, on Thursday 16 September, will comprise some 20 presentations including conventional and floating offshore wind, decommissioning and carbon capture and storage (CCS) from a wide variety of speakers from industry, academia and government. Companies/organisations presenting include Oil & Gas UK, MMO, MarineSpace, BP, RPS, Partrac, TotalEnergies, NGI, Cathie, Geowynd, SSE, DnV, Blue Gem Wind and Ørsted.
Karen Dalton (RPS), chair of the organising committee, said:
“This is an excellent opportunity for anyone planning, operating and executing offshore activities, to meet in-person to hear and be part of the discussion around issues facing the industry as the global energy transition progresses.”
LONDON, UK and WASHINGTON, DC —Beginning this month, the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) and the Marine Technology Society (MTS) will launch three professional certification programmes for marine technologists and technicians. These programmes serve as a passport for job mobility and create new opportunities for MTS and SUT members.
The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) has licensed SUT and MTS to offer their members the opportunity to apply for registration as Chartered Marine Technologist (CMarTech), Registered Marine Technologist (RMarTech), and Marine Technician (MarTech). IMarEST has a Royal Charter in the United Kingdom and can add suitably qualified and experienced applicants to these registers.
“Becoming professionally registered recognises experience and competence beyond academicqualifications and shows a commitment to integrity and a responsibility for the wider public in your work. Because ongoing reflection is central to maintaining your place on the register, the process builds a more self-aware and sophisticated workforce. Gaining Technician, Registered, or Chartered status is a universally recognised mark of expertise which places the individual within a respected circle of professionals and helps strengthen their influence. Those at this level work to high ethical standards and it gives both peers and the wider community trust and confidence in their work,”
explained Gwynne Lewis, Chief Executive, Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST).
“The CMarTech, RMarTech, and MarTech professional registers will advance the marine technology workforce which will benefit the sustainability of our ocean and the blue economy for many years to come,” said Zdenka Willis, President of MTS. “We thank SUT and the IMarEST for their partnership in these programs, and we look forward to recognizing our members who complete them.”
MTS Past President Rick Spinrad added,
“The CMarTech, RMarTech, and MarTech professional registers are globally respected and provide substantial value to our industry. In achieving the registration, our members will advance the trajectory of their careers and positively impact ocean technology. The synergy of the IMarEST, MTS, and SUT along with the success of the pilot program brought us to this day, and we encourage members in all marine science positions to apply.”
SUT President, Judith Patten, said,
“I wholeheartedly echo Zdenka’s and Rick’s views. This is a crucial step in the SUT’s history. As a learned society, furthering the education of scientists and technologists to maintain high standards in marine science and technology is one of the published aims of the SUT. Launching this initiative enforces our society’s commitment to helping our technologist and technician members fulfil their potential. Not only do we welcome the first tranche of programmes but, on behalf of our scientific members, we look forward to the addition of CMarSci and RMarSci registers later in the year. Working with the IMarEST and MTS like this not only helps individual members, but also ensures we fulfil another of our aims – to maintain high standards in marine science and technology.
“Equally, we are proud of what our Perth Branch has achieved working with Engineers Australia and look forward to news of Australian members successfully achieving their Chartered accreditation.”
SUT and Engineers Australia have completed the work required to make Chartered accreditation in the area of practice of subsea engineering possible at three levels: Chartered Professional Engineer, CPEng, Chartered Engineering Technologist, and CEngT, Chartered Engineering Associate, CEngA.
Apply now through the SUT and MTS websites. Detailed information, a FAQ sheet, and applications for CMarTech, RMarTech, and MarTech are available online at www.sut.org and www.mtsociety.org.
SUT and MTS plan to launch two additional certifications, Chartered Marine Scientist (CMarSci) and Registered Marine Scientist (RMarSci), licensed by the IMarEST, in October 2021.
CMarTech, RMarTech, and MarTech are professionals who harness, exploit, manage, use, or apply marine technology in the pursuit of wealth creation and/or the provision of services in the marine sector. They are characterized by their ability to deal with complex issues, both systematically and creatively and can make sound judgments in the absence of complete data to develop solutions to problems and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
The Marine Technologist Certifications are open to everyone who can demonstrate the required high-level knowledge, understanding, and professional competence. There are many routes that can be measured to meet this standard, including a combination of academic awards, vocational qualifications, and experiential learning through work. Competence includes the knowledge, understanding, and skills that underpin performance.
Typically, Chartered Marine Technologists will be professionals from disciplines such as: Fleet Managers, Hydrographers, Marine Superintendents (Deck), Meteorologists, Pilots, ROV Pilots and Developers, AUV Technicians, Marine Logisticians, Deck Officers and Ratings, Marine Surveyors, Shipping Professionals, Harbourmasters, University faculty, Navigators, Radar/Sonar Maintenance Experts, Warfare Officers and Ratings and Naval Officers and Ratings, Instrumentation and Platform Designers and Developers, & Offshore Oil, Gas & Renewables Practitioners.
About the MTS
The Marine Technology Society (MTS) promotes awareness, understanding, and the advancement and application of marine technology. Incorporated in 1963, the international society brings together businesses, institutions, professionals, academics, and students who are ocean engineers, technologists, policy makers, and educators. The Society publishes a peer-reviewed journal — The Marine Technology Society Journal. It has three technical divisions and 31 Professional Committees (technical interest groups). The society hosts several conferences yearly, and it supports 13 Sections, which focus on events and programs unique to their geographic areas, enhancing networking among local colleagues, businesses, universities and government/military offices. www.mtsociety.org
About the SUT
The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) is a multidisciplinary learned society that brings together organisations and individuals with a common interest in underwater technology, ocean science and offshore engineering. SUT was founded in 1966 and has members from more than 40 countries, & branches in 10, including engineers, scientists, other professionals, and students working in these areas. In recent decades many of our members have come from the offshore hydrocarbon sector, today we also see growing numbers of members from offshore renewables, marine autonomous systems, and the policy, law and insurance sectors who support offshore activities of many kinds through SUT Special Interest Groups, training and events. www.sut.org
Engineers Australia (equivalent to the Engineering Council in UK) has acknowledged this body of work and created Subsea Engineering as an Area of Practice. Assessment of competency in the Subsea Engineering area of practice is conducted by EA with SUT accredited assessors providing technical input.
Assessment for Chartered Professional Engineer (Subsea Engineering), Chartered Engineering Technologist (Subsea) and Chartered Engineering Associate (Subsea) are currently available.
Can you imagine a bridge made only out of pasta and glue holding more than 300kg? AMC’s Maritime Engineering students hold a record of 327kg. This year (2021) you could watch the annual Pasta Bridge Competition virtually as 9 teams competed for the strongest bridge.
The pasta bridge competition is problem based learning activity in Mechanics of Solids, a second year unit offered by AMC’s National Centre for Maritime Engineering and Hydrodynamics. Each team of 4 students spends 2 months use their engineering knowledge and skills to design, build designing and constructing a bridge from pasta to see how much weight it could withstand before ultimately breaking into a thousand pieces.
The bridges are designed and constructed according to an international set of rules developed by the Okanagan College in Canada. The bridges must be exclusively made from pasta and glue, must span over a 1000 mm gap and weigh less than 1000 grams. The bridge which holds the largest weight before failure is declared the winner.
Congratulations to Team Gnocchi Balboa for being crowned 2021 AMC Pasta Bridge Competition Champions with an amazing competition load of 156.55kg at Australian Maritime College in Tasmania.
The competition was kindly sponsored by Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) Perth Branch.
Ian Wilson receiving his well-deserved Certificate of Appreciation.
Last week Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) Perth Branch and Engineers Australia launched the long-awaited Subsea Competency Framework to the public – an event originally planned to be held early 2020. It was a fantastic night, and it was great to see so many professionals and companies acknowledged for their tremendous efforts in launching this framework (view full list here).
This development has been a voluntary collaboration between experienced subsea engineering professionals and companies involved in Subsea Engineering in Australia and abroad. This Framework was developed with the intent for Subsea Engineering to be recognised as an Area of Practice (AoP) by Engineers Australia.
The initial Framework has been designed to recognise Chartered Professional Engineers and it is in the process of extending to encompass the entire career of all involved in Subsea, from students through to Subject Matter Experts including Engineering Technologists and Engineering Associates.
One of the benefits of this Framework is it can be used as a career planning tool and personal recognition as a competent subsea engineer, which is recognised in Australia and Internationally. The SECF provides individuals and engineering graduates considering a career in subsea engineering with a framework from which a personal development plan can be formulated. Individuals can create their own personal development plan (49 profiles within the SECF – see more here) and align it with their employers training and development program if appropriate.
Thank you to all who contributed along the way and a special thank you to Ian Wilson for his dedication and continued efforts to make this happen.
It’s ‘all systems go’ for the Society for Underwater Technology’s (SUT’s) foundation-level virtual Subsea Awareness Course (SAC) being presented over 15-hours on five mornings by leading industry figures. The virtual course is based on SUT’s highly successful face-to-face 5-day course from which more than a thousand delegates have benefited over more than 20 years.
The interactive sessions will run from 10:00 until 13:00 on 7-11 June 2021 with open sessions before and after enabling delegates to network and discuss the topics under review. Registration is at www.sut.org/branch/london/virtual-subsea-awareness-course/
As Cheryl Burgess, Chief Executive of SUT explained:
“The virtual SAC is aimed at new entrants who are already technically qualified but just entering the offshore energy industry and/or the subsea sector; at technically qualified experienced personnel undergoing a technology transfer and conversion process into the subsea sector; and at non-technical personnel from legal or finance sectors who regularly deal with the subsea sector.”
Sessions will cover over the five mornings will cover Subsea Production Equipment & Systems; Flow Assurance; Pipeline & Risers; Constructions & Installation; Metocean; Renewables and Future Technology Trends; and Operation, Maintenance & Decommissioning.
Cheryl Burgess added:
“We’re looking forward to the type of positive feedback from delegates as we get for the face-to-face SAC which over and over again has included comments such as:
“Great course and great instructors”
“Well organised and the presenters made learning about subsea enjoyable”
“A great course from which to gain a thorough understanding of the existing technologies that can help solve current problems”
“This course increased subsea vision and understanding”
“Extremely helpful and definitely recommended for people of all disciplines”
“The presenters were excellent, and the course material was at a very professional level”
“It helped me improve and consolidate my existing knowledge”
The course fee for SUT members is £715 (with this discounted price also available to EEEGR, OES and EIC members; and £845 for non-members (excluding VAT where chargeable); the specialist presenters from across the sector including operators, contractors, and technology suppliers will be announced shortly.
The Society for Underwater Technology’s (SUT’s) first virtual introductory course on Offshore Wind Renewable Energy, developed in conjunction with Cranfield University, will be held in just over a week (the mornings of 5 and 6 May). Registrations, from the UK and overseas, for the inaugural course, include a broad range of people reflecting the SUT’s aim to attract both professional non-engineering staff and engineers/ technical staff new to the sector or making the transition from another industry. Registration and course details are at www.sut.org/event/virtual-offshore-wind-course/
As Cheryl Burgess, SUT’s Chief Executive explained:
“We are delighted by the response. Those already booked onto the inaugural course include a military officer planning a career move; an academic; business development and sales specialists; a PR consultant; an environmental manager; geologists, geophysical and geotechnical specialists; and engineers – primarily from the offshore oil and gas industry – specialising in subsea engineering; mechanical engineering, decommissioning, coastal engineering; and a student about to graduate.
“This is just the mix we had been hoping for. We ask applicants to explain why they will be attending, and the majority put it very simply: “I want to know more about offshore renewables both for professional development and future employment prospects”. We are looking forward to even more applications in the coming days.
“I would like to thank Dave Brookes, Past President and Director of our Learned Society, for this hard work in developing this course.”
Presenters over the two days are Judith Patten MBE, President SUT and Project Director, All-Energy; Miriam Noonan, Manager, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult); Kat Route-Stephens, Senior Consultant, MarineSpace; Partrac (speaker tbc); Phil Hart, Professor and Director Energy and Power, Cranfield University; Mick Cook, Director, MCL and SUT, past chair SUT OSIG Committee; Dave Brookes, Past President and Director, SUT; Elaine Greig, CTO, Renewables Consulting Group, and Una Brosnan, Offshore New Markets Manager, Mainstream Renewable Power; Co-chair Friends of Floating Wind; and a RenewableUK Board Member.
Down to detail
The Offshore Wind Course comprises eight modules over the two days. Following a brief introduction, Day 1 looks at ‘Wind and the Net Zero Challenge including Deepwater Floating Potential; ‘Planning, Environmental Studies and Approvals’; ‘MetOcean/Weather: UK and NW Europe Focus Including Deepwater for Floating Technology’; and ‘Fixed Bottom Offshore Structure Design and Integrity’.
Day 2 begins with ‘Offshore Site Investigation and Seabed Site Foundations’; followed by ‘Construction and Cables’; ‘Floating Wind Structures’; and ‘Completion, Post Installation and Ongoing Operation’. Fuller details on the content of each module and background to the speakers is at www.sut.org/event/virtual-offshore-wind-course/
Presentations by experts will fill four hours on each morning, with time set aside on both days for questions and discussion. Course fees are £325 for SUT members (EEEGR, OES and EIC members also benefit from the discounted rate) and £415 for non-Members (excluding VAT where chargeable). CPD credits will be available.
Don Walsh (front) on his expedition to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) and The Marine Technology Society (MTS) announce the second annual Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration is now open. Nominations must be received by 31 May 2021.
LONDON, UK and WASHINGTON, DC – Awarded jointly by both societies, the Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration is presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding, sustained, international contribution to the development, application, or propagation of marine/ underwater technology toward the advancement of ocean exploration. The award is named in honour of Captain (Ret) Don Walsh, an accomplished American oceanographer, explorer, retired naval officer, and marine policy specialist. He and Jacques Piccard were aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste on January 23, 1960 when it made a record descent into the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest point of the world’s oceans. Dr. Edie Widder, an MTS member, won the inaugural award in 2020.
The judging panel, comprised of the presidents and three members from each society, will reflect diversity in demographics, sector and discipline. In addition, Dr. Edie Widder, MacArthur Fellow, a deep-sea explorer, and conservationist known for her expertise in oceanographic research and technological innovation and her commitment to reversing the worldwide trend of marine ecosystem degradation, will join the judging panel.
“A pioneer, outstanding Naval officer, mentor and influencer is how I describe Don Walsh. MTS is proud to join SUT in this award that recognizes an individual who is pushing the limits of ocean exploration,” said Zdenka Willis, President of MTS
“Don Walsh has been an inspirational role model for six decades, we are looking for a winner whose achievements will similarly inspire early career marine technologist, scientists and engineers,” said Judith Patten MBE, President of the SUT.
The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) has launched a virtual introductory offshore wind course featuring acknowledged industry and academic experts as presenters and in association with Cranfield University. It is designed with two specific groups in mind: professional non-engineering staff, who would benefit from understanding the offshore wind energy industry; and for engineers and technical staff new to the sector or making the transition from another industry. The first course, comprising two mornings of presentations and Q&A, will be held on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th May 2021. https://bit.ly/3u6PERh
Presenters over the two days are Judith Patten MBE, President SUT and Project Director, All-Energy; Miriam Noonan, Manager, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult); Kat Route-Stephens, Senior Consultant, MarineSpace; Jo Elver-Evans, Business Development Manager, Partrac; Phil Hart, Professor and Director Energy and Power, Cranfield University; Mick Cook, Director, MCL and SUT, past chair SUT OSIG Committee; Dave Brookes, Past President and Director, SUT; Elaine Greig, CTO, Renewables Consulting Group, and Una Brosnan, Offshore New Markets Manager, Mainstream Renewable Power; Co-chair Friends of Floating Wind; and a RenewableUK Board Member.
As Cheryl Burgess, Chief Executive of SUT explains:
“SUT is an international Learned Society with members in 40 countries. It covers all aspects of marine science and engineering involved in the seabed, the water column and surface piercing structures.
“An increasing number of our corporate and individual members in the UK and overseas are involved with the rapidly expanding global offshore wind industry. This new course with its stellar line-up of industry and academic experts, follows in the footsteps of our highly successful face-to-face five-day Subsea Awareness Course, designed for the offshore oil and gas industry, which has seen over a thousand delegates during more than 20 years. It too has turned virtual, with the first five-morning course taking place in early June.
“The offshore wind course marks our first steps in our own energy transition as we diversify from solely developing training courses designed for the offshore oil and gas industry. I would particularly like to thank Dave Brookes, a former President of the SUT and its Hon Secretary, for his hard work in developing this new course.”
Down to detail
The Offshore Wind Course comprises eight modules over the two days. Following a brief introduction, Day 1 looks at ‘Wind and the Net Zero Challenge including Deepwater Floating Potential; ‘Planning, Environmental Studies and Approvals’; ‘MetOcean/Weather: UK and NW Europe Focus Including Deepwater for Floating Technology’; and ‘Fixed Bottom Offshore Structure Design and Integrity’.
Day 2 begins with ‘Offshore Site Investigation and Seabed Site Foundations’; followed by ‘Construction and Cables’; ‘Floating Wind Structures’; and ‘Completion, Post Installation and Ongoing Operation’. Fuller details on the content of each module can be found at https://bit.ly/3u6PERh
Presentations by experts will fill four hours on each morning, with an additional 30 minutes before and after the presentations set aside on both days for questions and discussion. Course fees are £325 for SUT members; and £415 for non-Members (excluding VAT where chargeable). It is CPD approved. Registration for the virtual Offshore Wind Course is at https://bit.ly/3u6PERh
As Cheryl Burgess, Chief Executive of SUT explains: