Wednesday 21 May | 18:00 – 19:30 hrs

The Warehouse, 13 Theed Street, London, SE1 8ST

Registration – £10 SUT members / £20 non-members (+ VAT)

Hydrogen pipeline design: comparing ASME, IGEM, and DVGW to address embrittlement and material challenges

The fast-developing hydrogen economy requires supporting distribution and storage infrastructure. Hydrogen pipelines can facilitate both purposes. Nevertheless, specific challenges related to hydrogen embrittlement effects on carbon steels and the demanding operating conditions must be addressed at early design stages. This presentation focuses on the hydrogen-specific design guidelines available to date, namely ASME B31.12, IGEM/TD/1 Supplement 2 and DVGW for new and repurposed pipelines. Through a representative example, the differences in design requirements between the two codes for different material selections are shown.

Dr George E Varelis holds a Civil/Structural Engineering degree and a PhD in Computational Mechanics. He has 17 years of work experience in a broad range of sectors, including professional civil/structural engineering, energy-related consulting services and academia. He is currently the Chief Advanced Analysis Engineer and Technology and Innovation Lead for the Pipelines and Subsea group of Worley STS, based in London.

Subsea Hydrogen Pipelines Design, Economic and Safety Challenges

Subsea hydrogen pipelines are becoming important as part of a wider hydrogen transport network. Hydrogen pipelines require additional design criteria and considerations compared to Oil & Gas pipelines. These are largely related to the hydrogen impacts on material properties, material degradation mechanisms and probably most significantly technical safety. Hydrogen subsea pipeline design considerations will be presented covering the technical, economic and safety challenges.

John has over 30 year’s experience in the O&G industry predominantly in subsea pipeline engineering. He has worked at Wood for the last 19 years in many different roles in both the Norway and Perth Australia offices and has had the opportunity to work on many interesting projects. He is now based in the Staines Office with the role of Technical Director in the Consulting service line. His primary focus is to drive continuous improvement in Wood’s designs to help industry meet project challenges, whilst ensuring the quality and safety requirements are always maintained.

SUT Event Policy

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, although discretion may apply in exceptional circumstances. The SUT reserves the right to make changes to the event schedule, lineup, or venue. Attendees assume all risks associated with the event. By entering, you consent to photography and video recording for promotional purposes. Terms and conditions apply.

Contact [email protected] for enquiries.

This event will be held during Ocean Business at the NOC.  You must register for Ocean Business to attend this event.

Wednesday 9 April | 13:30-15:30 |W2/40 (NOC Innovations) | Free to attend

How can commercial technologies and services be applied in defence?

Join us for a session focused on the defence procurement pipeline and how collaboration for innovation supports national security.

Defence has the ambition to ensure the UK continues to have competitive, world-class industries that underpin our national security, drive investment and prosperity, and contribute to the UK’s strategic advantage through science and technology.

As the Procurement Act comes into force and the Strategic Defence Review is published what are the key opportunities in supplying defence and what support is available?

Host – Sharon Jones, Regional Lead, Maritime Enterprise Engagement

Sharon joined the Royal Navy’s Maritime Enterprise Engagement team in 2023; tasked with extending activity from the Solent Maritime Enterprise Zone to national engagement. She now sits within the London and Eastern England Regional Headquarters. In this role she builds the innovation ecosystem through engagement with industry, academia and Government, upskills around social value and coheres Maritime Enterprise Engagement activity.

Named as one of the Telegraph’s Top 50 Women in Engineering (Returners and Transferrers) in 2018, Sharon is passionate about the opportunities of emerging technologies and the importance of leveraging these to solve problems. In her spare time she continues to learn more about additive manufacturing, historic postboxes and goat-keeping.

Keynote Speaker – Claire Budden, Deputy Director, Navy Commercial

Claire was previously the Navy Head of Procurement which included working closely with a number of teams across the Command to drive strategic developments and getting to grips with the drivers behind many of our programmes.

A commercial solicitor by background Claire has over 20 years’ experience supporting stakeholders in getting results from their commercial arrangements across the acquisition lifecycle. She has worked in a number of sectors in private practice within the city in addition to considerable experience within local/central government schemes and supporting NHS trust where she also undertook responsibility for wider corporate governance.

Claire is excited about the opportunities that AI, automation and developments through corporate services modernisation can bring to the Commercial team to free up capacity enabling us to focus our efforts on real value add activities that we can offer to customers.

Funding Innovation, DASA

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) finds, funds and fast tracks innovative ideas that benefit HM Armed Forces and National Security. DASA runs funding competitions and offers business support activities including higher TRL and alternative funding. The DASA Team will present on the opportunities available to organisations including the current AukUS competition.

Commercialising Innovation – Ned Vardey, Senior Commercialisation Manager, Ploughshare

Ned joined Ploughshare as a Senior Commercialisation Manager in 2024. He is an analytical, commercially-minded programme manager and change agent with a diverse range of international experience in a variety of industries. Ned has managed cross-functional teams and executed data driven projects in process optimisation, strategy and operations. He advised and coached operations from shop floor to board level on leveraging change opportunities, business justifications and change implementations.

Frameworks – Crown Commercial

Threat and Opportunity – Royal Navy Presentation Team

Webinar | 29 April 2025 | 12:00-13:00

This SUT Lunch and Learn webinar highlights the collaborative multi-disciplinary effort being undertaken in Scotland, in particular, to better determine the potential effects of Electro-Magnetic Frequency irradiance (E-MFi) from subsea inter array and export cables on Marine Ecosystems; with the express aim of engaging with High Voltage (HV) research engineers, cable designers, manufacturers and installers, and Offshore Wind Energy companies. Much of the biological and ecosystems expertise is being delivered through the Marine Alliance of Science and Technology, which has recently formed an E-MFi Working Group.

The aim of this Lunch and Learn is to engage with the considerable research and industrial expertise in the North of England and build on relationships with the ORE Catapult.

Electricity generated by offshore wind is spearheading the transition away from burning fossil fuels. Scotland has been at the forefront of this process, to date. Governmental and regulatory bodies both in Scotland and The Netherlands have become increasingly alert to concerns raised about the potential, significant, long term, negative ecosystem impacts caused by Electro-Magnetic Frequency irradiance (E-MFi) from subsea cables.  This is because many marine species are electro and/or  magneto receptive, and use extremely low natural levels of both to navigate, hunt prey and communicate with each other.

The localized, E-MFi from electricity generation, grounding and transmission, however, introduces both highly localized and intensified levels of both; the ecosystem impact of which is not yet known. The aim of the MASTS E-MFi Working Party, therefore, is to promote the engagement required with the HV electrical engineering community and find the funds required to undertake the rapid, multi-disciplinary  research required to assess:

• what is happening at a fundamental biophysical level;
• better understand how and when E-MFi might impact specific species, and at what period of their lifecycle;
• determine what design and/or manufacture and operational procedures might be changed to reduce impact, where it seems highly likely or can be shown that long term, significant, and negative; and, importantly,
• positively explore whether the sensors available to detect E-MFi at the low levels that marine species can detect them, might give early warning with respect to potential cable failure.

Presenter – Moya Crawford

Moya Crawford is managing director of the D’Arcy Thompson Simulator Centre Limited, which is highly innovative, joint venture between her family company, Deep Tek and St Andrews Innovation. She has worked in the field of underwater technology for over 40 years combining cargo recovery at ever-increasing depth with the development of cost-efficient remote technology for deep and ultra-deep water.

Hands-on experience includes the design and build on the Expro AX-S system for light well intervention and the sale and systems integration of the world’s, first, two synthetic filament rope cranes (110t in air/110t @ 3000m). Neither would have been possible without the rigour and holistic, principles-based approach demanded by marine salvage on ‘No Cure/No Pay’. Her interest in Electro-Magnetic Frequency irradiance is directly informed by insulation and performance issues with steel wire hoist umbilicals, in combination with the D’Arcy’s visualization of the transformation, storage and movement of energy, across the themes of water, energy and life.

Moya’s work in engineering and onsite operation has been coupled with a personal commitment to marine science, with board level representation for academic and research institutions in Scotland. She was the President of the Society for Underwater Technology (2021-2023) and chairs its International Salvage and Decommissioning Committee. She also sits on the Independent Advisory Board of the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland and is a Director of MAST-S.

This event will be held during Ocean Business at the NOC.  You must register for Ocean Business to attend this event.

Thursday 10 April | 10:00-11:00 | Conference Room 344/32, Level 4, NOC

How do you identify marine risks, mitigate them, buy adequate insurance cover, and avoid nasty surprises in the marine and subsea environments, industries and activities?

Join us for an insightful session with industry-leading experts as they guide you through the critical steps to managing risk in the marine and subsea environments. From identifying potential risks to securing the right insurance coverage, this event is designed to provide you with the knowledge and strategies to protect your business and avoid costly surprises.

Our expert speakers will cover:

Identification of Marine Risks
Learn how to pinpoint potential hazards in the marine and subsea industries, and understand the factors that contribute to risk exposure.

Risk Management and Mitigation Tools
Discover the best practices and innovative tools available to reduce risks and ensure the safety and efficiency of your operations.

Risk Transfer Through Insurance
Understand how to effectively transfer risks through insurance, securing the right coverage to protect your business from unforeseen events.

Factors Affecting Insurers’ Willingness to Accept Risk
Gain insights into what insurers look for when assessing risk, and how to position your operations to secure the best possible coverage.

Presenters:

Spencer Clark

Spencer is a Chartered Engineer and also holds a Master’s degree in Insurance and Risk Management. Having over 28 years international marine and offshore energy experience, Spencer has been involved with many large losses.

Throughout his career Spencer has handled a wide variety of claims, including offshore energy sectors (including MOUs, FPSOs and drilling systems), machinery systems, subsea equipment, shipping, yachts, ports and terminals, ship repairer’s liability, and renewable energy. Initially working for Lloyd’s Register of Shipping Classification Society Spencer spent several years working overseas carrying out Class surveys, and also worked in London and Copenhagen carrying out structural engineering plan approval work.

From 2001 he joined a specialist international loss adjusting firm and has been involved with complex insurance claims, technical surveys, forensic engineering and root cause investigations. Spencer has also provided litigation support and expert related work in UK, Europe, USA and South Asia. He has lectured on marine and energy subjects including FLNG, FPSOs, MOUs, subsea equipment and claims handling around the world. In 2015 he became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.

Keith Rogers

Keith is a Chartered Insurance Broker and holds an Economics degree. He is also an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, and member of The Society for Underwater Technology.

With over 38 years experience across all lines of marine insurance Keith has specialised in physical damage risks, builder’s risks, subsea and surface autonomous craft and equipment, designing and placing bespoke policies and programmes for a wide variety of clients from around the world.

Harry Henley

After successfully completing a Geography Degree at Newcastle University, Harry joined Beazley in the marine liability team.

Whilst in the liability team Harry studied and completed the Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers Professional Qualification.

Following Beazley’s acquisition of the subsea specialist underwriter Leviathan Harry decided to change his focus to concentrate on the subsea sector with 8 of his 12 years in the Lloyd’s market working as a subsea equipment underwriter.

Harry was promoted to Underwriter in March 2023.

This event will be held during Ocean Business at the NOC.  You must register for Ocean Business to attend this event.

Wednesday 9 April | 11:45-13:00 | Seminar Room, Level 4, NOC | Lunch will be provided

An engaging networking lunch celebrating women in the marine industry. Hear from inspiring speakers as they share insights on leadership, innovation, career journeys and the future of maritime. Connect with like-minded professionals, gain valuable perspectives and enjoy a relaxed lunch in great company. Free to attend.

Breaking Waves: Empowering Women in Maritime Leadership through innovation and new ways of working

Speaker: Claire Budden, Deputy Director, Navy Commercial

Promoting from Head of Procurement to Deputy Director of Navy Commercial in 2024, Claire is a commercial, procurement and governance lead with twenty years experience as a solicitor (now registered non-practising). In these roles she leads projects and procurements across the public and private sector from initial concept through delivery to long term relationship management.

People and Culture

Speaker: Catherine Jennings, People & Culture Director, Scientific Management International (SMI)

Catherine is a driven and enthusiastic HR Director with over 25 years’ experience leading HR functions for a wide range of businesses encompassing SMEs and large complex matrixed organisations. Her experience includes talent acquisition, learning and development, coaching, engagement, compensation and benefits, HR information systems (HRIS) and financial planning of the department, delivering change initiatives and major projects. Catherine formulates personnel systems and culture strategies appropriate to the SMI’s mission and vision, providing strategic counsel on all people matters. She is also providing oversight and direction for diversity & inclusion and our ongoing commitment to the Women in Defence Charter.

From Palaeo-climate Nerd to UXO expert

Marine Biology Masters to the Future