ABS Recognized for Exceptional R&D Collaboration

(Houston) ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical services to the offshore and marine industries, has been recognized by the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) as this year’s recipient of the Honorary SMI Collaboration Award.

Guest of honor Mr. Lucien Wong, Chairman of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, presented the Honorary SMI Collaboration Award to ABS on October 10 at the SMI Forum. The award represents special acknowledgement of the many projects pursued in collaboration with the ABS Singapore Innovation and Research Center (SIRC).

Mr. Heng Chiang Gnee, Executive Director of SMI, said, “This award recognizes the importance of industry-academia research collaboration. ABS has delivered significant value through research partnerships in many projects funded by SMI.”

“Singapore is a vital hub to the maritime industry globally, and we are proud to be honored for the value we bring to our continuing efforts of advancing technology through cooperative research,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “Our commitment to Singapore and our dedication to the region are unwavering.

ABS has been active in Singapore for more than 50 years, with a research facility dedicated to both offshore and marine environments located there for more than a decade. Some of the notable R&D efforts led by ABS in Singapore recently include working with industry, academia and government agencies to study the implementation of smart assets and the use of collected data in lifecycle, risk-driven and condition-based asset integrity management and to investigate high-fidelity sensor techniques and reliable inspection and structural health monitoring systems that are fit for marine and offshore applications.

Accepting the award on behalf of ABS, Chief Technology Officer Howard Fireman said, “We are very proud to be singled out for R&D excellence by such a prestigious organization and recognized for our local activities that are providing applicable technical solutions globally.”

The bi-annual SMI Awards are presented for significant contributions and recognize the impact top research excellence brings to the maritime industry in Singapore. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement and excellence in maritime and offshore research and technology for industry development and sustainability. The four categories of research excellence and collaboration are Achievement in Research Excellence – Best Researcher, Achievement in Research Excellence – Best Research Project, Most Promising Research Talent and Honorary SMI Collaboration Award.

About ABS

Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification organization devoted to promoting the security of life and property and preserving the natural environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine and offshore assets.