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Power your business. Marine expertise & innovation
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Working with you Welcome to our new marine brochure, a definitive guide to the wealth of maritime expertise that the University of Southampton can offer businesses.
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Our maritime research expertise is diverse, ranging from engineering disciplines such as ship design and naval architecture, fluid dynamics and acoustics, oceanography and earth sciences through to ocean-related literary research, Jewish maritime studies and maritime archaeology. Researchers from across engineering sciences, law, management, humanities and the arts work across disciplines to create new strategic approaches to solve maritime social and environmental challenges. Pages 8 and 9 of this brochure provide a comprehensive overview of our marine research expertise. We are proud to be located in the South of England, an area steeped in maritime heritage and internationally renowned as a centre for the UK’s marine industry. We work with organisations of all sizes, including the RNLI, P&O Cruises and Lloyd’s Register, engaging in a wide range of commercial activity in the marine sector. Our interactions range from research and development collaborations and consultancy services through to student and graduate projects and placements. You will find examples of these throughout this brochure. We host a number of professional Enterprise Units who have consulted on prestigious marine projects. The Wolfson Unit, for example, have worked with the designers of yachts for 2008-09 Vendée Globe race and many America’s Cup teams. You can read more about them on pages 6 and 7. Pages 22 and 23 showcase our most recent maritime research and collaborations, including a new partnership with the RNLI and BAE Systems Surface Ships plus a scientific expedition to discover the world’s deepest undersea volcanic vents.
Professor Ajit Shenoi Chair, University Strategic Research Group in Maritime Studies
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1. Marine research expertise The University links fundamental research with real world applications. Pages 8 – 9 2. Accessing our expertise Find out how your business can access and benefit from the University’s marine expertise and first rate facilities. Pages 12 – 15
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3. Working with our students and graduates We offer a number of opportunities for companies wishing to access the skills of our students and graduates. Pages 16 – 17 4. Maritime courses and professional education We offer a first-class portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate marine related courses plus professional development opportunities for those wishing to up-skill. Pages 18 – 19 5. Current maritime research Find out about our latest maritime research. Pages 22 – 23
This information can be made available, on request, in alternative formats, such as electronic, large print, Braille or audio tape and, in some cases, other languages. For more information, please contact Research and Innovation Services on +44 (0)23 8059 8414. © University of Southampton 2010
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A significant feature of our work is the linkage of fundamental research with potential application. This is embodied in the Lloyd’s Register University Technology Centre (LR UTC) in Hydrodynamics, Hydroelasticity and Mechanics of Composites, and the Advanced Technology Partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in Maritime Engineering Sciences.
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An RNLI Tamar
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The Wolfson Unit worked with the designers of the Puma’s Il Mostro, 2nd place in the 2009 Volvo Ocean Race.
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The Wolfson Unit, one of the most respected marine design consultancies in the world, has many high profile clients including the designers of yachts for the 2008-09 VendÊe Globe race with participants Dee Caffari, Mike Golding and Safran; as well as America’s Cup teams and the designer of Puma, placed 2nd in the 2009 Volvo Ocean Race.
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Marine research expertise The University aims to link fundamental research with potential real world applications and we have forged strategic partnerships with leading organisations, including Lloyd’s Register, RNLI, BAE Systems Surface Ships and Rolls Royce. Our 40-year history of industrial research collaboration makes us an ideal research and innovation partner for the marine industry. Around 40 per cent of UK-funded research at Southampton is financed by industry and public sector organisations. Researchers work with all types of businesses to support the development of new products and innovative processes, and our partners can gain access to government and European Union (EU) research funding. Commercialising Research We have had considerable success in creating spin-out companies. The most recent Library House report drew favourable comparisons between the Universities of Southampton, Stanford and Cambridge, placing Southampton in the top 3 worldwide for the quality of our spin-out companies. Twelve successful companies have been spun out from Southampton since 2000, four of which have floated on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) with a combined market capitalisation value of £180 million. They are the oil exploration company Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping (OHM), the asthma research company Synairgen, the fibre laser manufacturer SPI Lasers and most recently materials discovery company Ilika.
Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping (OHM) OHM has become a world leader in using electromagnetic imaging to survey the oceans, saving millions of pounds in the hunt for increasingly scarce oil and gas reserves. OHM provides Controlled Source Electromagnetic Imaging (CSEMI) services, including surveying, data processing and data interpretation, to the offshore oil industry. CSEMI has been used by researchers to examine hydrothermal and volcanic systems on midocean ridges for more than 20 years. OHM has assembled a team of leading scientists in this field to further refine and develop the CSEMI technique into a potent tool for optimising hydrocarbon exploration and production. Originally formed in 2002 as a spin-out with venture capital funding, the company has completed more than 50 CSEMI surveys spanning four continents as well as numerous reprocessing and interpretation projects using data collected by third parties. www.ohmsurveys.com The OHM Express, which is used to conduct survey work.
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Autosub6000, an autonomous underwater vehicle developed at The National Oceanography Centre.
Here are just some of the areas in which our research groups are actively involved: Fluid–structure interaction – behaviour of engineering systems in a maritime environment – integration of design, production and operation for safety, economics and society – hydroelasticity – ocean engineering, propulsion and ergonomics – computational and experimental mechanics – lightweight structures.
Ship and yacht testing services – towing tank tests – wind tunnel tests – radio-controlled model tests – trials data acquisition of full-sized craft – onboard systems and computer studies.
Oceanographic expertise Ocean energy – wave and tidal stream devices – fundamental interactions Hydrodynamics and aerodynamics – device testing and development. – hydrodynamics, aerodynamics Ocean processes and structural design – ocean biology and the global – material selection for small sailing carbon cycle and powered craft as well as – ecosystem study mega-yacht sizes – shelf/slope processes. – theoretical modelling Ocean modelling and prediction – experimental modelling in towing – modelling ocean currents tanks and wind tunnels. – ocean-atmosphere interaction Fluid dynamics and acoustics – long-term forecasting. – acoustical oceanography Coastal processes – marine geoacoustics – sedimentology – physical acoustics, including fan and turbine noise – engineering – signal processing – marine biology. – sonar Underwater systems and – underwater acoustics. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) Fluid flow and sedimentary – marine engineering systems processes – development and integration – sedimentary research of novel biogeochemical sensors – acoustic character and geotechnical – moorings, towed bodies and properties of the sea floor tethered sensors. – seismic imaging and geochemical characteristics of fluid flow systems.
Radioanalytical Services – assessment of radioactive and trace metal contaminants in the workplace and the environment. Marine data management – marine and coastal website applications – marine archive research – marine Spatial Information Systems – real-time data feed – offshore renewables data management – marine software applications development. Maritime archaeology – maritime technology and infrastructure through time – maritime ethnography – climate and environmental change with special reference to land/ocean interaction – inter-tidal and underwater survey, excavation, recording and methodological advancement –harbours, trade and interaction across the world oceans, seas and rivers. Business management – systems approaches and knowledge management in a strategic context – development of value in supply chains/networks – processes for strategy development – support to help organisations manage risk and uncertainty effectively – marketing strategies in a global context.
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National Oceanography Centre On 1st April 2010 the new National Oceanography Centre went live. Set up to deliver integrated marine science and technology from the coast to the deep ocean, and working in partnership with the wider UK marine research community, the centre is a merger of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) owned elements at Southampton and the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory in Liverpool. The University of Southampton is a hosting partner of the National Oceanography Centre, sharing the jointlyowned facilities at the Waterfront Campus on the City’s Empress Dock and a close collaborative relationship. Understanding the world’s oceans The centre leads on research that has a significant impact on global challenges. It is a major participant in Oceans 2025, a £120 million NERC research programme that will be critical to developing sustainable solutions for the management of marine resources for future generations. Scientists at the centre have deployed an instrument array across the Atlantic which provides continuous monitoring that could alert us to potential rapid climate change. This early warning system measures the flow or overturn of the Atlantic Ocean. Before this array was set up, the only way of gathering data was to take
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measurements from transatlantic cruises which took only a snapshot of ocean conditions at a specific time. Working with industry The centre is actively involved in sponsored and commissioned research, consultancy and collaborative projects with industry, government departments and agencies around the world. This can range from a few days’ consultancy, providing expert scientific or technological advice, through to the planning, design and execution of full ocean surveys. The centre has strong links to industry including: - offshore industry (offshore energy and communications) - marine technology companies - government agencies (UK and overseas).
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Facilities for hire A range of state-of-the-art marine facilities on-site are available for hire: - pressure testing facilities – including two pressure tanks - acoustic test tank - calibration facilities – including temperature and pressure calibration equipment. Direct access to Southampton’s Empress Dock provides opportunities for sea-water testing. A range of other specialised equipment – covering functions as diverse as dredging, monitoring, coring and communications – are available in the National Marine Equipment Pool. Hosting successful industrial events Every two years the centre hosts Ocean Business – one of Europe’s biggest business-to-business showcases for the marine technology sector. Ocean Business 2009 brought 275 companies to Southampton for the threeday technology event, which also provided training and demonstration sessions, a parallel offshore survey and a careers and recruitment event, Oceans Careers. The Centre runs industry breakfast clubs and technology marketplace events. www.noc.ac.uk
RV Callista, the University research vessel which is based at the National Oceanography Centre.
RV Callista RV Callista is a 20 metre, custom-built research catamaran, used for research, outreach and teaching, particularly student field work. With a robust ‘A’ frame mounted on the stern, she is capable of deploying equipment weighing three tonnes. Available for commercial hire, Callista can carry 30 passengers, and has a working deck with wet and dry labs all with wheelchair access. During 2009, over 10,000 people came aboard RV Callista to participate in ‘Discover Oceanography’ events undertaken aboard the vessel – giving participants the opportunity to experience a ‘hands on’ introduction to marine science in local waters. www.discoveroceanography.co.uk
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Accessing our expertise
Institute of Maritime Law The Institute of Maritime Law is the leading UK centre for research, professional training and consultancy in maritime and shipping law. Its 10 members, all with considerable practical experience are regularly involved in law reform with national, regional and international agencies, as well as acting as legal advisers to governments and other public and private organisations. www.southampton.ac.uk/iml
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The Institute of Maritime Law works with shipping organisations around the world.
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The Wolfson Unit The world-renowned Wolfson Unit operates a consultancy service in ship, yacht and small craft design, naval architecture, marine technology and industrial aerodynamics. The Unit employs a team of full-time professional engineers. Marine Testing - testing services include towing tank, wind tunnel and radio controlled model tests. Software - the Unit’s suite of marine design programs is used in offices worldwide. Examples of programs include: - HullScant is designed specifically for builders and designers conducting scantling assessments. This program will greatly simplify the process of Recreational Craft Directive design category assessment for pleasure craft. - HST is a hydrostatics, stability and tank capacities program, which enables the definition of hull geometry and the calculation of standard hydrostatic and stability parameters for a vessel as well as tank capacity data. - WinDesign is yacht performance prediction software, commonly known as a VPP. It is currently used by over 100 naval architects in design offices and research institutions worldwide and offers many advanced features for using both internal data and inputs from model tests or CFD calculations. www.wumtia.soton.ac.uk
The Wolfson Unit undertook wind tunnel testing of a model Maltese Falcon yacht.
Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) Consulting Formed in 1968, ISVR Consulting provides world-class consultancy in the field of sound and vibration. The Unit provides a range of services for the marine industry, including measurement and analysis of noise emissions, low-noise design, noise and vibration control, plus measurement and modelling. Projects range from work on small craft for the leisure sector through to very large ships and warships. The Institute has comprehensive test facilities including reverberation chambers, a large anechoic chamber and a loudspeaker listening room. www.isvr.co.uk Laboratory and testing facilities at ISVR Consulting.
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Accessing our expertise
A carrier for the transportation of liquefied natural gas. ©Image courtesy of Gaztransport & Technigaz.
Research Institute for Industry (RIfI) RIfI provides consultancy and applied research through access to the largest Engineering Sciences group in the UK, with the highest standard of facilities and expertise across this field. RIfI can assemble bespoke teams of experts for interdisciplinary projects in order to meet the needs of industry.
– failure analysis and technical advice concerning ship sea cocks, fractured propeller blades and the fractured cylinder head stud from a cruise liner
Successful solutions provided to marine clients include:
– modelling and testing for risk management of the largest ever davit boat launch and determining the fitness for service of the hull, wheel house and navigation mast of a 35m Service Boat
– assessing the thermal conductivity properties of insulation for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers
– chemical analysis studies where crew members have been overcome by noxious fumes in ship cargo holds. www.rifi.soton.ac.uk
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Map of Dunwich, known as Britain’s Atlantis, which was lost to the sea as the coastline retreated.
The GeoData Institute provides environmental data management, analysis and processing to the marine and coastal sector. Spatial environmental baseline, environmental and social assessments and dissemination of information are key to environmental licensing and activity within the marine sector. GeoData also undertakes applied environmental research and services in marine geospatial data management (GIS), from real-time data, data analysis and decision-support through to advanced software applications development and web-based applications. www.geodata.soton.ac.uk
Centre for Maritime Archaeology The Centre of Maritime Archaeology provides commercial research and consultancy services to a wide range of clients; from government agencies (UK and overseas) to offshore construction companies and environmental consultancies. The range of work carried out includes desk-based assessments, inter-tidal and offshore survey, excavation, analysis and interpretation of geophysical survey data, marine and coastal geospatial analysis, coastal heritage management capacity building and media work. The Centre is currently providing these services to the largest offshore project taking place in the United Kingdom. A side-scan sonar, used to image the sea bed.
www.southampton.ac.uk/archaeology/cma
National Centre for Advanced Tribology at Southampton (nCATS) nCATS provides research and consultancy on marine corrosion and erosion to help solve a wide range of industry problems, including desalination plants, oil and gas valves, pipe systems loss of contaminant, pump impellers and coatings. Test materials include: diamondlike coatings, polymeric coatings, high velocity oxy fuel and plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings, nickel-aluminium bronze and tungsten-carbide based hard metals. www.southampton.ac.uk/ncats
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Working with our students and graduates We offer a number of opportunities for companies wishing to access the skills of our students and graduates to help achieve their business goals and leverage funding. Businesses can access cutting-edge knowledge, technology and skills by working with our students and researchers on small, short-term projects to solve a particular problem through to multi-million pound research programmes. Student projects Sponsoring a student project at either undergraduate or postgraduate level can benefit your company in a number of ways. Overseen by one of our experienced academics, an industry-sponsored project provides you with high quality specialist input without a large financial burden. Management students provide operational analysis for marine companies MSc students from Management have undertaken projects for maritime industry partners including: – the planning for the optimal placement of containers within the export yard at Southampton container terminals – analysis to identify indicators of vessels ‘at risk’ for Lloyd’s Register – a review of the effectiveness of fishery protection operations for the Norwegian Coastguard.
Student projects help determine future of marine composites Research projects undertaken by Ship Science students for a company specialising in castor oil-based products, Bioresin Pty Ltd, Australia, have shown that castor oil could be used for marine structural composite resin systems. Castor oil has a significant environmental advantage over conventional toxic man-made composite resin systems like polyester and epoxy. The results of the undergraduate and postgraduate student projects have led to a £250k grant application to the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) with added support from industry award winners Ecocats Ltd and the British Marine Federation to accelerate the research.
“We were really impressed with the knowledge and skills of the students and the experimental testing facilities available at the University of Southampton, which has led to a major research bid application.” Anthony Bertrams Bioresin
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ISVR Consulting undertakes noise measurements during a drive by test.
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Two students in the Fluid Dynamics Design Studio.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) Scheme The well-established, government-sponsored KTP scheme enables a recently qualified graduate to work within a company on a specific business or technical problem. The University of Southampton’s KTP portfolio is worth over £1.4 million. The scheme facilitates direct collaboration between the company and the University via programmes ranging from 6months to 3-years, enabling businesses to draw on our expertise, facilities and research base. Product development and improved sales at Pelamis Wave Power through KTP Pelamis Wave Power (PWP) Ltd is the manufacturer of a leading technology to generate renewable electricity from ocean waves. A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between the company and the University of Southampton over two and a half years succeeded in developing a unique wave climatology package to facilitate the economic assessment of Pelamis wave energy farms, which led to a direct increase in the profile of the company and sales.
“The innovative results of the KTP have helped put us further ahead of our competitors.” Chris Retzler Principal Scientist, Pelamis Wave Power
Accessing postgraduate skills and knowledge There are a number of sponsored Doctorate level programmes in place to allow companies to secure funding to support research, enabling the employment of skilled people in any company which might benefit from the research. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) provides funding through research programmes such as Knowledge Transfer Secondments (KTS), Industrial CASE Studentships and the Engineering Doctorate (EngD). Secondments vary in length, on a full or part-time basis. The industrial sponsor would usually fund part of the project and the Research Council funds the rest.
PhD student helps RNLI to improve lifeboat safety and comfort Research projects through the Advanced Technology Partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in Maritime and Engineering are varied. The partnership conducts collaborative research and education and applies this knowledge to solve practical problems in lifeboat design, fabrication and operation. A PhD student undertook a project researching RIB motions, in particular the role of the RIB tube and human factor considerations, to enable the RNLI to look to improve the comfort and safety of the lifeboats for the charity’s volunteer crews.
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Maritime courses and professional education The University of Southampton offers a first-class portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate marine related courses – covering everything from marine biology, oceanography and water resource management through to maritime archaeology, ship science and law. Educating future generations of maritime professionals Our highly regarded Ship Science programme, offered as a three-year Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) and a four-year Master of Engineering (MEng), covers naval architecture, yacht and small craft, advanced materials, marine systems engineering and engineering management. Southampton graduates are highly sought after by industry and many of our graduates have gone on to become designers and managers in the large and small ship fields, including Stephen Payne who was the Chief Designer of the Queen Mary 2 and several RNLI lifeboat engineers. Some have joined shipbuilding companies and consultancies, including the offshore industry, and others are involved in yacht design, including America’s Cup challengers. Professional Development We have a range of set and bespoke marine-related short courses which could offer your staff appropriate professional development or training opportunities. Marine Technology Education Consortium We offer a number of courses for the marine industry that are co-ordinated through the Marine Technology Education Consortium. The Consortium comprises six UK universities that are recognised for their excellence in marine technology, education and research – Heriot-Watt, Glasgow, Newcastle, Strathclyde, Southampton and University College London. These courses provide graduates with the advanced technical and managerial skills needed to enhance innovation and business competitiveness. www.mtec.ac.uk
Institute of Maritime Law TheInstituteofMaritimeLawoffersanumberofcourses, includingthewellestablishedMaritimeLawShortCourse,now inits37thyear.Thecourse,whichexplorestheprincipalareas ofmaritimelaw,isrecognisedworldwideasanintensive,highqualityprogrammeformembersoftheshippingindustryand thelegalprofession,regularlyattractinginvolvementfromthe InternationalGroupofP&IClubs,insurancecompanies, brokers,shipowners,charterers,nationalauthoritiesandlaw firms.EveryyeartheInstitutealsorunsanumberofcourseson topicalsubjectsfortheUKandinternationallegalindustryas wellastailor-madecoursesforinternationalcompaniesand governmentalagencies. www.southampton.ac.uk/iml GeoData Institute – Marine and Coastal Geographic Information Systems Using industry standard geospatial software and national datasets, GeoData’s courses provide a mix of taught modules and exercises to provide professional level experience of handling marine geographic information. www.gis-train.com School of Management TheUniversityisrecognisedasoneoftheUK’sleadingcentres formanagementeducation,providingarangeofexecutive developmentcoursesaswellasanMBAprogramme. –The School has worked on a major collaboration project with Rolls Royce to deliver a post-experience master’s programme in global supply-chain management. – Through the simulation of production processes at the Portsmouth shipyard, an MSc student from Management worked with VT Shipbuilding to evaluate the impact of alternative strategies for the assembly of ship units. The work specifically examined the impact on assembly times of radically reducing the number of unit construction areas in the main assembly hall. www.southampton.ac.uk/management
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Queen Mary 2.
Stephen M. Payne OBE RDI Vice President Chief Naval Architect, Carnival Corporate Shipbuilding Southampton Having graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science (Engineering) in Ship Science, Stephen began his career at Carnival in 1985 before going on to become the Chief Designer of Queen Mary 2. In 2007 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University.
“The University of Southampton’s standing in the marine sector is equal to its excellent reputation throughout academia. The Ship Science course is rigorous and demanding but equips the individual with an unequalled understanding and comprehensive toolset for a successful career.”
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Working with our academics The University has over 200 academics who undertake research in the maritime field. The following biographies provide an overview of their diverse areas of expertise. 1. Dr Matt Mowlem National Oceanography Centre
3. Filippo Lorenzon Institute of Maritime Law
Dr Matt Mowlem is the head of the Sensors Development Group at the National Oceanography Centre. He leads a team of 30 staff and students in the creation of the next generation of submersible and robust sensing systems for marine and environmental applications. Current research includes the development of miniaturised and mass producible sensors for high performance metrology of oceanic chemistry and microbiology. A multi disciplinary engineer, Matt is also leading the development of the submersible probe technologies for the exploration and characterisation of Subglacial Lake Ellsworth which lies beneath 3.17km of ice in the Western Antarctic.
Filippo Lorenzon is the Director of the Institute of Maritime Law and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law. He is a dual qualified lawyer with research interests spanning International Trade, Carriage of Goods by Sea and Air, European Maritime Law and Comparative Private Law. Filippo regularly publishes and advises companies and governments around the world in his areas of expertise. He is a member of the editorial team of Shipping and Trade Law and Shawcross and Beaumont on Air Law, the leading practitioner text in this field. He has recently finished writing a book on the Law of Yachts and Yachting and is working on the 5th edition of Sassoon on CIF and FOB contracts. He is a Member of both the Italian and the British Maritime Law Associations, the European Maritime Law Association (EMLO) and the International Bar Association (IBA). Filippo has worked with leading maritime and commercial law firms in London, Genoa and Venice.
2. Dr Stephanie Jones Humanities Dr Stephanie Jones works on poetic and dramatic stories of oceans. Her research demonstrates the crucial importance of ocean geographies to the form and tenor of English literature; and it also explores the significance of fictional renderings of maritime worlds to past and present, national and international politics and laws. Over the past three years, Stephanie has led a UK Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project entitled ‘The Indian Ocean: narratives in literature and law’. This led her to collaborate with colleagues in history and law in hosting a series of interdisciplinary workshops and public talks. Stephanie is currently writing a book on ‘Maritime literature and the law’, and is editing a range of publications that feature new and established writers, oral poets and visual artists from the Indian Ocean world, as well as major international scholars of the literatures, laws, geographies, and histories of oceans.
4. Professor Douglas Macbeth Professor of Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, Director of Business Development School of Management Professor Douglas Macbeth is a Chartered Engineer and production manager by experience in the public and private sectors and now researches and consults in purchasing and supply. More recently he has focussed on the marine sector to see what lessons can be transferred from other sectors where some of the best practice opportunities have been developed earlier. Work is beginning with the RNLI and with engineering colleagues on a KTP project to look at maintenance and through life costing issues around extending the life of the lifeboat fleet. He is also supporting the development of members of Cargill Ocean Transportation Management with custom academic courses delivered in-house in Geneva and Singapore. A recent project has mapped the supply chain business activities in the Solent region. This will lead to more projects to support business development in the sector.
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5. Professor Stephen Turnock Professor of Maritime Fluid Dynamics, Engineering Sciences Stephen Turnock is Professor of Maritime Fluid Dynamics and leads the Maritime Energy group concerned with improved energy eďŹƒciency in shipping. He is internationally recognised for his research on hull-propeller-rudder interaction, drag reduction technologies, innovative maritime propulsion systems as well as marine renewable energy, underwater systems and performance sport.
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Current maritime research
Helping save lives at sea Management scientists and engineers at the University of Southampton have joined forces with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to reduce the operational costs of its fleet. The RNLI is wholly dependent on charitable giving; saving money on operational working means the donations can be used more effectively to save more lives. A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) has been signed between the two organisations. Two talented graduates will be appointed to work as Associates at RNLI headquarters in Poole for two years. The Management Associate will develop computer models to capture the commercial and logistics issues around the costs of building and maintaining the lifeboat fleet. The Engineering Associate will look at the technical design issues involved in deciding how frequently the boats and their equipment need maintenance, to manage these costs. Daniel Rolfe, RNLI Through Life Manager, says: “Saving lives at sea costs us £270,000 a day. We would like to develop ways of delivering the same quality of service at reduced costs.” Professor Douglas Macbeth, Director of Supply Chain Research, says: “Modern analytical techniques can help organisations examine their business models in detail. The RNLI wants to develop a best practice model of maintenance and repair and I am sure the KTP will help them increase efficiency.”
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Southampton partnership to secure future maritime success The University will be leading research into 'ships of the future', thanks to a new partnership with BAE Systems Surface Ships. Projects are expected to focus on improving and enhancing the design and construction of ships, including the next generation of warships. Southampton researchers and engineering students will be involved in ensuring that ships are safer, more economical and more sustainable. The tie-up, announced in July 2010, will involve reciprocal secondments between the company and university staff, industrial placements for Masters' students and longterm collaborative research. Alan Johnston, Managing Director of BAE Systems Surface Ships, comments: "By forming mutually beneficial university partnerships, we can closely align the needs of both academia and industry and work together to safeguard the vital role of engineering and manufacturing within the UK economy. "The collaboration will raise the profile of engineering and assist in securing a continuous flow of fresh engineering talent, helping to tackle potential skills shortages and ensure that our business has the right skills set for the future which play an essential role in our continued drive for innovation and engineering excellence."
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Southampton scientists discover the world’s deepest volcanic vents A scientific expedition led by scientists at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton has discovered the world's deepest undersea volcanic vents, known as 'black smokers', over three miles (5,000 metres) down in the Cayman Trough in the Caribbean. Using a deep-diving vehicle remotely controlled from the Royal Research Ship James Cook, the scientists found slender spires made of copper and iron ores on the seafloor, erupting water hot enough to melt lead, nearly half a mile deeper than anyone has seen before. Deep-sea vents are undersea springs where superheated water erupts from the ocean floor. They were first seen in the Pacific three decades ago, but most are found between one and two miles deep. Scientists are fascinated by deep-sea vents because the scalding water that gushes from them nourishes lush colonies of deepsea creatures, which has forced scientists to rewrite the rules of biology. Studying the life-forms that thrive in such unlikely havens is providing insights into patterns of marine life around the world, the possibility of life on other planets, and even how life on Earth began. The expedition used a robot submarine called Autosub6000, developed by engineers at the National Oceanography Centre, to survey the seafloor in unprecedented detail. The team then launched another deep-sea vehicle called HyBIS to film the world's deepest vents for the first time.
The world's deepest 'black smoker' vent, erupting water hot enough to melt lead, 3.1 miles down on the ocean floor.
Probing the value of Southampton’s maritime industries The University is contributing its global expertise in mapping and analysing supply chains to Solent Maritime, a new group formed by Business Southampton to highlight the importance of maritime companies to the area. Research shows the marine sector contributes more than 25 per cent of Southampton’s annual gross domestic product (GDP), approximately £1.4bn. Or Supply Chain Management Research Group has been commissioned to produce a database and supply chain map that will identify the activities and linked relationships of the Solent’s maritime businesses and organisations. This may reveal commercial opportunities for locally-based companies. Professor Douglas Macbeth, Director of Supply Chain Research says: “This sector is of key importance within the region’s economy but very few people have a comprehensive insight into all the activities currently underway in and around the Solent.” The data for the supply chain map will be obtained through an online survey. Business Southampton CEO Sally Lynskey has urged maritime sector companies to contribute their details and encourage others involved in the maritime economy to take part as well. “This is a chance for us to gain a clearer picture of what the Solent Maritime economy looks like and the information will help inform our future actions,” she says. Business Southampton is an independent business-led organisation that provides an influential united voice within the city region. It aims to further Southampton as the major city of excellence for business and economic growth on the South Coast. www.businesssouthampton.com
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www.southampton.ac.uk/maritime businessenquiries@soton.ac.uk +44 (0)23 8059 3095
ŠFront cover image courtesy of Tim Wright/kospictures.com