Join industry peers in Houston to discuss "What the Maritime Industry Needs for the Future:  Creating Order out of Chaos"

RADM John Nadeau to Keynote

HOUSTON – February 13, 2019 – The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is holding its annual Houston Conference  “What the Maritime Industry Needs for the Future: Creating Order out of Chaos” on Feb. 28, 2019 at the headquarters of the West Gulf Maritime Association (WGMA) in Houston from 1200 to 1800hrs. Hosted by the WGMA, this conference is designed to help companies navigate the impending changes and implications happening in the industry today and over the next few years.

Niels Aalund of the event’s host West Gulf Maritime Association (WGMA) will welcome the delegates followed by NAMEPA Chairman Joe Hughes, and CEO of the American Club who will start the program with a presentation on “Finding Stability in a Moving Seascape”.  Dr. Maria Burns of the University of Houston will then  illuminate what the next decade portends.  RADM John Nadeau, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, will deliver an opening keynote outlining what the United States Coast Guard will expect from industry when it comes to compliance.  Keith LeTourneau of Blank Rome will highlight what pitfalls industry should avoid as it is propelled forward with Clayton Wrenn of Lightering sharing the challenges encountered by shipowners.

Discussion topics will include “Maritime’s Vulnerabilities”, “Plugging the Leaks in Maritime”, “What Ports are doing for Environmental Management”, and “What’s in YOUR Stack:  Emission Mitigation Strategies”.

Other confirmed speakers include Aziz Bamik of GTT, Dr. Vis of Viswa Labs, Gareth Burton of ABS, Doug Martin of SMIT, Jan Hagen Andersen of DNVGL,  Galia Kaplan of the USCG, Darren Shelton of Morgan QSD,  Cynthia Hudson of HudsonAnalytix-Cyber, Brian Bailey of American Waterways Operators,  Captain Anuj Chopra of RightShip, Ryan Dixon of the Port of Houston Authority, Dr. Grace Tee-Lewis of the Environment Defense Fund, Roy Choudhry of Crowley, and Larry Navin of The Methanol Institute.

“We are at a critical junction in the maritime world where key decisions are being made that will affect our industry for decades to come,” stated Joe Hughes, NAMEPA Chairman and Chairman/CEO of The American Club.  “Our industry needs to examine the options and solutions for reaching a credible platform for achieving success in in this arena along with profitability.”

Sponsors of the event include ABS, the American Club, Blank Rome, DNVGL, Fairfield Chemical Carriers, GTT North America, HudsonAnalytix, Lightering LLC, Navios, Rightship, Scorpio Tankers, SMIT and WGMA.

To register for the conference and view agenda details, please visit: www.namepa.net/upcoming-events.

Media contact: Carleen Lyden-Kluss  c.lyden-kluss@morganmarketcomm.com  +203 255 4686