ABS brought together marine and offshore industry leaders from Qatar for its virtual ABS Qatar National Committee Meeting.

Qatari shipowners, managers, charterers, and shipbuilders heard about industry-leading ABS developments in digital class, safety, sustainability, environmental and social governance as well as the impact of COVID-19 on the maritime and offshore industries.

“As a leader in Classification in Qatar and the Middle East, we are able to bring together industry leaders who can offer powerful insight on the technical and regulatory challenges facing the industry. ABS is leading the way in maritime sustainability and the application of digital technologies and to sustain the development and delivery of these services and solutions, we rely on the unique blend of vision and expertise that is offered by our committees,” said John McDonald, ABS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

The Committee heard about the best-in-class safety performance of ABS and how superior Port State Control performance and strong fleet safety performance underline its focus on safety and its mission.

The Committee was updated on key ABS technology developments, including digital class services such as advanced modeling and simulation as well as 3D plan review. ABS’ industry-leading sustainability support for operators and the capability of the ABS My Digital Fleet^TM risk management platform was also highlighted.

Jagir Baxi, Vice President and Ventures Manager, ExxonMobil Qatar, delivered a presentation on the evolving energy mix required for a lower-carbon future.

ABS is one of the leading Classification organizations in Qatar thanks to long-standing relationships with the country’s marine and offshore operators.

The Committee meetings are a forum for ABS members, including owners, operators, charterers, and industry representatives from flag administrations, owner associations, and the shipbuilding and insurance sectors, to come together with ABS leaders and discuss industry issues and developments.  These forums are an important part of an ongoing dialogue with industry to address technical, operational and regulatory challenges.