ABS and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station kicked off a batch of new, funded research projects with the signing of a research agreement at the Zachry Engineering Education Complex on the Texas A&M University campus.

Ammonia as fuel, ship electrification, carbon capture and sequestration, trusted artificial intelligence, and safety of industrial wearable visualization technologies are just a few of the topics funded by ABS and to be investigated in partnership with TEES, a State of Texas chartered research and development agency under the Texas A&M University system, focused on fostering innovations in research, education and technology.

“As a safety-focused organization operating at the forefront of these technologies, we recognize that additional research is needed to support the industry. ABS is proud to invest in and work alongside world-class universities such as Texas A&M to make additional advancements in these complex topics to support the adoption of new tools and systems that improve both safety and performance in the marine and offshore industries,” said Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President, and Chief Technology Officer.

In addition to Patrick Ryan, Dr. Gareth Burton, Vice President, Technology, and Dr. Kevin McSweeney, Manager, Technology, attended the signing ceremony from ABS.

In attendance for Texas A&M were Dr. Arul Jayaraman, Executive Associate Dean of the Texas A&M College of Engineering, Dr. Dimitris Lagoudas, Associate Vice Chancellor for Engineering Research and Senior Associate Dean for Research, and Dr. Sharath Girimaji, Head of the Department of Ocean Engineering and ABS Ocean Engineering Department Chair.

“These projects seek to adapt, as appropriate, emerging techniques and technologies to enhance the safety of the maritime industry and bring about a smooth transition to clean energy. Our researchers are excited to collaborate with ABS specialists to further the frontiers of marine and offshore industries,” said Girimaji.

The research agreement is part of the continuing collaboration between ABS and Texas A&M, which includes a recent endowment establishing the ABS Ocean Engineering Department Chair. The research agreement will allow ABS to place research project awards toward TEES and Texas A&M over the next five years.

ABS continues to lead marine and offshore innovations through its work with industry and university partners. Academic engagement through the ABS Endowed University Chairs program includes collaborations of applied research, enabling new technologies that support the maritime and offshore industries. These vital research areas include marine safety, environmental stewardship and compliance, data analytics, cyber security and digital connectivity.