InnovationOcean exploration with Virgin Oceanic

Cities of the future

The science of materials

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CONTENTS

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True Collaboration:Professor Ajit Shenoi introduces a ground-breaking collaboration between the University of Southampton and Lloyd’s Register

The Return of Adventure:We take a closer look at Virgin Oceanic, the latest venture of Chris Welsh and Sir Richard Branson, which will see them journey to Earth’s deepest oceans in a flying submarine

Graham Hawkes:“Innovation..” doesn’t mean inventing things’. A rare interview with the world’s foremost submarine designer

Bringing Ideas to Life:Professor Minoo Patel explains the pitfalls of innovation and why a ‘culture of ideas’ is key

Future Cities:What will the city of the future look like in 10 years? Del Redvers highlights the opportunities and challenges

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page 17

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Future LIfe at Sea:BMT Nigel Gee’s avant-garde vision which breaks the traditional naval architecture mould

The Final Frontier: The University of Washington’s Professor of Oceanography, John Delaney, explains why traditional techniques are no longer sufficient for ocean exploration

Autonomy is Key:BP’s Senior Advisor, David Brookes, reveals the growing role of robotic systems and why autonomous vehicles will be the technology of the future

The Radical Approach:Materials Scientist Professor Mark Miodownik highlights the latest developments in the world of materials, from 3D printing to energy harvesting technologies

BMT News:Latest news from around the globe

2 | FOCUS | ISSUE 1

Welcome to the first issue of Focus in 2012. Despite the economic pressures to which many of our markets

have been subjected, BMT has continued to prosper. This I attribute in large measure to our diversification and our long held commitment to R&D, which has helped us to retain our cutting edge and ensure we remain a place where truly exceptional people choose to work.

We are excited to present this latest issue which brings to life innovation – from flying submarines developed by one of the world’s foremost engineers, Graham Hawkes, right through to the Utopian island which provides a vision of what future life at sea could look like – this issue has it all.

Insightful interviews with both John Delaney from the University of Washington and David Brookes at BP delve deeper into the growing role of robotic systems in the ocean and the increasing importance of harnessing data, in order for us to be able to overcome future challenges.

I hope you enjoy this issue and should like to thank all our authors who have given their time to provide us with their views and insights. If you have any thoughts on any of the subjects we have covered or would prefer to receive this publication in electronic format, please send your feedback to our editor at jwilliamson@bmtmail.com.

BMT has continued to prosper. This

I attribute in large measure to our diversification and our long held commitment to R&D

FOCUS is published by: BMT Group Ltd, Goodrich House, 1 Waldegrave Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 8LZ, UK

T: +44 (0)20 8943 5544 F: +44 (0)20 8943 5347E: enquiries@bmtmail.com W: www.bmt.org

Edited by Jenni Williamson (jwilliamson@bmtmail.com)

Written by Emmett & Smith (www.emmettandsmith.com)

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Statements made or opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the view of BMT Group Ltd. Permission for reproduction of articles in FOCUS must be obtained from the Editor.The FOCUS mailing list is held on computer. If, under the Data Protection Act 1998, you wish to have your name removed or added, or alternatively have any other mailing list enquiries, please contact the Editor.

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EDITORIAL

INNOVATION4 | FOCUS | ISSUE 1 FOCUS | ISSUE 1 | 5

With approximately 300 academics working together with society, industry and government, the SMMI will be the largest single such entity of its kind in the world which integrates the different disciplines across the University. Specialists in ship design and naval architecture, fluid dynamics and acoustics, oceanography through to arts, humanities and social science disciplines will work together to better understand current and future maritime challenges.

The future of humanity depends on us learning together and working collaboratively and we need to do this without any discrimination between the different disciplines. Underpinning our future research are four key challenges that we, as a planet, face:

While SMMI is addressing all of the four challenges through the knowledge prisms of physical sciences, natural sciences, social sciences and even humanities, one significant aspect of our work in relation to maritime engineering and the associated challenges surrounding trade and transport, is looking at the energy footprint of shipping and the maritime industry in general. It is well documented that shipping is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions; therefore the drive towards a more environmentally friendly shipping industry is extremely noteworthy. Through more effective designs, alternative propulsion techniques such as nuclear energy, fuel cells, electric motors, sails and kites, etc we can, in the medium to long term, provide ways of making ships much more environmentally efficient and therefore much more attuned to future needs.

Exciting innovationsSome of the other exciting areas of work in SMMI of a long term nature are novel anti-fouling paints that are environmentally friendly and minimising acoustic and noise footprints of ships. We are also working on tidal turbines to ensure minimal impact on fish and other marine life, developing smart, multi-functional materials for optimising operational costs, mapping supply chain behaviour on efficient ship production and creating new ship design software. We have a long standing interest and expertise in performance sports engineering, with our engineers and researchers helping the top teams in yachting for the America’s Cup and round the world races, in F1 and Indy car racing, rowing, cycling and in Winter Olympics sports such as the skeleton bob.

As well as our long term aspirations we are collaborating with businesses on short term research. Working alongside Lloyd’s Register and BMT Defence Services, one of our doctoral students is currently developing a tool for addressing emergency response in ships which are damaged and stranded at sea. This tool will allow for a rapid assessment of the safety of a ship to be made, so that the shipping company and owner can determine the most efficient and effective way of managing the situation, in order to minimise the risk to passengers, cargo and the environment.

Human solutionsDeveloping innovative technologies and engineering solutions for the maritime industry is a key component to meeting future challenges, but what must not be overlooked is the human element. A fundamental aspect of what we are trying to do is to ensure humans remain an integral part of the engineering solution. As an educational establishment our mission is to acquire and promote knowledge, and train the future generation well whilst enhancing our understanding of the problems.

Broadening our collaborative endeavour with the different disciplines across the marine and maritime industries

TruE COllabOraTIOnThis month will see the launch of the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI), a ground-breaking collaboration between the University of Southampton and Lloyd’s Register which is set to become a world-leading centre for innovation, business and education. Professor Ajit Shenoi, Director of SMMI talks to FOCUS about this new venture and why crossing the traditional boundaries between the different disciplines will help to address some of today’s most important global challenges in transport, energy and the environment.

•Climate and the environment – Climate change and its associated repercussions are already here with us and continue to pose a significant threat to our future planet if not dealt with appropriately. Although we have come some way to better understanding climate change and developing effective solutions, more needs to be done.

• Energy and resources – We will be increasingly reliant on the oceans to provide us with our energy, food, minerals and even medicine; therefore we need to be able to comprehensively understand the ocean’s capabilities and potential.

• Society & government – Given the fact that over the next 15 to 20 years a huge proportion of the earth’s population will be living only a few miles away from a coast line, we believe that a focus on the people in these areas will be absolutely vital. Therefore, understanding and preserving our culture, heritage, homes and communities around these coast lines is critical.

• Trade & transport – Over 90% of global trade is transported by sea. Ships will continue to be the backbone of this international trade for the foreseeable future. Food grains, oil, ore and other essential commodities for humankind will continue to be transported in bulk via ships. Enhancing safety of not only the ships but the goods they transport, as well as the crew and passengers, will remain a key focus.

Professor Ajit Shenoi graduated in 1974 with a degree in naval architecture from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Between 1974 and 1978 he worked successively in Mazagon Docks Bombay and Arya National Shipping Lines, Tehran before returning to academia, to the University of

Strathclyde, Glasgow from where he obtained his doctorate in 1981. Since then he has been at the University of Southampton as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and, now, Professor. He is a Chartered Engineer, being a Fellow of both the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects.

Ajit Shenoi

and businesses will create a much more holistic approach to delivering the engineering solutions of tomorrow. Traditionally, many educational and research institutions have focused merely on one discipline but future needs will require us to enhance communication to enable inter-, multi- and trans-disciplinary work with engineering, social sciences and even humanities. This is where the SMMI will make a real difference.

A fundamental aspect of what we are trying to do is

to ensure humans remain an integral part of the engineering solution.

The Vision:Virgin believes that oceans offer exciting opportunities for human exploration and scientific research. Its vision is to explore the possibilities of enabling adventurers and pioneers to participate in oceanic exploration.

The Science:Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the University of Southern California, the University of Hawaii and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute are partnering with Virgin Oceanic on this unique and exciting expedition.

For the first time, the deepest trenches in each of the five oceans will be observed from an occupied submersible. No current human-occupied submersibles can dive deeper than 6,500 meters (21,325 feet). Most of the oceans’ trenches have only been explored with robotic vehicles – and some not at all, as availability of these systems is limited. For scientists who

study the deepest part of the ocean and the animals that live there, the human presence will provide unprecedented access.

Even in the famous Mariana Trench, the deepest in the world, man has only touched down upon its depths once. The single dive by the bathyscaphe Trieste in 1960 with Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard was groundbreaking for its day, but even that great feat allowed access only to a column of water straight down and straight back up.

Scientists are excited by the opportunity to have a free-flying submersible that can traverse the bottom of the trench and collect data from a variety of points along the bottom. Some of the trenches that Virgin Oceanic will explore have never been mapped in detail. Currently, ocean maps are very low resolution with many being created solely based on data gathered from satellites or ship-based systems.

The Innovation:Innovative technologies and materials harnessed by the world’s foremost submarine designer, Graham Hawkes, make it possible to push the boundaries of human experience. The two greatest challenges to human exploration of the deep oceans are very high pressures and the extreme cold (just slightly above freezing). Not only is this submersible capable of withstanding both of these extremes, but its built-in cost efficiencies make extensive deep water “flights” much more accessible, bringing science and wonder ever closer.

The Virgin Oceanic submarine represents a transformational technological advance in submarine economics and performance. The submarine provides the currently unequalled capability to take humans to any depth in the oceans and to truly explore. It utilises the latest in composite technology and a completely unique flying wing to literally fly within the ocean environment; creatures living here such as dolphins, whales and rays have

For the first time since 1960 when co-pilots Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the bathyscaphe Trieste, man will again attempt to reach the deepest place on the planet, seven miles below the surface of the Western Pacific Ocean. Well-known entrepreneur, sailor and aviator Chris Welsh and Sir Richard Branson will journey to the deepest part of the Earth’s five oceans in a submarine that flies like an airplane, as part of their Virgin Oceanic venture. FOCUS explores how.

shown us this winged approach is the best and most elegant way to range the seas. The submarine is many times less expensive to manufacture and operate than any of its less capable counterparts.

The submarine was originally commissioned by Sir Richard’s close friend and fellow adventurer, the late Steve Fossett who had intended to complete the first solo dive to the depths of the Mariana Trench. Sir Richard intends to finish what his friend started and then go on to help explore and unlock the wonders of ocean depths still unknown to human kind or science.

The vehicle is a unique design made from 8,000 pounds of carbon fibre and titanium. The pressure at the bottom of the trench is over 1,000 atmospheres – the quartz dome alone will be under 13 million pounds of pressure, the weight of three space shuttles.

Designed by Graham Hawkes, it is the only piloted craft in existence that has ‘full ocean depth’ capability. The one person sub has an operating depth of

37,000ft (seven miles) and is capable of operating for 24hrs unaided. Once fully descended, the submarine’s hydroplanes (the equivalent of wings for submarines) and thrusters will allow it to ‘fly’ up to 10km over the ocean floor whilst collecting video and data - something submersibles could only dream of.

At these depths, each individual part of the sub must be able to withstand enormous pressures, and protect its pilot from the

extreme conditions just inches away. As Sir Richard and Chris each pilot the sub to the depths, they will be aware that should anything go wrong, there is no rescue team that can reach them; whilst backed up by a mission crew, once at depth, the pilot and craft are alone. The craft will cruise at a max of three knots and can dive 350ft per minute. At that speed, a dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench and back is estimated to take about five hours.

THE RETURN OF ADVENTUREFEATURES

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Chris Welsh with Sir Richard Branson

FEATURES: The Return of Adventure8 | FOCUS | ISSUE 1

Ian Parker, Submarine Business Development Lead, BMT Defence Services

There is a need for innovative thinking in the world of submarines in order to enhance future submarine capabilities. At BMT Defence Services, we’re used to engaging in complex submarine challenges and we’re pushing the boundaries every day when it comes to novel design concepts. The engineering hurdles facing the team in this endeavour are certainly complex, and most definitely challenging. Solving them will require a significant degree of engineering expertise, innovative thinking and bravery. We will be following the project closely, with particular interest in the result and the lessons learned along the way.

For further information contact Ian Parker, BMT Defence Services, iparker@bmtdsl.co.uk

The Dives:Over the course of 2012 and beyond, Virgin Oceanic’s one-person sub will journey to the deepest part of each of the Earth’s five oceans. The first dive will be to the deepest place on the planet: the bottom of the Mariana Trench – seven miles straight down. The sub that flies more like an airplane will allow the solo pilot, Chris Welsh, to reach the deepest point on Earth, and then to “fly” along the bottom of the trench for an additional six miles. The second dive, to the bottom of the Puerto Rico Trench will be piloted by Sir Richard Branson. This trench is

the deepest spot in the Atlantic Ocean at over eight kilometers (more than five miles). This location is also near to Branson’s home on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. Subsequent dives will carry a human pilot to the bottom of the Arctic, Southern and Indian oceans. Less than three percent of the seafloor has been explored and none of the deepest points of the planet have ever been explored beyond a brief visit to one. The opportunities to see and learn from these dives are monumental.

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Less than 3% of the seafloor has been explored.

FOCUS: what does innovation mean to you?

Graham: well what I would say is that innovation doesn’t mean inventing things. I find it very difficult to comprehend people describing me as an inventor, because I don’t think I am. The fundamental difference is that when you invent something, you haven’t necessarily solved an existing problem. Innovation is about starting with a challenge, problem or need and finding a solution which didn’t exist before. It’s all about identifying the need.

FOCUS: what inspires you or drives you to continue working within our oceans?

Graham: although we call our planet, Earth – the majority of the human race still do not realise that we are indeed an ocean planet and 94% of life on earth is in fact, aquatic. With this in mind, I find it staggering that no one else has looked at

pioneering underwater flight which is what inspires me to do the work I do.

We are driven by the desire to provide manned access to ocean space through the innovative craft that we have designed and built. Our hope is that we will harness the human drive for adventure, exploration and science in order to lay a solid foundation for understanding and discovering our own planet. However, this isn’t just about exploitation – we want to provide such access responsibly, given that the vast natural resources of our oceans are essential to the future of mankind. Why go to a completely different planet like Mars when we haven’t even fully explored our own planet yet.

FOCUS: what engineering challenges do we face and how will technology help to overcome these challenges?

Graham: While I continue our work

in innovating the next generation of manned vehicles, I strongly believe that ROVs will be the mainstay of future oceanographic commercial and scientific activity. Therefore, much of our research is focused on improving the operability of these vehicles. Traditionally, ROVs are linked to the ship by a tether (sometimes referred to as an umbilical cable) - a group of cables that carry electrical power, video and data signals back and forth between the operator and the vehicle.

ROVs became an integral part of the clean-up operations for the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico for example. In a deepwater site such as this one, it’s usual to find six ROVs and their operators working from three different vessels. A greater number would carry the risk of the ROV’s tethers, which can span 3,000 feet, becoming entangled. Although BP was able to safely operate a record number of 14 ROVs simultaneously, this was by no means an easy task.

Through our extensive R&D, we have been able to remove the need for such thick tethers and it is, of course, the tethers which create huge challenges and costs. This is about breaking free of limitations and costs by utilising the combination of high-energy density batteries and strong, thin fiber-optic tethers which connect to the ROV, eliminating the problem of cable drag and the need for a big surface ship which can carry significant costs. Such innovative technology could change the way that we do business under the sea.

Exploring our OCEanSWith over sixty manned submersibles, and 350 Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) under his belt, the world’s foremost submarine designer, Graham Hawkes, is recognised globally as a pioneer in innovating state of the art solutions for ocean access. In an exclusive interview, FOCUS captures his thoughts on what innovation means to him and delves into the future technologies which will have a significant impact on the way in which we operate within our oceans. Graham Hawkes

Hawkes Ocean Technologies will use the Deep Flight Super Falcon submersible

in the first exploration below diver depths of the Gulf of Aqaba.

Clayton Christensen, Harvard Business Professor and author of the highly acclaimed book, The Innovator’s Dilemma, outlines the idea that good managers running their businesses on sound principles are almost always the architects of their own failure as they will be overtaken by innovative rivals. Keeping this in mind is key, says Professor Minoo Patel, non-executive Director at BMT Group Ltd. Here he talks to FOCUS about the pitfalls of innovation and why it is vital that a ‘culture of ideas’ is embraced by everyone within an organisation to ensure that it remains on top of its game.

If a senior manager thinks that something is not a good idea, then it probably means that it is! This may sound provocative and glib but the concept articulates a reality. Many Business School Professors have found that successful and well-focussed companies are likely to be the most ineffective at innovation. Their mindset is likely to be one of feeling safe and prosperous - one which is also risk averse. In order to innovate, companies need to be prepared to take risks, but this can often be met with scepticism and with senior management questioning the need for change at a time when things are already working well.

If a business is not innovating then it is, in fact, stagnating. It’s inevitable that all markets, processes, products and services will develop over time and therefore it’s important that organisations innovate as a normal part of their drive to be better than their existing or potential competitors. If they don’t, then it will only be a matter of time before their market share dissipates or, worse, is rapidly taken away from them completely. With the introduction of the online music download industry, our regular music shops which have, for a long time, been an integral part of our busy high street are facing this very issue and fast becoming a distant memory.

Cultivating ideasIt’s true to say that businesses need to be hungry in order to take risks. A culture of embracing ideas is also vital and businesses must ensure that they provide an open channel for new ideas to

be filtered through to the right people and given the attention they deserve. Many people would argue that innovation is a young people’s game as they are more eager to take risks, but that they are often quashed by others within the business who are unwilling to provide a level of support to, at the very least, investigate the ideas further. This lack of support can have long-term damaging effects as people will ‘play safe’ and be hesitant to put forward ideas in the future.

Innovation boardThe introduction of the Innovation Board is BMT’s latest approach to further enhancing its organisational culture of embracing new ideas. With a potential top prize of £5,000 (second place, £3,000 and third place £2,000), employees within BMT can submit an idea which can be technical, business-orientated, delivery or market-led that could potentially lead to

a significant improvement in the group’s bottom line or business security. By its very nature, innovation should be unpredictable and this approach ensures that there will be no constraints on the type or nature of the ideas thought about and submitted. Fellowships may also be awarded to provide the opportunity for ideas to be researched further.

Making the futureInnovation is even more important at times of economic uncertainty and must be central to an organisation’s aspirations for growth. Instilling a culture where ideas are embraced will not only create a passionate workforce, but will also allow the business to keep its competitors at bay - it takes just one good idea to transform a business.

INTERVIEWSINTERVIEWSFOCUS | ISSUE 1 | 11

Professor Minoo Patel is a founder and director of BPP Technical Servcices Ltd and a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of Development in the School of Engineering at Cranfield University. With over 110 research papers, two books and eight patents to his name, Minoo is well respected within the offshore engineering industry. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, an independent Director of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd and a non-executive Director of Cranfield Aerospace Ltd.

brInGInG IDEaS TO lIFE

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Step back in time to 1950 and New York City was the only mega city (population of over 10 million) in the world – fast forward to 2025 and the landscape is set to look quite different. According to the UN Habitat, it is expected that there will be a staggering 26 mega cities, with Asian and African countries dominating the list. The trend towards urbanisation is well documented but Del Redvers, Head of Sustainability at BMT Group, fears that many developing countries are ill-prepared to cope with such demand. He talks to FOCUS about the associated challenges and highlights the opportunities to integrate innovative technologies in order to create truly sustainable cities.

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What will the city of the future look like in 10 years?

More than 50% of the world’s population live in cities or urban areas – a proportion which continues to increase. Fast growth rates are likely to be in China but also African cities such as Lagos (Nigeria) and Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), both of which are not yet megacities, but will be in the future. Other new entries to the UN Habitat’s 2025 projection list are Jakarta (Indonesia), Lahore (Pakistan) and Chennai (India).

Sustainable imperativeEveryone living in a city needs food, water, shelter and energy. Furthermore, everyone living in a city produces waste, which has to be disposed of somewhere. As cities swell and engulf the surrounding land, entice farmers to become urban migrants and encroach on natural ecosystems, the pressures on supply chains and infrastructure that service these needs become acute.

Del Redvers

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The goal is not to create sustainable cities simply because they are nice to have, but to create sustainable cities which can respond to growth and change, which rise to the challenge of resource limitations, and provide a reasonable quality of life for all. It is in developing countries where these issues are most pressing, but all our cities must adapt and evolve by harnessing innovative technologies and solutions.

Many city dwellers take the provision of their sustenance and sanitation for granted, but the implications of a breakdown of food supply or public health are far more severe and imminent than we might care to imagine. The panic buying that takes place when there is a short-term shortage of a particular foodstuff provides an indication of what might happen in the face of a major shortage. An outbreak of cholera in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake served as a stark reminder of how susceptible the human race can be to pathogens when infrastructure fails. For more than a billion people in the

world living in slums, many cities have already over-extended their infrastructure capabilities.

Self sufficiencyTo feed today’s mega city at least 6,000 tonnes of food must be supplied every single day. In a bid to save energy and costs and become more self-sufficient and sustainable, some communities are taking their own action introducing innovative projects such as the one above. Situated on the roof of a warehouse in Brooklyn, this urban farm is a community garden, producing food for the local residents.

These ideas allow for agriculture, amenity and wild spaces to integrate across the rooftops so that farming in urban environments on a much larger scale can become a reality, helping to address food production challenges and allow cities to become more self-sufficient. Radical ideas such as skyscraper greenhouses, dubbed vertical farms are also being considered which use hydroponic (soil-free) growth to maximise food production.

2007 Population (thousands)

1 Tokyo 35,676

2 Mexico City 19,028

3 New York-Newark 19,040

4 São Paolo 18,845

5 Mumbai 18,978

6 Delhi 15,926

7 Shanghai 14,987

8 Kolkata 14,787

9 Buenos Aires 12,795

10 Dhaka 13,485

11 Los Angeles-Long Beach- Santa Ana 12,500

12 Karachi 12,130

13 Rio de Janeiro 11,748

14 Osaka-Kobe 11,294

15 Cairo 11,193

16 Beijing 11,106

17 Manila 11,100

18 Moscow 10,452

19 Istanbul 10,061

: Cities located near a large body of water (sea, river or delta)

2025 Population (thousands)

1 Tokyo 36,400

2 Mumbai 26,385

3 Delhi 22,498

4 Dhaka 22,015

5 São Paolo 21,428

6 Mexico City 21,009

7 New York-Newark 20,628

8 Kolkata 20,560

9 Shanghai 19,412

10 Karachi 19,095

11 Kinshasa 16,762

12 Lagos 15,796

13 Cairo 15,561

14 Manila 14,808

15 Beijing 14,545

16 Buenos Aires 13,768

17 Los Angeles-Long Beach- Santa Ana 13,672

18 Rio de Janeiro 13,413

19 Jakarta 12,363

20 Istanbul 12,102

21 Guangzhou, Guangdong 11,835

22 Osaka-Kobe 11,368

23 Moscow 10,526

24 Lahore 10,512

25 Shenzhen 10,196

26 Chennai 10,129

: New mega cities

Urbanisation also provides a much simpler approach to energy distribution. Instead of having a huge and diverse network, energy can be generated within the city and used more efficiently, such as with combined heat and power plants.

Sustainable cities can close loops wherever possible. Energy efficient buildings go off-grid, waste becomes an input for food production and water is captured and recycled. It’s important to note that it’s not just the supply of water which challenges urban design.

Planning for growthFlooding is a persistent threat for some cities. In the face of ongoing urban growth and climate related flood events, effective flood modelling and the solutions it can uncover are becoming increasingly important. Integrating planning decisions with sustainable urban drainage designs and flood defences will help to safeguard hundreds of millions of people, including

many of the world’s poorest, who live in flood-prone areas. Demand for BMT WBM’s flood modelling capabilities will certainly be in high demand over the coming years to better equip cities with the necessary intelligence and help them mitigate the possible risks to the community and the natural environment.

It has been noted that with the exception of China and a few other locations, this enormous growth and increasing trend towards urbanisation and more mega cities is not being planned for. For example, Lagos in Nigeria has tried to address growth by bulldozing the slums and building apartments which are beyond the means of those vulnerable people they have displaced - an expensive approach which does not contribute to a sustainable city. In stark contrast to this, China currently has over 10 eco-cities under development.

Human solutionsTo create a sustainable city, we have to bring together our best ideas and technologies for energy and water efficient design with thoughtfully planned infrastructure for transport, and waste management. But that is not enough.

Cities are about people. People instinctively want to build communities, improve their quality of life and provide security for their children. Our best engineering design and know-how can inform planning and advance the boundaries of our capabilities. Ultimately however, it is how we apply that expertise to a fundamentally human problem that will make all the difference.

For further information contact Del Redvers, BMT Group dredvers@bmtmail.com

The world’s mega cities 2007 and 2025

An urban farm in Brooklyn, USA.

An example of how a vertical farm may look in the future. Designed by SOA Architectes, Paris.

The grand challenge in the Ocean Sciences for the coming decades will be the need to successfully design and aggressively implement novel strategies and innovative infrastructures to dramatically increase our rate of discovery and understanding of the complex interactions operating throughout the volume of the ocean basins. Driven by solar and internal geothermal energy, the complex processes interacting within the global ocean constitute the ‘flywheel’ of our planetary life-support system; it is the massive volume of the ocean that drives long-term weather and short-term climatic variations across the seas and onto the continents.

By 2030 there will be a billion more people on the planet, with another billion arriving in the following two decades. These projections impart an urgency to rapidly increase our understanding and capacity to harness the oceans. Arguably, humans will eventually have to learn to “manage” the entire planet; but we do not now have the insight, the knowledge, nor the wisdom to do so. The next two to four decades must be spent preparing for the time when we will have no choice but to confront this awesome responsibility.

The oceans are central to the quality of life on the continents. They are changing rapidly, but unpredictably. To reasonably predict such changes, we must spend decades feeding vast amounts of high quality data into the refinement of increasingly sophisticated computational models, capable of depicting how the ocean-atmosphere system works at all levels. One of the most exciting prospects for providing the calibre and volume of data necessary at the ecosystem level lies in the application of new and rapidly evolving technologies developed outside the world of ocean sciences, to the task of becoming a permanent human “presence” within the global ocean basins.

We must carefully select key representative ocean volumes for intensive study of interlinked major and minor processes, comprising the full scope of oceanic

complexity in the form of entire marine ecosystems. Interactive, distributed sensor networks using novel technologies can create large-aperture “natural laboratories” employing real-time experimental control over the entire ‘laboratory’ volume. Fixed and mobile assets distributed throughout a given portion of the sea, all communicating via the Internet at nearly the speed of light, can allow constant surveillance of, and response to, a wide spectrum of physical, chemical, and biological processes interacting within key volumes of the ocean system.

Submarine laboratories equipped with electro-optical, deep sea networks will extend unprecedented electrical power and communication bandwidths to a wide range of interactive real-time sensors, instruments, and robots that can carry out routine experiments. Furthermore, they can be programmed to investigate emergent

events like erupting volcanoes, major storms, fish stock migration patterns, or progressive environmental anomalies such as ocean acidification or low oxygen ‘dead’ zones. These new capabilities will empower many investigators to push the envelope on high creativity and bold exploration of the time-space domain within a number of natural systems.

As these rapidly evolving capabilities are integrated into sophisticated, remote, interactive operations, a pervasive human tele-presence throughout entire volumes of our once ‘inaccessible’ global ocean will be realised. Such capabilities will be required to meet the onset of immense environmental and societal challenges in the coming decades that can only be addressed through optimally informed, international collaboration.

INNOVATION INTERVIEWS

Project Utopia has its origins in a real project, for a client whose only initial brief was – “A piece of floating real estate that could be moved between nice locations”. I remember very clearly a moment of excitement at the first design meeting when the team concluded that the project would not necessarily have to end up looking like a traditional boat/ship/yacht, i.e. it didn’t necessarily have to have a bow, stern, port or starboard. Within the bounds of technical feasibility it could end up as any shape or configuration.

Breaking the mouldAn avant‐garde vision of a future concept, Project Utopia breaks the traditional naval architectural mould which the market has come to expect and offers a truly unique outlook free from any conventional design limitations. Visions of the future are often constrained by familiarity with the present or reflection on the past. Much is made in today’s design community of starting with a blank sheet of paper yet many, if not all yacht concepts revert to the traditional form - the perception that a yacht should be a form of transport becomes an immediate constraint. Utopia is not an object to travel in, it is a place to be, an island established for anyone who has the vision to create such a place.

Measuring 100m in length and breadth, and spanning over 11 decks with the equivalent volume of a present‐day cruise liner, there is enough space to create an entire micro-nation. The design is based on a four legged platform employing the same principles of any small waterplane area design for minimum motions in even the most extreme sea conditions. Each leg supports a fully azimuthing thruster: a configuration of ship propellers placed in pods that can be rotated in any horizontal direction, making a rudder unnecessary. These give vessels better manoeuvrability than a fixed propeller and rudder system and, with four such units, the design can redeploy between desired locations at slow speeds.

Design features A large central structure bisects the water surface acting as the conduit for the mooring system which is a critical element of the design, as well as housing a wet dock for access, by tenders. In addition to tender access the design features multiple helicopter pads. The main accommodation and service spaces span some 11 decks with the uppermost deck covered by a retractable canopy. On the “13th Floor” there is an observatory with 360 degree views, at which point the occupants would be 65m above the water surface.

Pioneering design ideas such as Utopia are exactly the types of projects that our team excel in. Our forward thinking approach and unrivalled state of the art engineering experience allows us to work closely with designers, stylists and shipyards, to bring these ideas to life and lead the market into the next generation of naval architecture.

The question is - who would buy such an object? Utopia has been conceptualised within a yacht context, although that is in itself not a particularly defining ‘label’ to give such a design. We see greater application in floating resorts, casinos, or adapting the yacht ‘label’ to a personal island, coming back to the brief that inspired the project - “A piece of floating real estate”.

For further information contact James Roy, BMT Nigel Gee jroy@ngal.co.uk

Inspired heavily by the villain’s lair, ‘Stromberg’s Atlantis’, in the James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me, Project Utopia has sparked significant interest and excitement within the yachting market and beyond. James Roy, Yacht Design Director at BMT Nigel Gee, joint developers of the concept with Yacht Island Design takes us through the design and explains why Utopia is not an object to travel in – it’s a place to be.

FUTURE LIFE AT SEA

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understanding the Planetary life Support System: Next-Generation Science in the Ocean Basins

John Delaney John Delaney is a Professor of Oceanography and holds the Jerome M. Paros Endowed Chair in Sensor Networks at the University of Washington. Since 1997, he has directed development of the regional cabled ocean observatory in the northeast Pacific Ocean that evolved into the Regional Scale Nodes program within the National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative.

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FOCUS: What other innovative technologies are we likely to see in the next 5-10 years?

David: In terms of robotic systems the real drive for the future is in Artificial Intelligence associated with AUVs, similar to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The difference is that the UAVs are likely to be controlled remotely by a navigator or pilot, whereas the AUVs are programmed to conduct a particular task. For example, to follow a pipeline with approximate coordinates and to stop when it finds any anomalies – it will then have the ability to obtain and record necessary data which can then be analysed. This technology is almost available now but what would be the innovative breakthrough is the ability for the AUVs to do what the ROV pilot does which is to fully monitor a facility. This level of autonomy is not there yet.

FOCUS: How important a role have ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) played over the years?

David: Extremely important. We often describe them as robot submarines and they are the eyes and hands of our subsea operations. For example, at the height of the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, it was ROVs which went to work on connecting pipes that would ultimately make way for the cap that would seal the well. In a deepwater site like the Gulf of Mexico, it’s usual to find six ROVs and their operators working from three different vessels, but through extensive planning we were able to have a record number of 14 ROVs working simultaneously around the well site in order to complete operations as quickly and as safely as possible.

FOCUS: Looking to the future do you still see ROVs playing a part in subsea production?

David: As we go into even deeper waters we are going to see the cost of ROV operations being dominated, not by the ROV itself, but by the boat that is needed in order to monitor and control the ROV. For this reason, I think that Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) will start to play a more significant role in our deep water subsea activities, especially within the area of maintenance inspection.

That’s not to say that ROVs won’t play a role. We’re now seeing a more innovative approach to ROVs which utilises a subsea positioning system, similar to Global Positioning Systems (GPSs). Instead of the pilot having to guide the ROV manually to its position, he or she can simply dial in the GPS subsea coordinates and the ROV auto pilot systems can then manoeuvre it into position, counteracting any currents. This is a similar approach to AUVs which also require auto pilot systems.

I also think that there will be an increased use of sensors to help overcome poor visibility and monitor leakage, sounds and vibrations. Currently, we are able to utilise sensors for leakage detection which enables us to automate and therefore, provides a higher level of confidence in our integrity management of the systems – leakage from subsea systems is of course, a critical factor for oil and gas companies.

AUTONOMY IS KEY

David BrookesDavid Brookes has over 40 years of industry experience, starting as an Undergraduate Apprentice. He is a qualified BSc Mech Eng, Charted Engineer, FIMechE, FIMarEst and SPE. Since joining BP in 1980, he has worked as a Manager for the Marine Systems Group, Project Engineering Manager for the BP Chemicals Polyethylene Project and as a BPX Global Subsea Consultant. In 2001 he moved to managing the overall BP’s Deepwater Facilities TechnologyDevelopment Programme before becoming BP’s Chief Engineer for Subsea and Floating Systems. He is currently a Senior Advisor.

I think that AUVs will start to play a more significant role in our deep water subsea activities.

It is cheaper and much safer to use an ROV instead of a diver where subsea intervention is required and also allows servicing of components at water depths inaccessible to divers. As the offshore oil industry moves into deeper and deeper water, new methods of retrieving oil must be developed. Remote sensing and instrumentation therefore is playing a larger role in allowing the oil and gas industry to manage risk and maintain safety.

BMT has followed this trend by evolving the design of our subsea strain sensor integrity monitoring systems to allow for ROV intervention. The underlying technology of our subsea strain sensors has been deployed in the field since 1990. It is used to measure bending and tension in subsea structures such as risers, load spools and tendons. Up until recently, the subsea strain sensors have been serviceable only by divers. BMT’s ROV-serviceable subsea strain sensor has been successfully qualified in an in-water ROV test. The first application of this technology will be installed and commissioned in March 2012 on a West African deepwater field development. BMT is currently pursuing a system which will allow an ROV to attach these sensors to a range of pipes without any prior preparation. This innovation will allow retrofit of the subsea strain sensing system to existing structures. This further evolution will allow customers to install new integrity monitoring systems on operating fields to extend usable life, or upgrade existing systems.

For further information contact BMT Scientific Marine Services, info@scimar.com

Robotic systems have played an increasing role in BP’s deepwater offshore activities over the last 20 years. The desire to explore even deeper and more hostile environments will create the need to ensure innovative technologies are available in order to further enhance deepwater subsea production. David Brookes, Senior Advisor at BP talks to FOCUS about the current challenges and why autonomous vehicles will be the technology of the future.

Jonathan Sangel

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FOCUS: What are the most exciting innovations we should watch out for in the next decade?

Mark: Although 3D printing is already out there and is creating a step change in the way we do things, the opportunities to further exploit this type of technology is quite staggering, especially within the healthcare sector. Recently we saw the first operation of its kind being carried out in the Netherlands where a 3D printer-created lower jaw was fitted to an 83 year old woman’s face¹ – an incredible achievement and one which I think we’ll see more of in the future.

Another area to watch out for is what we call technical textiles where material science and engineering are re-engaging with the textiles industry. The new generation of clothing materials will be much more sophisticated in that they will have in-built intelligence which allow them to smooth and soften in certain circumstances, as well as becoming tense and rigid if, for example, you are in a crash or if someone tries to stab you. Naturally, the military is currently looking at this in more depth. Another aspect that we’re looking at is how textiles can be used as a way to provide elderly people with more independence, by potentially allowing their clothes to monitor their health and administer necessary medicine.

FOCUS: Many people would consider our oceans to still be largely unknown. Would you agree with this and what materials are emerging which are likely to change the way we explore our oceans?

Mark: Yes I certainly would agree with this. It’s important to note that when considering ocean exploration, the materials required turn out to be quite surprising to many people. Materials such as glass and ceramic for example are growing in importance for submersibles – people may have a perception that a submarine should be made out of metal because of its strength. But advanced ceramics and glass composite materials have combinations of compressive strength and low density which are not easy to achieve with metals. Carbon fibre composites which have played an integral role in the aerospace industry are also looking increasingly interesting for submersibles.

When considering seagoing vessels another exciting area is that of being able to provide a vessel with an artificial skin through the use of composites. Such a development would allow vessels to essentially have a sense of touch, making the hulls of ships far more like the skins of the living inhabitants of the oceans.

Existing energy harvesting technologies, which essentially provide a way of sourcing energy from the surrounding atmosphere, is also an area that I think will be of significant interest to everyone working within our ocean space. There is a growing desire for underwater vehicles such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), used extensively within the offshore oil and gas sector, to become autonomous in order to break free from limitations and associated costs. Of course nuclear power sources is one option, however, there are a whole array of ground breaking, energy harvesting technologies which have the potential to revolutionise marine science and engineering. Watch this ocean space!

MATERIALS SCIENCE – The radical approachThe world of materials science is certainly no stranger to radical ideas and innovative concepts. 3D printing for example is set to become one of the key disruptive innovations of this generation and is already having a significant impact within the healthcare sector. From technical textiles to energy harvesting technologies, Material Scientist and Engineer, Professor Mark Miodownik talks to FOCUS about the latest developments which have the potential to take us way beyond our wildest imaginations.

about Professor Mark Miodownik

Mark Miodownik is Professor of Materials & Society in the University College of London (UCL) Mechanical Engineering Department. He received his PhD in turbine jet engine alloys from Oxford University in 1996. His main research area is self-organising and self-healing materials on which he has published more than seventy research papers. He is the Director of the Institute of Making which is a multidisciplinary research club for those interested in the made world. Mark is a broadcaster and writer and will be presenting a three part TV series on Materials Science to be broadcast on BBC4 in Spring 2012.

BMT Nigel Gee has been active in the design and analysis of lightweight and high performance structures for the marine industry for more than twenty years. Our knowledge and expertise in the design of patrol boats, hovercraft and fast ferry structures has led to requests for technical consultancy from suppliers, manufacturers, end users and insurance companies.

The quest for optimum performance has often led our engineers to offer composite designs in glass, carbon, aramid and dyneema due to their significant cost, robustness, signature and weight benefits.

Recent projects include:

• the design of a carbon fibre pre-preg superyacht tender, approved as a SOLAS lifeboat

• failure investigation for a large racing yacht deck structure

• the design of an 18m egg shaped architectural radome

• design of a helicopter deck in carbon fibre sandwich

• technical support to the MOD for composite submarine rudders

BMT Nigel Gee continues to offer optimised designs in a range of composites utilising both advanced analysis and production friendly design.

For further information contactSimon Walley, BMT Nigel Gee, swalley@ngal.co.uk

Simon Walley, Structural Engineer

LayerWise, a Belgian company, produced the world’s first patient specific lower jaw using 3D laster technology.

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Enhancing the rehabilitation of stroke patientsThe European Commission has committed over 3.6 million euros to a project which will look to enhance the rehabilitation of stroke sufferers. Co-ordinated by the University of Birmingham, CogWatch will develop advanced, intelligent, everyday objects and tools which will help to retrain patients on how to carry out activities of daily living.

The three year project is supported by a number of specialist partners including: The Stroke Association; RGB Medical Devices; Universidad Politécnica de Madrid; Technische Universität München; Headwise Ltd and BMT Group who co-authored the proposal and have long-standing experience of participating in successful EC funded projects.

CogWatch will look to develop a new type of cognitive rehabilitation system that will introduce intelligent instrumented objects which are wearable or ambient devices that are part of a patient’s everyday environment and can therefore be used to monitor behaviour and assess progress. For instance, an ‘intelligent’ handle on a teaspoon that knows where it is, both spatially and where it is in the sequence it is involved in, can give useful feedback to a patient.

For further information contactGary Randall, BMT Group, grandall@bmtmail.com

bMT WIn ‘MarS’ MISSIOnBMT Defence Services, based in Bath, UK is part of the winning bid awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the Royal Navy’s MARS (Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability) Tanker with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME). Worth in the region of GBP452million, the contract will see the specialised design and

build of four new logistic support vessels, to be operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

As part of the RFA’s fleet, the MARS Tankers will offer logistical support to the Royal Navy by providing fuel, food and fresh water to naval vessels at sea. The vessels will each be just over 200 metres in length, 28 metres in beam, and have a displacement of over 37,000 tonnes. Each will be able to carry the equivalent volume of more than 7 Olympic-sized swimming pools of fuel cargo. This new addition to the fleet is due to be in service with the RFA from 2016 onwards.

The winning bid combines outstanding shipbuilding quality and superior technology from DSME with naval design expertise from BMT Defence Services with its AEGIR® vessel design. These Naval Auxiliaries will exploit the economic efficiencies of the world’s premier shipbuilder, whilst retaining UK capability, knowledge and skills in naval ship design and engineering.

For further information contact Johanna Probert, BMT Defence Services, jprobert@bmtdsl.co.uk

INDONESIA The recent opening of BMT De Beer’s office in Jakarta, Indonesia will allow the company to offer an independent and comprehensive service for customers operating in various industries including marine insurers, ship owners and oil and gas majors. Since its opening in October 2011, several projects have been awarded.

KAzAKHSTAN Due to the significant growth of major oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea, BMT ARGOSS has expanded its operations with the recent opening of an office in Atyrau, Kazakhstan in order to provide a local presence for oil companies operating in the region. By supporting customers’ operations through its weather forecasting and emergency response services, BMT ARGOSS can help lower costs, reduce risks and provide advice and guidance relating to HSE procedures.

NAVCON

BMT Scientific Marine Services Ltda has purchased a minority stake in Brazilian company, Navegação e Controle Ltda (Navcon) which specialises in monitoring systems for the offshore oil and gas industry. The company has an advanced R&D background and widespread experience of working offshore Brazil. Navcon’s current oil and gas activities align with those of BMT and include anchorage torpedoes and riser monitoring systems, monobuoy monitoring systems as well as metocean and wave measurement buoys.

Peter French, Chief Executive of BMT Group Ltd, comments: “With the BRIC countries now considered to be driving the global economy, Brazil’s commercial importance has been further heightened. The new relationship with Navcon will allow BMT to enhance its technical base in-country providing skills to help further support Brazil in realising its oil and gas reserves.”

For further information contact Jenni Williamson, BMT Group, jwilliamson@bmtmail.com

GlObal ExPanSIOnBMT Group continues to enhance its global capabilities with new offices in both Indonesia and Kazakhstan, as well as a stake in Brazilian company, Navcon.

bMT recognised in Sunday Times Top 100 best Companies to work forBMT Group recently celebrated being recognised in the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to work for list for 2012. Placed 55th in the list, BMT also attained a two star accreditation, recognised as ‘outstanding’. This accreditation follows the elite ‘Michelin Style’ star rating system for organisations that demonstrate high levels of employee engagement based on staff feedback. Chief Executive, Peter French comments:

We are extremely proud to receive this accolade – as an Employee

Benefit Trust, engagement with all of our staff is something we take very seriously because without them, we wouldn’t be the successful company we are today.

bMT sponsors ‘Catch the next Wave’BMT is proud to be sponsoring ‘Catch the Next Wave’, a one day conference looking at the technologies that promise to revolutionise marine science and engineering. Taking place on the eve of Oceanology International 2012 - the world’s leading ocean science and technology exhibition – Catch the Next Wave will take a longer term view of the capabilities that will shape our future ability to explore, understand, predict and exploit the oceans.

For further information contact Ralph Rayner, BMT Group, rrayner@bmtmail.com

© BMT Defence Services Ltd

© BMT Defence Services Ltd

norman Di Perno moves to Managing Director role Aberdeen based, BMT Cordah has announced the appointment of Norman Di Perno as its Managing Director. With a background in environmental engineering and hydrogeology, Norman’s focus for the business will be to further enhance its global reach as a multi-disciplinary environmental consultancy for the offshore oil and gas and marine renewable sectors.

Norman has held both Managing Director and Director positions throughout his career and has worked within the BMT group of companies since 2000. His most recent role saw him as Director of Risk and Environment for BMT Designers & Planners Inc, based in Washington D.C. With over 25 years’ experience, Norman has played an integral role in working with corporate and government clients supporting them in the preparation of their submissions of environmental impact assessments, various types of permits, long term leases and emergency response plans.

As well as a Bachelor’s of Science in Geology, Norman also holds a Master’s of Science in Environmental Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration.

Dr David Sell, who has been the company’s Managing Director for the past four and a half years will take up the role of Technical Director.

award for Dr ralph raynerDr Ralph Rayner, Sector Director for Energy and Environment, BMT Group, was awarded the Society for Underwater Technology’s SUT President’s Award in recognition of his distinguished career in ocean science and technology and for his contribution to the development of the SUT.

Ralph previously received the SUT Oceanography Award in 2006 and is a current SUT Council Member. He is helping to advance the development of operational oceanography globally, serving the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO as Chairman of the Scientific Steering Committee for the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS).

Ralph continues to foster development of the interface between science and industry, and is a leader of the organising committee for the biennial meetings of Oceanology International at the EXCEL Centre in London. His contribution to the world of industry has been further recognised by being honoured as the Association of Marine Scientific Industries (AMSI) Business Person of the Year.

new MD for SingaporeSingapore based, BMT Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, recently appointed Per Røed as Managing Director. With a background in ship design, technical ship management and international shipping, Per’s focus for the business will be to continue its steady growth in the Asia Pacific region, particularly in the areas of maritime terminal developments; specialist vessel design; shipping services; and risk consultancy.

Formerly Head of Vessel Newbuilding at AP Moller–Maersk in Singapore, Per brings with him a wealth of experience in leading the design, construction and delivery of vessels to the company’s fleet. As well as the appointment of Per, BMT Asia Pacific will also benefit from the promotion of Anil Thapar to Deputy Managing Director. Anil has been with the company for nine years and has been instrumental in developing and exploiting a wide range of BMT’s maritime services in the region. Anil Thapar

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Movers and shakers