Masterclass on Maritime Decarbonisation

Dr. Wang Xin is an Associate Professor and Programme Leader overseeing the programme management, industry linkages and applied research of the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME) at the Singapore Institute of Technology. Assoc Prof. Wang specialises in ship design and marine hydrodynamics. He also has extensive experience developing and applying advanced computational methods for industrial problems. His current research projects include electric propulsion system design, ship energy-efficient technologies, and design optimisation of full-electric vessels.

Dr. Tay Chuan Beng is the Associate Professor of the Engineering faculty, at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). Dr. Tay had obtained his PhD in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and has several years of teaching experience in the engineering field. Dr. Tay has hands-on experience and rich knowledge in electrical installation design, drives, and motors for the built environment as well as the marine and offshore industries. His other research interests include industry applications for optoelectronics, and computer vision.

Dr. Elsa Feng Xue obtained her PhD degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Nanyang Technological University in June 2016. Her specialization is on energy storage system modelling and control for renewable energy systems and electric vehicles. During her course of PhD study from 2011 to 2015, she was also involved in electric vehicle research with TUM CREATE. She joined Land Transport Authority of Singapore and worked in e-mobility office from September 2015 to June 2017. Since September 2017, she has been working as an Assistant Professor in Singapore Institute of Technology. Her research interests include microgrid operation and planning, energy storage modelling, planning and control using artificial intelligence and transactive energy systems. She is a recipient of IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting Best Paper Award and IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid Best Reviewer Award. She is serving as Associate Editor for IET Renewable Power Generation and served as Guest Editor for IET Generation, Transmission & Distribution and Topic Coordinator for Frontiers in Energy Research. She is also serving as Honorary Secretary in IES Electronics and Computer Engineering Technical Committee.

Dr. Wong Wee Chin holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the National University of Singapore, a master's degree, and a PhD in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States. Along with his academic achievements, he has also earned a professional certification as a Singapore Certified Energy Manager (SCEM) from The Institution of Engineers, Singapore. He is an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, where he currently serves as an officer. He also brings extensive corporate experience to SIT, having worked as a senior systems engineer at Schlumberger from 2014 to 2020 and as a research engineer for subsea systems at Shell International Exploration & Production, Inc. from 2009 to 2014.

Mr. Brijesh Tewari is Lead Maritime Decarbonisation Consultant at Lloyd’s Register based in Singapore. He is involved with various environmental-related projects for ships supporting ship-owners and operators with expert technical advice and guidance on legislative as well as non-legislative matters.

Brijesh has worked for Lloyd’s Register for more than 24 years in various positions. Previously, Brijesh has sailed on board ships for 11 years, up to the rank of Chief Engineer. He has also worked as Fleet Superintendent for V. Ships.

He is a versatile marine professional - proficient and knowledgeable on most ship-related matters and keenly interested in the decarbonisation of shipping. Brijesh was convener of the Working Group which prepared Singapore Technical Reference 56 - Part 3 on LNG Bunkering Procedures and Safety Distances.

He presently supports ship owners/managers and operators on their journey towards Decarbonisation. He provides technical specialist advice on innovative decarbonisation technologies (be it energy efficiency / CO2 reduction related or alternative zero carbon/carbon neutral fuels related) and remains abreast with upcoming Rules / Regulations related to Maritime Decarbonisation.

Brijesh has been involved with many Energy Efficiency Technology projects for ships, including new buildings and retrofits for existing ships.

David Xu is a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers Singapore (SNAMES). He graduated from Huazhong University of Science & Technology in 2006, studying Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering. He started his career in the Tsuneishi Shipyard design department. After that, he joined Ulstein Group to promote offshore ship design solutions in the Great China market.

Since 2012, he has concluded major ship design contracts in the Offshore, Special, and Fishing segments with NOC and Salvage Bureaus under Wartsila. He has since taken the lead in sales and business development of Wartsila's Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) and Carbon Capture System in the Southeast Asia region from 2020. Starting in 2023, David will begin his MBA journey at NUS Business School.

Dr. Giulio Gennaro is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the maritime industry. He is an expert in powering (power generation, propulsion, energy efficiency, emissions, and externalities) and machinery (selection and optimisation, maintenance, failure investigation, forensic engineering, etc.).

He is a mentor for the National University of Singapore, NUS, under the Pier71 program, advising start-ups and scale-ups in the Shipping 4.0 domain. He is a member of the board of the Italian Association of Experts in Maritime Casualties (AIPAM), as well as a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), Fellow member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers of Singapore (SNAMES), and a member of the Society of Floating Structures of Singapore (SFSS).

Jojo is a climate change, environment, and sustainability professional. He studied environmental management and started his career with international organisations working on coastal resource management, climate change, and energy.

He later ventured into consulting for the oil and gas sector doing environmental plans, emergency response, and crisis management, where he was instrumental in establishing a 10-country regional transboundary cooperation mechanism for marine pollution in Southeast Asia. Transferring to the shipping industry, he focused on decarbonisation pathways, alternative fuels, marine environmental policies, and the implementation of international conventions on climate change and the marine environment.

Patrizio Di Francesco is a RINA Principal Engineer and EMEA Special Projects BD Manager for alternative fuels and decarbonisation initiatives. He has been involved in the classification of ships as a surveyor and as a pressure vessel, piping, and automation approval engineer for over 14 years. During this time, he has been involved in new construction projects for LNG-fueled ships, as well as the retrofitting of energy-efficient technologies.

Currently, he is responsible for the classification of innovative projects for the integration of LNG, LPG, Methanol, Ammonia, Hydrogen as fuel, and fuel cells on new and existing ships. Additionally, he provides technical advice to owners on developing the right sustainable strategy to comply with IMO emissions targets.

Mr. Qin Geng is an experienced maritime professional with extensive industry experience in computer modelling, simulation, and digitalisation and holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering. He is now leading research and development (R&D) initiatives with industry and academic partners to advance the technology frontier and develop novel solutions to address the issues facing the marine sector. In addition to his vast experience, he is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in digital twin technology for ship systems.

Kai Cheong (KC) volunteers during his personal free time in the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers Singapore (SNAMES) to contribute to SNAMES’ efforts towards the professional community working in the marine industry.

KC is under the employment of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO), where he manages the organisation's marine and technical strategic work plan and coordinates its activities in North Asia. He joined INTERTANKO after his secondment from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) from Sep 2020 to Apr 2022. As INTERTANKO's Senior Technical Manager, KC is responsible for ship design, equipment, decarbonisation, surveys, port state control, human element, and associated regulatory matters.

Prior to joining INTERTANKO, KC had worked in MPA since 2003 and headed various departments, including the Singapore ship registry, seafaring manpower, and ship regulation development as MPA’s 2nd Deputy Director of the Shipping Division. He oversaw the plethora of matters which govern ships under the Singapore Flag.

KC graduated from the University of Glasgow and Strathclyde with a B.Eng Degree in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering in 2003. He also interned as an undergraduate at the Rules Development Department of Lloyd’s Register. KC also holds an MBA from ESADE Business School in Barcelona and an MSc in Offshore Engineering from Nanyang Technological University of Singapore.