Newest Maritime Transportation Research To Be Unveiled by CCDoTT

Keynote by V.Adm. Al Herberger, USN (Ret.)

Long Beach, CA: Southern Californians can hear the latest high-tech research on maritime goods movement on Sept. 30, 2009, by attending IMPACT 2009 at the San Pedro Doubletree Hotel.

The agenda will include magnetic levitation freight options, using “marine highways” to take the truck strain off freeways, automating container cargo inspections, reducing emissions in marine diesel engines, and much more. In addition, Vice Admiral Albert Herberger will speak about the U.S. Navy’s latest high-tech plans.

“There is $700 million being added to the U.S. Navy budget for Energy and Green Projects,” said Adm. Herberger, indicating there is a plethora of new business opportunities for firms with the right products.

IMPACT, or Innovative Maritime Partnerships Advancing Cargo Transport 2009, is sponsored by The Center for the Commercial Deployment of Transportation Technologies (CCDoTT), a center chartered by California State University, Long Beach.

CCDoTT’s research ranges widely, from faster ships to new cargo movement techniques to assure cargo leaves the port faster. Funding is provided by the federal government, primarily through the Department of Defense, since all resulting technologies are mandated to be usable by both military and commercial interests.

“We want to explain CCDoTT’s exciting new directions,” said Steve Hinds, co-principal investigator. “We see a great demand for very integrated commercial/military ships, that is. the dual use of new ships, coming from the tremendous interest in marine highways. Those water highways and land connectors will stimulate more shipping that may serve a dual capacity as Strategic Ready Reserve fleet ships. It is a time of great opportunity!”

CCDoTT’s Advisory Committee includes Vice Admiral Al Herberger, U.S. Navy Retired (Chair); Lt. General Kenneth Wykle, U.S. Army Retired and President, National Defense Transportation Association; Vice Admiral Francis R. Donovan, U.S. Navy Retired; Eugene Pentimonti, Vice President (Ret.), Government Affairs, Maersk Sealand and Chair, Cargo Handling Cooperative Program; Jordan Truchan, President & CEO, American Ship Management, LLC; Stanley Siegel, President, Mari-Flite Ferries; J. Brian Sharkey, President, ISW Corp; Emanuel L. Rouvelas, Chairman, Preston, Gates, Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds LLP; and Dr. Mahyar Amouzegar, Director, CCDoTT and Associate Dean for Research and Development, California State University, Long Beach.

CCDoTT is a California State University, Long Beach-sponsored, government approved and supported Research and Development center dealing with maritime-related transportation issues on behalf of both commercial and military interests. It was established to address dual-use issues related to the Maritime Industry emphasizing emerging High-Speed Ships and their related Agile Port Systems. CCDoTT has since assumed an expanded role to also address Rapid Deployment, Decision Support Tools (Command & Control), and it was involved with programs improving Security associated with marine related cargo movements even before 9/11/2001. Additional efforts are now being directed towards the military interests and requirements associated with emerging Sea Basing support systems.

Conference registration information can be found at the CCDoTT Web site, www.ccdott.org. For a mailed registration form, contact Carrie Scoville at (562) 985-7395.