Webinar: Blue Economy Symposium (OMAE 2025 Vancouver)

Name: A/Prof. Zhi Yung Tay
Affiliation: Singapore Institute of Technology

Dr. Tay Zhi Yung is an Associate Professor in the Engineering cluster at the Singapore Institute of Technology. He earned his PhD from the National University of Singapore, focusing on hydroelasticity and hydrodynamics of very large floating structures. Prior to joining SIT, he served as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of Energy Systems and gained industry experience as a Senior Research Engineer at Keppel Offshore and Marine Technology Centre. Dr. Tay’s research interests include offshore engineering, coastal protection, marine engineering, marine digitalisation and AI, renewable energy, and floating-structure dynamics.

Name: Thomas B. Johannessen
Affiliation: co-CEO/ Senior Principal Specialist, Ocean Oasis AS / DNV

Thomas B. Johannessen is co-CEO in Ocean Oasis and Senior Principal Specialist in DNV.
Thomas has more than 25 years of experience in offshore engineering, focusing on concept development, model testing and analysis of fixed and floating structures. He holds a PhD from Imperial College, London on the topic of the nonlinear behaviour of extreme ocean waves and has published more than 40 conference and journal articles on concept development, loading and response of offshore structures in waves, nonlinear wave description and response statistics. He shares his time between Oslo and Las Palmas.

Name: A/Prof Peggy Shu-Ling Chen
Affiliation: Director of Centre for Maritime and Logistics Management, Australian Maritime College, UTAS

Associate Professor Chen is the Director of Centre for Maritime and Logistics Management at the Australian Maritime College (AMC), University of Tasmania (UTAS). She holds a PhD in Port Management from Cardiff University, UK, and has a strong interest in the sustainable development of the maritime sector through research and education. Her research focus and publications are in the field of maritime logistics management. She is currently undertaking research projects in the area of maritime decarbonisation, such as port-focused hydrogen supply chains, hydrogen-powering vessels, and port decarbonisation. She is also involved in research projects within the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (BECRC) in relation to logistics and supply chain management for different sectors, including offshore wind and aquaculture. She is the co-lead of the Logistics and Supply Chain work package within the BE CRC funded project ‘Pre- conditions for the Development of Offshore Wind Energy in Australia’.

Name: Per Arild Åland
Affiliation: Business Development Manager, Ocean Space segment, DNV

Per Arild Åland is a seasoned expert in emerging ocean space technologies, specialising in aquaculture. At DNV, he leads service and business development initiatives, focusing on innovative solutions that drive the sustainable growth of the marine aquaculture industry. He brings over 30 years of experience in the maritime and offshore industries, with a track record in supply chain management, supplier and shipyard capability assessment, CE marking, risk assessments, and system/software integrity. Throughout his career, he has held key roles, including Senior Principal Engineer, Auditor, and Head of Section, contributing to offshore technology, business development, technology qualification, and management.

In recent years, Mr. Åland has been at the forefront of marine aquaculture assurance services, helping to de-risk advanced, high-capacity offshore fish farming solutions. His work ensures the safety of installations, personnel, and marine life, with a focus on preventing fish escape and maintaining operational excellence. He has played an essential role in the safe and efficient design of several offshore aquaculture projects worldwide. A recognised capacity in his field, Mr. Åland is a frequent speaker and lecturer at international conferences and symposiums, where he shares insights on offshore aquaculture and ocean space technology.

Name: Dr Jana Orszaghova
Affiliation: Senior Lecturer/RP3 Deputy Program Leader, University of Western Australia/Blue Economy CRC

With research focused on ocean renewable energy – applying analytical, numerical and experimental techniques to solve challenging problems in the field of hydrodynamics, Jana’s work advances fundamental understanding of wave-structure interactions, and contributes towards safer, more reliable and more economical offshore wind and wave energy systems.

Name: Professor Chien Ming Wang
Affiliation: RP1 Program Leader/Professor, Blue Economy CRC/The University of Queensland

C.M. Wang is a Professor in Structural Engineering, The University of Queensland. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, a Fellow of Academy of Engineering Singapore, and a Fellow of Institution of Structural Engineers. His research interests are in the areas of structural mechanics and floating structures and has published over 500 journal papers and 10 books in these fields. He is the Leader of the Offshore Engineering and Technology Program of the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre. His current research focuses on the development of offshore fish pens, seaweed cultivation platforms and very large floating structures for infrastructure and townships.

Name: Dr Yunil Chu
Affiliation: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The University of Queensland

Dr. Yunil Chu is an accomplished offshore engineer and researcher with extensive experience in both industry and academia. Prior to his academic career, he spent a decade in ship and offshore newbuilding, successfully delivering over 20 projects and gaining in-depth insight into industry requirements, challenges, and expectations. Since earning his PhD from the University of Queensland in 2021, Dr. Chu has focused on advancing offshore farming systems for renewable energy and aquaculture, validating concepts through cutting-edge numerical modelling and experimental testing in collaboration with industry leaders and the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre. He also serves as the primary organizer and session chair of the Blue Economy Symposium at the International Conference on Ocean, Offshore & Arctic Engineering (OMAE), handling more than 50 paper submissions annually.