Page 40: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2020)

INTERVIEW MORGAN FANBERG, PRESIDENT, GLOSTEN off the charts. Ultimately, the work we do here is supporting ground-based midcourse missile defense system. “That was a our client’s businesses with engineering excellence and un- massive project we did with Boeing; a hallmark project for me matched problem solving.” because of the amount of blood, sweat and tears I put into it,”

While Glosten carries a diverse clientele and workload, said Fanberg, noting that this one project alone took Glosten

Fanberg admits that its work in the Research Vessel niche – from 40 to 65 people. started with Larry Glosten’s work with two oceanographers to While he respects the past, Fanberg astutely keeps an eye on develop the Floating Instrument Platform, more affectionately the future. “It’s easy to focus on the past, but the things we’ve known as ‘FLIP’, with the Scripps Institution of Oceanogra- designed and worked on since – an icebreaking research ves- phy at UCSD – is work that truly sets the company apart. sel, wave energy converters, all-electric ferries – have really “Research Vessel design is interesting because each vessel pushed us in new and exciting directions.” is a one-off design, as these ships are usually not repeated and they are infrequently built,” said Fanberg. “Scientists and “Crazy Ideas are NOT Off the Table” oceanographers are very involved stakeholders; they want to It is generally agreed that the marine industry is in a tran- be a part of the design process and they want their complex scendent period, with the emission reduction, autonomy and research vessel to be the greatest research platform in the digitalization all simultaneously conspiring to impact marine world.” From FLIP to the ? oating golf green that Glosten asset design, maintenance and operation for the coming gen- designed for The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Glosten thrives on eration. On the ‘green’ side decarbonization is the holy grail, unique, technically challenging projects. Another under this and while it is generally agreed that there is no ‘silver bullet’ category, to which Fanberg has a close af? nity, is the SBX solution, Fanberg believes there could be one. project (pictured below), a self-propelled semi-submersible “I would love to design an all nuclear ship,” he said. “I un- modi? ed oil-drilling platform developed for the U.S. Govern- derstand the cost, the red tape, and the bureaucratic issues, but ment’s Sea-Based Test X-Band Radar (SBX) in support of its If you’re seriously looking for a zero-emission technology to

It’s Projects.

Glosten historically carries a broad base of work, from its signature work on research vessels to the ubiquitous SBX project (above left).

Photos: Glosten 40 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • January 2020

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