Page 6: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Sep/Oct 2025)

5 7

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025

WWW.OEDIGITAL.COM

VOL. 50 / NO. 5

Oe Writers

Russell James Ford is the Chief Surveyor-Offshore for ABS, based in the corporate headquarters in Houston. In his current role, Russ applies, delivers and develops the ABS

Rules and standards for foating production, fxed (ground bearing) facilities and mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs). He has more than 27 years of experience as an ABS Surveyor, with offshore projects in both the U.S. Gulf of America and on the U.K. Continental Shelf/

North Sea. Russ has represented ABS on new construction foating offshore installation (FOI) projects in Louisiana and Texas, as lead surveyor for new construction MODU projects at

AmFELS in Brownsville, Texas, and the lead for drilling equipment activities in both Houston

Lewis and Aberdeen. He also attended FOI and FPSO projects in China, Brazil, the UAE and Malaysia.

Additionally, Russ has engaged in the examination and repair of more than 100 MODUs and

FOIs, including several units that were severely damaged during cyclonic weather events.

Prior to joining ABS, Russ was a project engineer for seven vessels for the Military Sealift

Ford

Command (MSC). He graduated with honors, cum laude, from the U.S. Merchant Marine

Academy at Kings Point, New York, with a BS in Marine Systems Engineering. During his experiences at sea onboard trading merchant vessels, he received the Merchant Marine

Expeditionary Medal for his service in Desert Shield / Desert Storm.

Sofa F orestieri is a Senior Analyst at Esgian, specializing in offshore rig market analysis, energy economics, and sustainability. She has global experience in feld operations and analytics.

Milito

Wilfred de Gannes is a published writer and strategist and serves as Chairman & CEO of the Shipbuilding and Repair Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited. He leads the development of a world-class shipyard at La Brea, SW Trinidad designed to provide drydocking, maintenance and emergency repairs to LNG carriers, and U.S. Navy Ships in accordance to MIL-STD-1625D (SH). This 1,250-acre project site is also being developed with

Forestieri

AI-ready infrastructure supported by a nearby 720 MW combined-cycle 8-turbine natural-gas power plant and AMERICAS-II cable system. For more information refer to: https://www.

linktr.ee/shipbuildingandrepair.

Marc Howson leads Welligence’s activities across Asia Pacifc. He has over 20 years of global energy experience, encompassing roles in the UK, USA, Qatar and Singapore. Most recently, he was as a Director at S&P Global Platts, responsible for global LNG pricing, and

GLX. After analyzing energy markets at Wood Mackenzie, Marc held senior roles in the LNG

Sørlie marketing teams of Qatargas and Gazprom Marketing & Trading.

Wendy Laursen has 20 years of experience as a journalist. In that time, she has written news and features for a range of maritime, engineering and science publications. She has completed a Master of Science research degree in marine ecology as well as diplomas in de Gannes journalism, communication and subediting.

Philip Lewis is Director Research at Intelatus Global Partners. He has extensive market analysis and strategic planning experience in the global energy, maritime and offshore oil and gas sectors. Intelatus Global Partners has been formed from the merger of International

Maritime Associates and World Energy Reports.

Erik Milit o is the president of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA), representing

Spiro the interests of the offshore oil, gas, wind, carbon capture, and ocean mineral industries.

Theodor Sørlie is a Senior Analyst based in Dubai covering O&G and renewables at Fearnley

Offshore Supply. He is focused on projects across S&P, newbuilding and corporate advisory.

He graduated from University College London with a M.Sc. Management Finance (Distinction).

Howson

Josefne Spiro is an award-winning journalist with nearly 20 years of experience, specializing in feature journalism, business, technology, and innovation. She is based in the heart of the

Norwegian maritime cluster.

Matthew T remblay serves as ABS Senior Vice President of Global Offshore Markets, based at

ABS Corporate Headquarters in Houston. In his current role, Matt holds the global responsibility

Tremblay for strategic planning and client development within the offshore market sector. Throughout his 27-year tenure at ABS, he has served in various engineering and leadership positions throughout the U.S. and Asia, including Pacifc Division VP of Operations based in Singapore and VP of Engineering for the ABS Americas Division. Matt graduated from the Massachusetts

Maritime Academy, with a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering. He is also a member of the

American Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME).

Laursen

Eric Verheylewegen is VP Strategic Initiatives Enterprise and Land Mobile at Viasat.

Verheylewegen 6 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM