Smart technologies promise better decisions and fewer surprises at sea, but turning that promise into day-to-day practice is where the real work begins.

In this episode of Setting Course, Panos Kyrtatos, CEO of Propulsion Analytics, and Eric VanDerHorn, Director of Technology at ABS, join host Brad Cox to explore how smart technologies are actually making a difference across today’s fleets.

They cover where owners are seeing real value, what smart engine performance looks like operationally, how trust and assurance are built through explainability and independent assessment, and practical steps for owners and operators who want to get started or scale beyond pilots.

Share this episode on social media, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform or send feedback to podcast@eagle.org. Learn more about how ABS is supporting the maritime industry at www.eagle.org.

Takeaways

• Smart technologies are already being used in shipping.
• Integration of data sources is crucial for effective smart technology use.
• Trust in technology is built gradually through consistent results.
• Smart technologies help reduce administrative overhead and optimize maintenance.
• Misconceptions about smart technologies often lead to unrealistic expectations.
• Successful implementation requires clear goals and internal ownership.

Guests

Panos Kyrtatos is the CEO of Propulsion Analytics, a software company driving innovation in marine asset performance monitoring and condition-based maintenance (CBM).

Propulsion Analytics helps shipowners and technical teams move from planned or reactive maintenance to proactive, data‑driven decisions that improve reliability and reduce operating costs. As pioneers in marine digital twin technology, Propulsion Analytics develops and deploys high‑fidelity models that combine advanced thermo‑fluid dynamics with AI. These digital twins use real‑time vessel data to automate performance analysis, detect faults early, and provide actionable insights—without operational disruption.

Panos holds a PhD from ETH Zurich, an MEng in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London, and an EMBA from IMD Business School. He lives in Athens, Greece with his wife and two children.

Eric VanDerHorn is the Director of Technology for the Digital Research team at ABS, where he advances maritime digital transformation through the application of digital twins, robotics, visualization technologies, AI/ML, and OT cybersecurity. He has over 15 years of experience in the maritime and offshore industry across roles in in-service technologies, digitalization, decarbonization, and product management, and has contributed to initiatives across ABS and ABS Wavesight. He holds a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and a PhD from Vanderbilt University.

Floating gas has moved well beyond the concept stage, but that does not mean the next wave of projects will be straightforward. As developers look at shallow-water, nearshore and harsher-environment applications, questions around mooring, stationkeeping, disconnectability and project viability start to matter in a different way.

In this episode of Setting Course, an ABS Podcast, recorded live at OTC 2026 in Houston, Arun Duggal of MODEC and Matt Tremblay of ABS join host Brad Cox to explore what it takes to make floating gas projects work in more demanding offshore environments.

They discuss why shallow water can be especially challenging for large FLNG and FSRU assets, how disconnectable systems are being developed for hurricane-prone regions, where FPSO experience carries over into floating gas applications, and why early planning across design, class and regulatory stakeholders is critical to building confidence in new concepts.

Share this episode on social media, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform or send feedback to podcast@eagle.org. Learn more about how ABS is supporting the maritime industry at www.eagle.org.

Takeaways

• Shallow-water floating gas projects can be more complex than they first appear.
• Mooring and stationkeeping can directly shape project viability.
• Disconnectable systems may expand options in harsher environments.
• FPSO experience provides a strong foundation for FLNG and FSRU design.
• Early planning with class and regulators helps build project confidence.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:09 Why the Next FLNG and FSRU Opportunities are Harder

04:32 LNG Market Outlook

06:28 Why Mooring Becomes More Consequential

08:49 The Role of Disconnectable Systems

15:25 What FPSOs Have Taught the Industry

18:56 The Impact of Early Planning

21:19 Closing Thoughts

Guests

Arun Duggal is the President and Country Manager of MODEC America, Inc., following the merger of MODEC International, Inc. and SOFEC, Inc. In this role, he leads the combined U.S. operations and serves as the Head of the Mooring Solutions Business Unit. With over 30 years of experience at SOFEC and the MODEC Group, Arun has been involved in the design and implementation of mooring and turret systems for floating production vessels globally. His career has progressed through various technical and leadership roles, including Chief Technology Officer and CEO of SOFEC. A SNAME Fellow, he has contributed to industry standards for mooring design and integrity. He holds a Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering from Texas A&M University and is a frequent contributor to offshore technical symposiums and publications. In 2025, he was awarded the OTC Heritage Award and the SNAME Blakely Smith Medal for his contributions to Ocean Engineering.

Matt Tremblay serves as ABS senior vice president of Global Offshore based at ABS corporate headquarters in Houston. During his 30 years at ABS, Tremblay has served in various engineering and leadership positions throughout the US and Asia, including as Pacific Division vice president of operations based in Singapore and vice president of engineering for the ABS Americas Division.

Evolving sea ice conditions haven’t made sailing in the Arctic any simpler. If anything, increasingly complex ice regimes, year-round operations and new trade patterns are raising the stakes for shipowners who need to keep people, assets and schedules safe in some of the harshest waters on the planet.

In this episode of Setting Course, an ABS Podcast, Rob Hindley of Railotech (formerly Aker Arctic), Dr. Oscar De Silva of Memorial University of Newfoundland, and ABS Senior Engineer Ed Moakler join host Brad Cox to explore how new data and tools are reshaping Arctic navigation.

They discuss ICESIGHTS, an ABS-led initiative that gathers and interprets sea ice information in real time, what that could mean for bridge teams, and how operational data can loop back into future ice-class ship design and life cycle decisions.

Share this episode on social media, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform or send feedback to podcast@eagle.org. Learn more about how ABS is supporting the maritime industry at www.eagle.org.

Takeaways

• The Arctic shipping landscape is evolving as conditions in the region continue to change.
• Year-round transportation in the Arctic is now feasible for some ship types.
• Data availability is increasing, enhancing operational decision-making.
• The ICESIGHTS system aims to provide real-time guidance for navigation.
• AI can complement traditional physics models in ice navigation.

Guests

Rob Hindley is Head of Consulting and Technology Development at Railotech. His role involves leading the practical application of arctic technology to new, and often novel, ice-going ship designs, transportation systems and offshore structures. Previously Rob worked for Lloyd’s Register, where he held overall technical authority for ice class, winterization and implementation of the Polar Code. This included an assignment representing IACS at the IMO during the development of the Polar Code and coordinating the development of POLARIS, an ice risk evaluation system used to set operational limitations for ships in polar waters. He is a Chartered Engineer, a fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, and holds a master’s degree in Naval Architecture from Newcastle University. He is currently undertaking postgraduate study at Aalto University with a focus on arctic shipping risks and regulations.

Dr. Oscar De Silva, PhD, P.Eng., SMIEEE, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. He received his PhD from Memorial University of Newfoundland. His expertise is in sensing and navigation system development for platform autonomy using model-based and certifiable data-driven approaches. Prior to joining academia, he worked as a research fellow on computer vision systems with the American Bureau of Shipping Harsh Environment Technology Center in St. John’s. At Memorial University, he leads an NSERC-funded research program on resilient navigation for autonomous platforms. His group collaborates with ABS to develop AI-assisted multi-sensor ice navigation system integration and software for Arctic vessel field trials.

Ed Moakler, P.Eng, is a Senior Engineer with the ABS Harsh Environment Technology and Digital Research Center (HET&DRC), located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Ed specializes in ice mechanics, ice load monitoring system design and operation, vessel capability in ice assessments, advanced structural analysis, and the application of the IMO Polar Code. Ed is responsible for the upkeep of the ABS Ice Class Rules and Ice Class specific tools, both in house and external.