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Bechtel, the global engineering, project management, and construction company, said today that five of the company’s leading authorities on port infrastructure will share their views and research findings at the 33rd PIANC World Congress.

The event, which takes place June 1-5 in San Francisco, will bring together more than 600 navigation, waterway, and port experts from around the world to share the latest ports research and provide insights about the industry.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Navigating the New Millennium.”

Bechtel’s featured speakers at the congress are:

– Walker Kimball, managing director of Bechtel’s global infrastructure business. Kimball will deliver a keynote speech at the opening plenary session. In his presentation “Smart Ports – Adapting to the future” he will consider the impact of larger ships, shipping alliances, and routes on port infrastructure; and delve into the need for innovative solutions;

– Bechtel’s port and marine infrastructure sector manager, Marco Pluijm. He will unveil the results of first-of-a-kind shipping research initiative called “ROPES,” which will set new international guidelines for port design;

– Bechtel’s manager of facilities simulation, Michel Thomet, who will speak about intermodal port operations in Gabon. He will present a case study about accessing African ports such as Port Gentil in Gabon;

– James Denton-Brown, Bechtel’s manager of industrial and port planning. He will present research related to the growth of LNG ports in Africa;

– Reece Shaw, Bechtel’s manager of port and marine development, who will share insights on siting a large deepwater transshipment port to serve the Mississippi inland waterway system. His presentation considers the need for a key transshipment port in the United States in the post-Panamax era.

Bechtel has overseen more than 80 port and harbor projects across the world, including 28 in the last decade. Notable projects include Jubail Port in Saudi Arabia, Port of Los Angeles Container, Port Hay Point Coal Terminal in Australia, and the recently completed Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates.

The company has been instrumental in leading pioneering, international joint-industry research to make shipping safer.

Press Release, May 27, 2014