ABL expands North American Marine Consultancy Team
ABL – the energy and marine consultants – has recently expanded its marine consultancy team in North America with the addition of senior marine engineering professionals Ayman Alakkawi in the USA and Julien Vial in Canada.
“I am excited to welcome Ayman and Julien to the team. Both bring significant seafaring experience with unique expert profiles in critical areas that pose challenges to our maritime and wider marine operations. This boost to our marine consultancy capabilities reflects our commitment to staying at the cutting-edge of market and client requirements across North America.”
John Walker, Regional Managing Director for Maritime in the Americas
About Ayman Alakkawi, Marine Engineer | ABL USA
Alakkawi is a highly experienced ex-Chief Engineer, with over 20 years serving at sea in both maritime and offshore oil and gas sectors. Since coming ashore, his distinguished experience includes time as a college professor with New York’s SUNY Maritime college.
As a director and subject matter expert for the Liberian Ship Registry, Alakkawi provided technical support for marine design projects and representation on IMO working groups and committees.
His unique skill set also enhances ABL’s technical offering to support the application of alternative fuel and LNG for vessels, having played a leading role in establishing the LNG Center of Excellence for clean energy. The blend of operational and deep technical expertise in the subject, uniquely places ABL to provide a comprehensive marine and engineering analysis of the risks and risk mitigation strategies to support alternative fuel engineering and design.
“I’m excited to have joined ABL in this exciting time of growth. I’m looking forward to contributing to ABL’s marine expertise to provide turnkey solutions for our clients in the Americas and across the Globe.”
Ayman Alakkawi, Snr. Marine Engineer, ABL USA
About Julien Vial, Marine Engineer | ABL Canada
Vial also brings more than 20 years of seafaring experience working up to Chief Engineer. His expertise covers maritime and cargo markets, as well as offshore energy, with a background in containerships and cable lay vessels.
Vial is experienced in a wide range of marine surveys, inspections and audits, including supporting dynamic positioning (DP) systems. With expertise in managing dry-dock operations, Vial will bring value to the ABL’s North American Hull & Machinery consultancy services.
“I look forward to adding my experience to the wider maritime and marine team in Canada, supporting both maritime clients, and in mitigating risk in Canada’s busy offshore energy market. In particular, I think my background will support the local Hull and Machinery (H&M) team as well as Canada’s growing renewable energy and electrification market.”
Julien Vial, Snr. Marine Surveyor, ABL Canada
Both Alakkawi and Vial have experience with a wide variety of vessel types.
About ABL Maritime in North America
ABL’s extensive marine surveyor and consultancy footprint runs coast-to-coast in Canada and the USA, supporting with the full range of marine assurance & risk services, ports and harbours consultancy, and maritime consultancy, both for risk mitigation and in casualty management scenarios.