Vanguard Magazine

gamE CHANGER 56 APRIL/MAY 2018 www.vanguardcanada.com See the full interview online Q What is your role at your organi- zation today? As a project manager, my role is to en- sure that all projects are delivered on time, within scope and within budget, in the most professional and efficient way. With experience in ship surveys and sea trials, I also provide on-site support and training for a wide range of services related to the evaluation of the perfor- mance of a vessel's machinery and its habitability. Q What is your most challenging moment? Multitasking is prevalent in my work en- vironment, and I find that it influences my performance and induces unneces- sary stress on a daily basis. Being already on a very tight schedule and bombarded with several streams of information, I find this to be the biggest challenge I have had to face. Q What is your "aha" moment that you think will resonate most with our readers? Contributing to the provision of fuel management systems for 38 vessels of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet is a "aha" moment for me because it offers us a unique opportunity to explore the full potential of acquiring high-quality performance data, at a high-sampling rate over long periods of time. This data will provide crucial information to understand how a fleet ages, how sister ships differ on a performance basis, and which energy-saving technology pro- vides the best results. This will lead to new efficient or advanced technologies that hold a high potential, to reach the market, reducing the current level of en- ergy use or moderating its growth. Q What is the one thing that has you most fired up today? I am motivated by the desire to take part in the global movement to create a low- carbon economy. The 5th IPCC report indicates that continued GHG emission will cause further warming and long-last- ing changes, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems on all conti- nents. The reduction of GHG emissions and fuel consumption begins with the understanding of how energy is being used. This understanding leads to the identification of avoidable waste or op- portunities to reduce consumption. By monitoring the energy consumption data of diesel engines, I believe I am contrib- uting directly to the fight against climate change through the use of measurable, appropriate and realistic methods. Q What is the best advice you received? One piece of advice that sort of stuck with me these past years follows a very difficult day at sea when trialing a vessel. I was seasick, felt miserable and won- dered how I'd make it through the day. The sea trial captain on board reminded me that "we are all in this together," working towards a common goal. That day the goal was to deliver a new-built vessel, but overall, our collective goal is to build the fleet of tomorrow and make sure it is as efficient as can be. Q What people or organization do you believe best embody the innova- tion mindset? Technological progress requires the feed- back and constant input of people that are creative, curious and willing to do things differently. Many fleet managers and ship operators have helped us develop innova- tive solutions that better meet the needs of the shipping industry. Each and every one of these people influences our own creativ- ity and ability to be innovative. This culture of continuous improvement through a col- laborative process is what cultivates the in- novation mindset. Q What are some of the biggest im- pediments to innovation in your sector? Resistance to change can be a major issue when implementing ship energy efficiency improvement measures. Consistent data collection is essential to achieve self-evalu- ation and improvement. A critical element of implementing a successful energy man- agement plan is to raise the awareness at every organizational level so that everyone gets an understanding of the goals, means of achievement and timeframe horizon. Without proper comprehension, decision- making and actions do not align with the organizational objectives, resulting in project failure. OpDAQ Systems is a spin-off of the re- search centre Maritime Innovation. In- novation is a true pillar of the company's business strategy, and it guides our actions on a daily basis. We continually invest in R&D to maintain our position at the fore- front of the development of high-quality instrumentation systems dedicated to per- formance evaluation. Q What technologies, business model and trends will drive the biggest changes in your industry over the next two years? I strongly believe that teamwork, partner- ship and collaboration is an ideal business model when the goal is to initiate change. Projects can only benefit from the diver- sity of expertise and experiences provided by employees, but also by customers and collaborators. Q What is your parting advice? Have the courage to follow your own heart and intuition and to say "yes" to ideas and opportunities that you believe in. Geneviève AllArd Project Manager OpDAQ SyStemS

• Cover