#10 Hatem Elgameil - Changing from Marine Engineer to Naval Architect, Moving your family around the world and leading teams in complex projects
Summary:Hatem Elgameil, a Naval architect and Marine engineer, introduces himself and his background. He immigrated to the United States in 1994 and has worked in various engineering roles throughout his career. He joined IMI International Marine Industries as Vice President of Engineering in 2020 after spending 14 years with Noble drilling as Director of Projects. Hatem also had experience working in a company in California doing engineering model testing and R&D design verification. Despite facing challenges early on, he quickly adapted to new roles and excelled in his career.Hatem discusses their family's move from California to Texas in 2006, and how it was a big change for their wife. Their older child graduated college and recently got a job offer in Alaska while the younger one is starting his last year of college. Hatem joined Noble as a senior naval architect in 2006 and later became a project manager and then director of engineering. They travelled extensively for projects all over the world, managing repairs and upgrades in various shipyards. The challenges included unexpected work and delays. Despite the long hours and stress, they enjoyed making friendships with people they met along the way. They didn't change jobs unless there was a significant challenge or incentive, so leaving Noble in 2020 due to oil price collapse and COVID-19 wasn't by choice. Overall, their track record for delivering projects on time and within budget was good, except when unrealistic budgets were set by others.The project team had a stable group of experienced members, with only a few new hires. This continuity was crucial for their success as they possessed extensive knowledge of the system, processes, shipyards, and rigs. The interviewee joined International Maritime Industries (IMI) remotely in August 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions but later travelled to Saudi Arabia. They now serve as the Vice President of Engineering at IMI. IMI is a joint venture between Aramco, HHI, Bahrain Shipping Company, and Emperor Shipyard and has a backlog of ten years to build 52 vessels for Bahi and 20 offshore drilling rigs for Aramco. The company aims to use dual fuel engines with LNG as the primary choice in vessel designs but recognizes that future advancements may provide alternatives like methane or hydrogen fuels. AI technology plays an influential role in modelling and testing on the factory side of operations while complying with changing regulations is critical for all companies involved. The interviewee's first memory related to shipping was growing up near Alexandria's port in Egypt where he saw ships coming and going regularly. He embarked on his first training trip on an old passenger vessel during college which solidified his interest in the industry despite challenging conditions onboard.Hatem discusses the challenges and requirements of a career in naval architecture, emphasising the need for passion and expertise in various fields. They compare naval architecture to designing a city, highlighting the complexity involved in providing essential services onboard a vessel. Specialisation is common among naval architects, but those with knowledge across multiple disciplines are highly valuable. Hatem expresses satisfaction with their career choice and mentions occasional involvement in sea trials. They conclude by expressing interest in hearing from fellow naval architects worldwide.Timestamp:1. Introduction and Background- Timestamp: 00:01-02:56- Key points: Thanking the guest for joining the podcast, introduction, and background information about Hatim Algamil's upbringing in Egypt and immigration to the United States.2. Early Career and Noble Drilling- Timestamp: 02:56-07:34- Key points: Hatim's education in naval architecture, his 14 years at Noble Drilling as Director of Projects, and the challenges and learning e