News Archive

Dr Shazzad Hossain and Prof Mark Cassidy along with other academics and PhD students from the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems (COFS) and the school of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering recently visited Korea as part of the Australian-Korea Foundation Grant AKF2015Grant0044 funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The grant aims to enhance collaboration between Australia and Korea to improve the design of drilling rig and wind turbine foundation systems.

During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between COFS and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (DSME). The team also had productive meetings with Samsung Heavy Industries, Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., POSCO Steel Solution, and Woodside Energy Ltd.

Dr Hossain and his UWA colleagues were hosted on a tour of the DSME Shipyard at Okpo, Geoje city. Mi Mo (Woodside) and Juan Zhang, Hyo-Jin Lee ( Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ) also attended the shipyard tour with UWA researchers.

In a grand program (telecasted by Korean Broadcasting System and reported in Korean newspapers), a MoU was signed between COFS and Geoje City, and a second MoU was signed between COFS and the Geoje Chamber of Commerce. Honourable Mr Minho Kwon, Geoje City Mayor, and Richard Fogarty, Counsellor (Education and Science/Australian Embassy Korea) were present, along with Mi Mo, Juan Zhang, Hyo-Jin Lee and other delegates from DSME.

Following the time in Geoje City, Dr Youngho Kim led a 2 week collaborative research visit with Korean Institutes. COFS PhD students Kuntan Chang and Minjung Jun and Research Associate Ryan Beemer carried out 3 sets of dynamic centrifuge tests at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and also attended a numerical simulation seminar at Seoul National University (SNU).

Australian-Korean collaboration to address geotechnical challenges in oil and gas extraction and renewable wind energy harvesting (AKF2015Grant0044) is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia-Korea Foundation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Image: The delegation visiting DSME

Media references

Dr Shazzad Hossain , Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems, +61 8 6488 7358

Mr David Stacey , UWA Media Manager, +61 8 6488 3229