CHEERS OCEANEERS! March 2025 - Safe Harbor Maritime
CHEERS OCEANEERS! March 2025 - Safe Harbor Maritime
Our March 2025 event presenters will be Safe Harbor Maritime: Adam Walczak, Nelson Cantrell, John O’Shea, & Jorge R Alcazar "Pumba".
Safe Harbor Maritime LLC – Key Discussion Points
- Gaps in Maritime Knowledge and Experience
- Identifying industry skill shortages and training needs
- Addressing the disconnect between traditional and emerging maritime technologies
- Maritime Security Trends and Emerging Challenges
- Threats impacting commercial and defense maritime operations
- Cybersecurity, unmanned systems, and regulatory changes
- Testing Environments and Catering to Efficiencies
- Optimizing maritime operations through structured testing frameworks
- Enhancing performance, safety, and cost-effectiveness
- The Solution – Who is Safe Harbor Maritime?
- Comprehensive asset support services and integration training
- Expertise in crewed and unmanned maritime and aerial operations
- Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategies
- Proactive approaches to operational safety and security
- Developing contingency plans and response protocols
- Collaboration Efforts in Blue Tech
- Partnering with industry leaders to advance maritime innovation
- Supporting research, development, and integration of new technologies
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Welcome to the March 2025 monthly event for the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society (OES), San Diego Chapter, which is hosting this meeting jointly along with TMA (The Maritime Alliance), and MTS (Marine Technology Society).
Please join us for the main presentation and also plenty of time for networking and friendly conversation about everything oceanic, engineering, science, Blue Tech, and more. No need to be an IEEE or OES member, or TMA, or MTS. Everyone is invited.
This month, we will be at Quantum Brewing again, a cool science-themed brewery founded by a biochemist.
No ticket required, but please order something for yourself from the brewery.
Please grab a bite from a nearby restaurant, which is okay to bring into the brewery per the owner.
The food and drinks are not being funded by the hosts. Please open your own tab.
Date and Time
Location
Hosts
Registration
- Date: 13 Mar 2025
- Time: 12:30 AM UTC to 03:00 AM UTC
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Speakers
Adam Walczak
Biography:
Adam Walczak, Co-Founder & Chief Operations Officer
As a Buffalo, New York native, Adam Walczak developed his maritime passion on the Great Lakes boating with his father. Now, as COO of Safe Harbor Maritime, he leads the execution of government and civilian maritime contracts with a disciplined, mission-focused approach.
Holding a USCG 100 Ton Near Coastal Masters License, Adam has decades of on-water experience, including key roles in Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) testing off Southern California. His expertise in USV operations, risk mitigation, and asset support enhances Safe Harbor Maritime’s capabilities in dynamic environments.
Adam co-founded Safe Harbor Maritime to modernize an industry he believes has remained stagnant for too long. Focused on cost effective efficiency and innovation, he integrates advanced strategies to overhaul asset support operations. As a client liaison, he ensures clear communication, operational integrity, and mission success, reinforcing Safe Harbor Maritime as a trusted industry leader.
Nelson Cantrell
Biography:
Nelson Cantrell, Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer
While studying economics in San Diego, Nelson was introduced to the maritime industry and quickly grew into roles supporting the local fleet across Southern California. Over the past five years, he has supported numerous DoD contracts for the US Navy, gaining expertise in mine and torpedo recovery, close combat training, war simulations, and unmanned systems training and testing. With a background in the startup tech industry, aerospace and defense, and DoD contracting, Nelson co-founded Safe Harbor Maritime to deliver agile, innovative solutions for an industry being transformed by new technology.
John O’Shea
Biography:
John O’Shea, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer
John O’Shea is the Co-Founder and CTO of Safe Harbor Maritime LLC, with over a decade of experience operating vessels along the North American coastline. After earning his degree from The Ohio State University, he moved to San Diego to begin his career in the marine industry, specializing in yacht systems and commercial fishing. He holds a 100-Ton USCG Masters License.
John has supported the U.S. Navy’s unmanned surface vehicle (USV) programs, serving as a lead chase boat captain and conducting operational towing and mission-specific data collection. He helped design a USV/ASV chase boat operator training course for Safe Harbor Maritime and has worked with a Fortune 500 defense contractor and the U.S. Navy to refine USVs for mine-countermeasure missions. His most recent work is with a DoD contractor focused on testing autonomous systems, including ASVs, USVs, UASs, and UAVs, to enhance the Navy’s unmanned warfare capabilities.
Jorge R Alcazar "Pumba"
Biography:
Advisor: Jorge R Alcazar "Pumba"
Retired Naval Special Warfare Veteran with 25 years of Advanced
Technology Development, Training and Program Management
focusing on Unmanned System Innovation.
US Fleet Forces Joint Special Operations Training Lead managed
Pacific/Atlantic Fleet Forces Staff, SOCOM, Carrier Air Wing Staff and
Commodore Force to meet Training Requirements.
Qualified in Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) systems and group 1-4
Unmanned Aerial systems
Executed Multiple Joint SOF Advanced Technology Aerial, Maritime
and Ground systems operations during campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan,
Somalia, Turkey, Israel and South America
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Bachelors of Science in
Aeronautical Science, Unmanned Systems
Agenda
Agenda:
5:30pm: Arrival and networking, order food/drinks for yourself.
6:15pm: OES and other hosting group announcements.
6:20pm: Safe Harbor Maritime Presentation
6:40pm (approximately): “open mic” for any other attendees to present anything they like (ocean-related, of course).
Examples: employers presenting opportunities for employment, job seekers presenting a quick bio, internship program opportunities, promoting other events, seeking funding, “show and tell” of any cool technology you are working on, etc.
*For the open mic portion of the event, please observe a time-limit of 3 minutes maximum per person. If you want to give a longer presentation, please ask to be the main presenter for an upcoming monthly event.
7:00pm to close: enjoy some drinks and chatting with fellow oceanic engineering enthusiasts.
RSVPs are appreciated for planning purposes.