SNAME Blog

Without the dedication, expertise, and long hours contributed by members, SNAME could not make its annual SNAME Maritime Conference (SMC) the dynamic meeting of the minds that it is each year. Long-time SNAME member Robert “Bob” M. Conachey is one of the people who has played a key role in making the conference happen; for the 2026 gathering at the end of October, Conachey is serving in the key role of SMC Papers Committee Chair, a responsibility he has taken on for the past six years. Conachey, now retired, worked as a Senior Principal Engineer at the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for 35 years. Conachey, now retired, has been an active SNAME member for years.     

A stellar career
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from Webb Institute,  Conachey began working as a naval architect for Exxon International in the Tanker Department, but he wasn’t there long-term. “Exxon decided to curtail their tanker operations, so I decided to try the marine engineering side of the maritime business at ABS,” he says. “I worked on numerous interesting projects involving plan review of rotating equipment, and I was a member of various standards development committees. I was a member of the International Association of Classification Societies Machinery Panel for threeyears, and I developed four Guides and Guidance Notes related to Reliability-Centered Maintenance and Vessels Operating in Low Temperatures.”  ABS was using Big Data to improve classification services during this time, and that influenced him to pursue a master’s degree in industrial engineering.

Finding SNAME

Conachey became a member of SNAME as a student at Webb Institute to take advantage of publications that were used in course work and attend annual and section meetings for networking opportunities.  “I was active in New York Metropolitan Section activities, and later when I was working for ABS, and the company moved to Houston, I became active in the Texas Section with paper presentations on behalf of ABS,” he says. “SNAME is an excellent resource for knowledge and networking.” In 2020, Conachey became actively involved in helping with SMC, serving as the SMC Papers Committee Chair.

“I enjoy the variety of papers presented,” he says. “With my dual background, I seek a balance between the hull and machinery side of the business. Many outsiders consider our profession a very narrow niche within engineering, but in fact, SNAME members have to be familiar with about 35 of the 40 or so engineering disciplines to do their jobs effectively. 

“The technical program at SMC has expanded into other areas of the engineering disciplines that many members may not be familiar with,” Conachey says. “Advanced calculation methods in hydrodynamics;  faster computing hardware; Big Data analysis; increased application of statistical analysis; merger of space operations; recovery with purpose-built marine structures; autonomous vehicles; and carbon-free propulsion trends — these comprise just a fraction of the solutions that SNAME members are working on today.” 

In hopes of continuing to increase interest in participating in SMC, Conachey regularly encourages professionals to submit papers and attend the convention. “I tell authors to submit papers to let other members know what they are working on,” he says. “These papers generate new ideas and solutions that can be used to further our profession. We have assembled 24 papers for SMC 2026 on a wide variety of topics that are of interest to all the membership of SNAME.”  

Accomplishments and future plans      
Conachey has a long and successful career in the maritime industry to be proud of, and he considers the development of the Reliability-Centered Maintenance Guide to be one of his most significant accomplishments, “This is a process to develop the most effective and economical maintenance program —applying appropriate tasks while considering risk,” he says. “Vessel operators who have applied this process have achieved significant improvements in machinery and structural reliability.”  

SMC 2026 will be Conachey’s last year serving as SMC Papers Committee Chair. “I urge any SNAME member who is interested in this position to volunteer for this critical role,” he says. Conachey plans to remain active by continuing to contribute to the area of knowledge management and working to help students make connections with professionals and gain experience in the industry. “I will also be volunteering with students who are working on their senior year Capstone Project at Texas A&M University’s Department of Ocean Engineering," he says. "This is an opportunity for students to work on real projects with industry professionals.”

SNAME is grateful to Bob Conachey for playing such a crucial role in SMC for so many years and for all of his invaluable contributions to SNAME and the community at large!