ABS Nautical Systems shuffles management

ABS Nautical Systems shuffles management ABS Nautical Systems, a division of classification society ABS, has made a series of senior management and operational changes to enhance its portfolio of fleet management software services for the marine and offshore industries.
   Karen Hughey has been named president and chief executive officer of ABS Nautical Systems. She replaces Jack Kitchura, who retired after leading the operation for 10 years.
   Hughey served as vice president of application development at ABS.
   The company also created a new account management department to offer a single point of contact for all Nautical Systems clients, coordinating the support, consulting and sales services provided.
   Robert Kessler will move from his current position in London as regional sales and operations manager of Nautical Systems in Europe and the Middle East, to Houston to take up the new position as director of global account management.
   Dimitri Stroubakis, executive assistant to the senior management of ABS in Houston, will move to Piraeus, Greece, as director for Nautical Systems in Europe.
   Fernando Lehrer, director of maritime services for ABS Consulting, will take on the newly created position of director for product development at Nautical Systems.
   The company said Lehrer will first focus on the shipping and offshore sectors to identify and develop enhancements to Nautical Systems’ products. Initial efforts are focused on rolling out the new Nautical Systems hull inspection module and modifying the existing crew management module to provide owners with a simple method of storing and tracking much of the information that will be required by owners when demonstrating compliance with the new Maritime Labor Convention (MLC), the company said.
   “In the current tight market, and given the continuing flow of new regulations such as the MLC, more and more owners are recognizing that management software can bring immediate bottom line benefits,” Hughey said.