Keynote Speaker I

Prof. Pengfei Liu
Newcastle University, UK

Bio: Professor Pengfei Liu is a preeminent global expert in the field of ship propulsion hydrodynamics. He obtained his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering from Wuhan University of Technology in 1982, followed by a Master of Engineering and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in the same discipline from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, in 1991 and 1996, respectively. From 1999 to 2016, he served as a Senior Research Officer/Federal Government Scientist at the Institute for Ocean Technology, National Research Council (NRC) of Canada. Between 2016 and 2024, he held the position of Chair Professor of Hydrodynamics at Newcastle University, UK, and concurrently served as Director of the Emerson Cavitation Tunnel Laboratory (now retired).
Professor Liu was elected a Fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) in 2019, an Academician of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2021, and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) in 2022. He has held appointments as Visiting Professor/Researcher and Adjunct Professor at several internationally renowned institutions, including Memorial University of Newfoundland (2000–2019), Ocean University of China (2002–2005), Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2005–2008), Harbin Engineering University (2008–2010), Australian Maritime College (2012–2016), and Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai (2017–2022). Additionally, he has held key roles in prominent international academic organizations: member of the Board of Directors, Canadian Computational Fluid Dynamics Society (CFDSC, 2001–2007); member of the 23rd ITTC (International Towing Tank Conference) Committee on Azimuthing Pod Propulsors (2002–2005); member of the ISSC (International Ship and Offshore Structures Congress) Committee on Marine Renewable Energy (2006, 2009, 2015); member of the ISSC Committee on Dynamic Response (2012); member of the ISSC Committee on Marine Space Utilization (2018–2022); and member of the ITTC Advisory Committee (2021–2027).
Speech Title: Can the Propeller Be Reinvented?

Keynote Speaker II

Dr. Michael Palm
Voith Turbo Schiffstechnik, Germany

Bio: Michael Palm is the Head of the Ship Hydrodynamics and has more than 25 years of professional experience in the development of advanced marine propulsion systems. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Hamburg University of Technology, specializing in fluid dynamics with a particular focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Currently, he leads the hydrodynamic research and development of innovative technologies such as the Voith Schneider Propeller, Voith Linear Jet, and Voith Radial Propeller.
His core responsibilities include the numerical optimization of hydrodynamic systems, numerical simulation and testing of advanced propulsion technologies, as well as time-domain Dynamic Positioning (DP) simulations. These key technologies continuously contribute to improving the efficiency, reliability, and innovation of modern marine propulsion systems. He has published numerous academic papers on major industry topics including efficiency optimization, cavitation effects, and dynamic positioning, further demonstrating his extensive practical expertise in the field.
Keynote Speech: Hull Optimization Methods for Vessels with Voith Schneider Propeller

Keynote Speaker III

Prof. Chunhui Wang
Harbin Engineering University, China

Bio: Chunhui Wang is a professor and PhD supervisor at Harbin Engineering University, who has been selected for a national talent program for young scholars. Her research focuses on the prediction and analysis of ship performance in ice covered waters. She has led more than 20 projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Major Engineering Programs, and the National Key R&D Program of China. She has published over 50 papers in leading journals, including Physics of Fluids and Ocean Engineering, authored three monographs, and obtained more than 20 invention patents and over 20 software copyrights. Her honors include a Second Prize of the National Defense Science and Technology Progress Award and five first- or second-prize awards from leading professional societies. She serves on ISSC 2028 Committee V.2 (Experimental Methods), as an expert on the ASEF Working Group of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI), and on several professional committees in naval architecture, marine engineering, and sea ice.
Keynote Speech: Advances in Polar Ships and Propulsion Technologies