ABS veteran surveyor Robert (Bob) Ballard has been named to the position of Assistant Chief Surveyor (ACS) for Naval Programs, a position created last year by the class society to better coordinate the provisions of the specialty survey services demanded by increased naval activity.
Since the introduction of its Rules for Building and Classing Naval Vessels (NVRs) ABS has seen a growing volume of newbuilding activity to ABS class standards by the US Navy. Ballard will oversee the training of ABS survey staff in naval procedures and survey techniques.
Ballard has nearly 20 years of survey experience having worked in various port offices in the US and Canada. Most recently he served as the Principal Surveyor for the Bath, Maine, survey office which deals exclusively with the survey of military vessels. Ballard reports directly to the ABS Chief Surveyor Linwood Pendexter.