BIOGRAPHYDr.-Ing. Walter L. Kuehnlein (PhD)
Dr. Walter L. Kuehnlein, PhD
Professional Roles
- Founder & CEO, NRG.Vision: Pioneering Sustainable Energy Solutions
- Visionary Executive Advisor, terra.blue: Energy, Offshore, and Ice Technology Innovations
- Principal Consultant, Long International Inc.
- Board Member
- University Lecturer
- International Speaker
Areas of Focus
- Responsible and sustainable use of the oceans
- Smart, clean, and scalable energy solutions
- Innovative offshore and ice engineering concepts
- AI and digital technologies for energy and marine optimization
Professional Profile
With over four decades of international experience, Dr. Walter Kuehnlein is a trusted independent expert in energy systems, marine innovation, and ice technology. He leverages AI and emerging technologies to create high impact, low carbon solutions that drive sustainable growth and environmental resilience. His work combines deep technical insight with strategic foresight, making him a valuable partner in shaping the future of energy and ocean systems.
Affiliations & Academic Roles
- Vice-Chairman, Board of Directors, German Association for Marine Technology (GMT); formerly Chairman for 15 years
- Lecturer in "Ice Engineering" and "Offshore Engineering," Hamburg University of Technology
- Lecturer in "Ocean Technology," Berlin University of Technology
- Advisor, Ship&Offshore Magazine (2009–2024)
- Symposium Coordinator, Arctic Technology Track, OMAE Conferences (2001–2023)
- Member, German Offshore Committee, DNV (2005–2022)
- Chair of multiple Arctic conferences, including ATC 2016 in St. John’s, Canada
Career Highlights
- Key advisor and engineering lead for the first drilling project in the North Caspian Sea (since 1997)
- Managing Director, sea2ice Ltd. & Co. KG (2008–2019)
- Director, Ice & Offshore Division, (HSVA) Hamburg Ship Model Basin (2001–2009)
Education
- Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering, Berlin University of Technology (TUB)
- Master’s Degree with specialization in Civil and Ocean Engineering (TUB)
Vision & Approach
Dr. Kuehnlein champions a holistic, operations-driven approach to the design and development of offshore and energy infrastructure, particularly in harsh and ice affected environments. His methodology integrates environmental, operational, technical, and economic considerations from the outset, enabling substantial cost savings and higher resilience.
By redefining the early design process through a cross-disciplinary, operations-driven lens, he has shown that total project costs, especially in ice prone and offshore regions can be cut by up to 50%, unlocking massive gains in efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.
I provide expert support on sustainable energy and marine strategies/concepts/systems, utilizing emerging technologies including AI to minimize environmental impact and enhance savings:
- Philosophies for smart, sustainable, and clean generation, storage, and transportation of energy
- Digitization and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in marine & energy technologies
- Big data
- Design philosophies for offshore structures and systems in harsh environments (ice and open waters)
- Design philosophies for arctic operational concepts for offshore installations
- Review and consulting for new designs and concepts (working for operators or contractors) considering operational, engineering, constructional and environmental aspect
- Offshore Wind: concepts for design, installation, operations & logistics
- Tailor made solutions for new concepts, platforms, upgrades and modifications using operational, engineering, constructional and environmental optimized solutions
- Analysis of ice conditions and consequences on structures and systems
- Analysis of wave (sea) conditions and consequences on structures and systems
- Supervision of numerical simulations and/or model tests in ice and open waters
- Evacuation concepts, especially for ice covered waters
- HAZOP concepts and studies
- Ice, wave, offshore engineering, rig move and platform installation courses
