KINGS POINT, N.Y., May 4, 2016 – Midshipman William Murray, a First Classman at the United States Merchant  Marine Academy (USMMA) was awarded Second Prize in the Student Research Papers Competition for his paper “Economies of Scale in Container Ship Costs” at this year’s Connecticut Maritime Association’s (CMA) annual Trade Show and Conference, Shipping 2016.

Murray, was given a cash award and the opportunity to present his paper to an international audience that included industry professionals and students. His paper provided a comprehensive statistical analysis on the economies of scale of containerships, quantifying several major factors, especially for the recent development of the Ultra Large Containerships (VLCS).  He said, “I was extremely honored to represent Kings Point at CMA’s annual Trade Show and Conference. It was a fantastic chance to interface with many of the major players in the maritime industry and to see how truly international shipping is. I am very grateful to Professor Guan for his mentorship and guidance.”

Superintendent Rear Adm. James A. Helis, Ph.D., commented, “We are very proud of Midshipman Murray. To be recognized during a prestigious event such as Shipping 2016 is quite an honor for him and for the Academy.”

Murray’s Academic Advisor, Changqian Guan, Ph.D., an associate professor in USMMA’s Department of Marine Transportation, said, “I would like to congratulate Midshipman Murray for his achievement. Also, I would like to give special thanks to Ms. Marilyn Stern for her critical support of the USMMA library’s maritime databases, without them Midshipman Murray would not have been able to undertake the statistical analysis for his CMA paper.”

Midshipman Murray’s paper can be read in its entirety by clicking:  “Economies of Scale in Container Ship Costs.”

By Veronica Cassidy Barry