OceanGate Adds Rear Admiral John Lockwood to Board of Directors

SEATTLE, Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- OceanGate Inc., (OGI) a global provider of deep-sea manned submersible solutions, announced today the addition of retired U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Lockwood to the company's Board of Directors.  Lockwood brings more than 40 years of maritime expertise to OGI, including extensive work around issues of national defense, homeland security, expertise on safety and regulatory issues surrounding offshore operations, and international diplomacy.

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The addition of Lockwood will aid OceanGate's expansion into a diverse set of emerging markets, including offshore oil and gas, "idle iron," AUV retrieval, undersea mining and scientific exploration.  Lockwood will also lend his unique insight to the development of Project Cyclops, OGI's planned 3,000-meter submersible, assisting in the design of key technical elements that will better serve OGI's client base.

"How to sustainably and economically access the world's oceans is a key emerging problem from a business and political perspective, and OceanGate has a unique vision on how to address that," states Lockwood. "I hope to help bring  operational and regulatory expertise to this 21st-century emerging industry. I truly believe manned submersibles can help solve some of our country's most pressing issues, including development of offshore energy sources, discovery of new sources of rare minerals, or find the next generation of biomedical cures."     

Lockwood's distinguished military career in the U.S. Coast Guard included  a  combat tour  commanding the patrol boat Point White in the rivers of Vietnam and the South China Sea.  He commanded the cutter Basswood in the Western Pacific, Guam, Micronesia, and the Philippines, and captained the cutters Juniper, Taney, and Chase in the Atlantic and Caribbean. In 1987, he took over as the first commodore of the Caribbean Squadron, the largest joint Coast Guard/Navy air and surface force assembled since World War II, overseeing maritime drug surveillance and interdiction operations throughout the Caribbean. 

His shore assignments included command of all Coast Guard units on eastern Long Island, liaison officer to the Commander in Chief of the Navy's Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk, and as a political officer at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, Switzerland.

"Rear Admiral Lockwood possesses a wealth of knowledge one can only accrue after a lifetime at sea," said OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. "His experiences at the highest levels of the Coast Guard and in international maritime affairs will allow OceanGate to refine our client offerings and develop Cyclops into a truly revolutionary deep-ocean submersible."

Lockwood is currently the president of Lockwood Associates, a veteran-owned small business licensed in Washington State, which specializes in maritime industry related marketing and business development, government and legislative affairs, and homeland security consulting, for which he holds a 'Secret' security clearance.  He is a graduate of Hofstra University, the National Defense University's Joint Forces Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

About OceanGate Inc.  OceanGate Inc., a privately held company founded in 2009, provides manned submersible solutions for exploration, research and sustainable commercial applications. Our portfolio of offerings enables cost-effective services to clients in five principal markets: commercial enterprises, research and academic institutions, government agencies, nonprofits and NGOs, and media-content providers. The expedition, charter and citizen science programs provide unique expeditions customized for each client experience. Through submersible solutions that leverage collaborative partnerships and the application of emerging technologies to specific oceanographic programs, OceanGate's team of professionals provides safe, efficient, and effective operations. The company is committed to opening the oceans while remaining dedicated to the sustainable use of marine ecosystems and the natural resources within them.

Visit us at www.opentheoceans.com.

Media Contact:
Juliana Ruiz
305.606.5044
[email protected]

SOURCE OceanGate Inc.