About Substructure
Substructure, Inc., provides marine industrial services to commercial and government organizations worldwide. Our state-of-the-art underwater capabilities include ultra-high-resolution hydrographic surveying and mapping, epoxy marine pile encapsulation, and corrosion control for structures and vessels. In addition, Substructure offers commercial diving, marine design and fabrication, ship husbandry and salvage, and archeological search and recovery services. Our custom-built hydrographic survey vessel, Orion, allows us to perform multibeam seafloor characterizations with very high accuracy and repeatability. Substructure’s experienced team of engineers, marine scientists, divers, data specialists, and licensed captains have a reputation for completing complex marine projects on time and on budget. Recognized for unparalleled technical expertise, highly sophisticated and customized equipment, exacting project management, and collaborative customer support, Substructure has become the gold standard for near shore and coastal underwater industrial operations. Founded in 1996, Substructure is a privately held company headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Thomas Reis, Founder & President
Thomas Reis, Substructure’s founder and president, has over 20 years’ experience in the marine contracting and diving industry, is a certified commercial diver, and is a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer (Near Coastal Master with commercial towing endorsement).
Tom holds a current blasting license in the State of Rhode Island, has completed the Multibeam Sonar Training Course at the Center for Coastal & Oceanographic Mapping, and is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire.
He has traveled to Iceland to assist with developing their sea urchin fishery, to South America to provide advice on archaeological shipwreck recovery, and most recently to New Zealand for a much-needed vacation.
In his spare time, Tom can either be found out in the shop bringing to life his latest design, voraciously reading about the maritime industry, or climbing up in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
Andrew Kelly, Chief Engineer
Andrew Kelly is Substructure’s chief engineer. Andy is a graduate of Villanova University and holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Before coming to Substructure, Andy designed custom aluminum boats and worked as both a project engineer and project manager. Andy was involved in the design, fabrication, and/or outfitting of seventeen custom boats, two of which were U.S. Coast Guard-certified vessels for unprotected waters beyond 20 miles.
Andy is well-versed in AutoCAD and now designs vessels, equipment, and custom products for specific client applications. Once he finishes the design process, he works with our crews in the field to oversee the seamless transition from design to application.
In the winter, you can find Andy skiing almost every weekend at Jay Peak in Vermont. On summer weekends, he is kitesurfing on Cape Cod.
Thomas Waddington, Senior Scientist/Chief Hydrographer
Senior Marine Scientist and Chief Hydrographer Tom Waddington – the newest member of our skilled technical team – joined Substructure in April 2009, bringing expertise in geophysical survey operations and marine environmental monitoring. Since the mid 1980s, Tom has served as a commissioned officer in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Corps, as chief of the Survey Section for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District, and, most recently, as a senior marine scientist with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).
An American Congress of Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) Certified Inshore Hydrographer since 1994, Tom also holds a U.S. Coast Guard 200-ton Near Coastal Master’s License. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and operations research and a master’s degree in engineering administration. Tom is utilizing his extensive experience in marine assessment and seafloor characterization to help guide Substructure’s use of its custom-designed, state-of-the-art hydrographic survey vessel, Orion.
When he’s not working on or writing about the marine environment, Tom likes to spend time mucking around on the water, hiking off-the-beaten trails, and trying to keep up with his kids.
Additional Staff
Additionally, we maintain an exceptional talent pool of other highly trained professionals. As dictated by our varied projects, our field crews include commercial divers, tenders, mechanics, fabricators, licensed captains, data technicians, surface support personnel, and equipment operators.
We also routinely employ corrosion engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, and hydrographers as needed to address our clients’ specific needs.