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History

The background and history of S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. began long before establishment in 1967. In the late 1800’s, a construction company was founded that specialized in marine and harbor construction, piling driving, and heavy civil works. In 1916, Samuel T. Hudson Sr. went from being a carpenter and dock builder to a major stockholder in the company. Samuel T. Hudson Sr. and his father, Robert Hudson, worked to grow the company through the First World War, the depression era of the 30’s, and World War II.

The reigns of the company were passed through the Hudson Family while building the largest and best-equipped harbor and marine construction company in the Delaware Valley. Samuel T. Hudson II, P.E. worked for the construction business before he saw the need to establish a specialty marine engineering firm. On June 7, 1967, Samuel T. Hudson II, P.E. established S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Many of the founding members of S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. came from the marine construction side of the business; their knowledge and experience of marine construction plus the innovative designs of the engineers made for a dynamic and successful start. In the spring of 1974, S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. hit a turning point when they were called in for the redesign of a loading dock after the devastating fire of the M/V ELIAS at the Atlantic Richfield Oil (ARCO) Terminal adjacent to Fort Mifflin, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This job showcased the abilities and skills of Hudson Engineers making them the obvious choice less than a year later when the S/T CORINTHOS was hit and exploded while unloading crude oil at British Petroleum (BP) Oil Company in Trainer, Pennsylvania. BP Oil suffered approximately twenty (20) million dollars in property damage, including their loading platform. S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. was called in for Design and Construction Management, to build a temporary barge dock and design repairs for the damaged loading platform. One (1) month later, BP Oil was back in business and loading product into their facility thru the temporary barge dock.

In 1988, S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. saw another major change when they relocated from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the other side of the Delaware River; Camden, New Jersey. Samuel T. Hudson II, P.E. saw a great opportunity for the company and the City of Camden. The new location offered more space and easier accessibility to all their clients, while encouraging the development of Camden. During the same time, S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. bought their first computer system to help with hydrographic surveys and drafting capabilities. At the time, nobody knew how pivotal the computer would become to the business. Late nights were spent learning about the various features and capabilities but still a majority of the drafting work was completed by hand. As technology advanced, so did the work and turnaround time of specified drawings.

In the 1990’s, S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. was able to give something back to the City of Camden. We designed the Memorial Pier for the USS New Jersey, which today is a significant part of American history and a tourist attraction for the City of Camden. The T-shaped pier was designed to withstand the elements of the Delaware River and offer an inviting atmosphere to visitors.

Throughout the years, work has taken S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. from facilities in Canada, to the beautiful waters of the Caribbean, performing diving, engineers’ surveys and consulting on various regulatory compliance issues. As client relationships grew, Hudson Engineers became the Marine Consulting Engineer for many of the local authorities, signing three (3) and five (5) year contracts to provide professional services.

In 2000, Robert S. Hudson, P.E. became President and Chief Executive Officer of S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. Working alongside his father, Samuel T. Hudson II, P.E., Robert S. Hudson, P.E. continued the advancement of the company, based on solid business values and maintaining client relationships. Today, in 2007, S. T. Hudson Engineers Inc. is celebrating 40 years of success and excellence.