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SMALL SHIPYARD GRANTS AVAILABLE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
Assistance to Small Shipyards Grant Program; Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance Number: 20.814
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation, Office
of Shipyards and Marine Engineering.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: There is currently $9,800,000 available for grants for capital
and related improvements for qualified small shipyard facilities that
will be effective in fostering efficiency, competitive operations, and
quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration.

DATES: Key Dates: The period for submitting grant applications, as
mandated by statute, commenced on April 15, 2011 and will terminate on
June 14, 2011. The applications must be received by the Maritime
Administration by 5 p.m. EDT on June 14, 2011. Applications received
later than this time will not be considered. The Maritime
Administration intends to award grants no later than August 15, 2011.
Details can be found in Small Shipyard Grant Program from the Federal Register.

OSHA Publishes New Shipyard Safety Rules UPDATE

 

As expected, today OSHA published the final Subpart F Rule: General Working Conditions in Shipyard Employment. The rule becomes effective and enforceable on August 1, 2011, except for the provisions in § 1915.89 (Lockout/Tagout), which become effective and enforceable on October 31, 2011.

Find the new rule here: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2011/pdf/2011-9567.pdf   You can also find Subpart F FAQ's on their website at http://www.osha.gov/dts/maritime/standards/general_working_conditions_faqs.html .

Recall, this rulemaking clarifies, adds to and consolidates the sections of 29 CFR 1915, including sanitation, medical devices, motor vehicle safety, and housekeeping among others. The largest change adds a lockout/tagout section to shipyard employment. SCA worked hard over the past 4 years to ensure many issues with the initial proposed rule were properly addressed. Nevertheless, it is imperative that each of you carefully review each section of the new rule to make sure you are familiar with new changes and in compliance at the effective date.

OSHA will be providing VSRA with hard copies for us to distribute. As soon as they are received, we will inform the VSRA-OSHA Partnership.

5th Annual Lego Winners!

Hunter B. Andrews Middle School from Hampton, VA took the top prize of $500.00 in the VSRF 5th Annual Lego Competition on April 28, 2011 at Nauticus. Second place went to the Home School team from the Virginia Air & Space Center; with two-time Champion team Blair Middle School securing the Third Place. These teams first competed in Preliminary Rounds at the Mariner's Museum in Newport News, VA and the Virginia Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach before advancing to the finals. The event involved more than a dozen ship repair companies in volunteer roles as judges, exhibit guides and technical advisors. Funding support was provided by Ameri-Force, Marine Chemist Service and Epsilon Systems.

Maritime Minute - 5/2/2011

SECOND-ANNUAL “SAIL-IN” TO UPDATE CONGRESS ON BENEFITS OF STRONG AMERICAN MARITIME INDUSTRY:  Nearly 200 American maritime industry representatives from throughout the country will descend on Washington, D.C. for the second-annual “Sail-In” Wednesday, May 4. The broad grassroots education event is designed to update Members of Congress and Congressional staff about the many benefits of a strong U.S. maritime industry. “The Sail-In is an opportunity to update Congress about the critical role that the maritime industry plays in America’s economic and national security, especially during a time of war when our economy is struggling,” said James Henry, President of the Transportation Institute and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Maritime Partnership. “A wide array of maritime industry representatives from throughout the United States will visit Washington and share how U.S. shipyards, mariners and companies are working around the clock to keep our country safe and strong.” Click here to read more.
  
WASHINGTON EXHIBIT TO FEATURE MARITIME INDUSTRY:  Congressional officials and the public will have the opportunity to attend a photo exhibition about the American maritime industry on Wednesday, May 3. The display will highlight the industry’s essential contribution to the nation’s economy, job growth, security and military capability. The exhibit can be viewed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building’s first-floor foyer.
 
BRAZIL TAPS AMERICAN SHIPYARD IN QUEST FOR ENERGY:  Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Fla., has been selected to build three Platform Supply Vessels (PVS) for energy exploration off the coast of Brazil. “Today’s signing demonstrates that America’s shipbuilders can be competitive in international markets,” said U.S. Maritime Administrator David Matsuda, as he awarded a $241 million loan guarantee for the project. “We will support these export opportunities for U.S. businesses and American shipyard workers wherever possible.” Construction of the vessels is expected to create 300 new local jobs over the next three-and-a-half years.
 
DID YOU KNOW?  It was the United States that led the fight for safety after the TITANIC foundered on April 15, 1912. Under the leadership of Senator William Alden Smith (R-MI [1859-1932]), an inquiry was launched that would lead to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) treaty which, among other things, mandated that never again would a ship leave port without enough lifeboats to accommodate all onboard. The treaty also established the International Ice Patrol. Sen. Smith has another maritime tie. He blocked a treaty that would have exchanged part of Michigan for Canadian land near New England. The portion of Michigan that Smith saved is home to the Federal locks at Sault Ste. Marie that connect Lake Superior to the lower four Great Lakes. So critical to U.S. security are the cargos that move through these locks that during World War II U.S. troops were stationed at the “Soo.”
 
American Maritime Partnership ("AMP") is the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry, a pillar of our nation‘s economic, national, and homeland security. More than 40,000 American vessels built in American shipyards and crewed by American mariners ply our waters 24/7, and this commerce sustains nearly 500,000 jobs, $29 billion in labor compensation, and more than $100 billion in annual economic output according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute. So efficient are these vessels that they carry a quarter of the nation‘s cargo for only 2 percent of the national freight bill, and being American owned, built and crewed helps make America more secure.

Maritime Minute .... 4/26/2011

COAST GUARD AWARDS WORK BOAT CREW FOR RESCUING 115 AFTER BP OIL SPILL:  The U.S. Coast Guard honored the crew of the Damon B. Bankston for their heroic and immediate response to the Deepwater Horizon explosion and fire. Crew members of the American flag offshore supply vessel received citations for assisting Coast Guard helicopter crews with the rescue of 115 individuals following the explosion last April 20. Eleven oil rig workers died as a result of the disaster. Click here to read more.
  
NAVY LEAGUE SAYS SKILLED MERCHANT MARINE CRITICAL TO U.S. SECURITY:  The Navy League’s 2011-12 Policy Statement says maintaining a skilled Merchant Marine is needed in today’s irregular warfare environment. “The shipping capabilities of the Maritime Administration’s Ready Reserve Force and the Department of Defense’s Military Sealift Command are sized to support routine and some surge logistics and specialized mission requirements. This critical capability must be maintained by ensuring an active commercial U.S.-flag Merchant Marine to support efficient and cost-effective movement of Department of Defense cargo.” Click here to read more.
 
LARGEST AMERICAN DOMESTIC OCEAN SHIPPING COMPANY GETS TOP HONOR FROM MAJOR RETAILER:  Horizon Lines, Inc., the nation's largest domestic ocean shipping company, has been awarded the 2010 Platinum Carrier Award by home improvement retailer Lowe's Companies Inc. The award recognizes Horizon Lines’ exemplary on-time service and reliability. It is the fifth consecutive Platinum Carrier Award, and the 10th consecutive year in which Horizon Lines has been honored by Lowe's. Based in Charlotte, N.C., Horizon Lines has also earned Lowe's Outstanding Ocean Service Provider Award or the Platinum Carrier Award for consistently providing superior service in the U.S. domestic ocean trades to Alaska and Hawaii each year since 2001.
 
U.S. COAST GUARD LOOSENS WINTER'S LAKE:  Each winter the ice that formed the Great Lakes eons ago tries to reclaim its domain, but shipping on the Fourth Sea Coast is key to America’s industrial well-being, so the U.S. Coast Guard maintains a fleet of icebreakers. Between Dec. 6, 2010 and April 7, 2011, eight U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers assisted 578 U.S. and Canadian “lakers” carrying cargos of iron ore, coal, limestone, cement, and other commodities. The Coast Guard estimates those raw materials had a value of more than $300 million. In a strong economy, more than 200 million tons of cargo moves annually on the lakes, 20 million of which can move during periods of ice cover.
 
DID YOU KNOW?  The self-unloading vessel was invented and perfected to serve the domestic trades on the Great Lakes and the process revolutionized the movement of dry-bulk cargos such as iron ore, coal and limestone. As the name implies, the vessel is designed to discharge its cargo without requiring shoreside equipment or personnel. This means any waterfront property can become a working dock at literally a moment’s notice.
 
American Maritime Partnership ("AMP") is the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry, a pillar of our nation‘s economic, national, and homeland security. More than 40,000 American vessels built in American shipyards and crewed by American mariners ply our waters 24/7, and this commerce sustains nearly 500,000 jobs, $29 billion in labor compensation, and more than $100 billion in annual economic output according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute. So efficient are these vessels that they carry a quarter of the nation‘s cargo for only 2 percent of the national freight bill, and being American owned, built and crewed helps make America more secure.

Maritime Minute ... 5/15/2011

LEADING U.S.-FLAG CARRIER TO OPERATE FIRST DOUBLE-HULLED, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BARGES IN WESTERN ALASKA WATERS:  Crowley Maritime Corporation, a major U.S.-flag operator for more than 100 years, plans to launch its two double-hulled, combination deck cargo and petroleum tank barges for service in Western Alaska this month. Crowley is bringing the safer double-hull vessels to Alaska without any regulatory requirement because, as Crowley’s Senior Vice President and General Manager Rocky Smith said, “It’s just the right thing to do. The delivery and deployment of these barges gives Crowley the opportunity to better serve the Alaska market with the enhanced design features that are built into these vessels. This exemplifies our commitment to moving petroleum and petroleum products efficiently and safely.”   The barges, certified by the U.S. Coast Guard for the carriage of Grade A petroleum products, will be home ported in Nome, Alaska, and will deliver fuel and cargo to the remote communities of Western Alaska. Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Wash., built the barges, and Crowley’s Jensen Maritime Consultants provided the engineering support to the shipyard for the final detailed design.
  
AUSTAL USA BREAKS GROUND ON THREE NEW FACILITIES:  Austal USA held a combined groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of work on three new facilities, including Phase 2 of the Modular Manufacturing Facility (MMF), a new office complex, and an additional waterfront assembly bay. The ceremony was held at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Ala., where construction is underway on the U.S. Navy’s Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program. Several dignitaries, including Governor Robert Bentley, attended the groundbreaking. “Thanks to Austal USA, hope and opportunity have been brought to those living along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Employment at Austal USA has increased from 113 employees in May 2004 to an employment level in ex cess of 2,000 today,” said Governor Bentley.  Click here to read more.
 
KETCHIKAN INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY HELPS LOCAL STUDENT LIVE DREAM OF CAREER AT SEA:  The Ketchikan Daily News reported that Ketchikan high school student Ty Nausid was able to start pursuing his dream of a maritime career thanks to an internship cosponsored by Alaska Tanker Company, the Seafarers International Union, SEA Link Inc., and the William Lund Memorial Scholarship Trustees.  The scholarship program provided work opportunities for Nausid ranging from an 8-foot skiff to a 952-foot oil tanker.  Nausid is now a senior at Cal Maritime.  “Live your passion is one of my favorite rules to live by, and I certainly aspire to do so,” said Nausid.  He anticipates graduating in July with a Bachelor of Science degree in marine transportation.  He will also have a U.S. Coast Guard third mate unlimited tonnage license, a tug endorsement for transporting barges, and several other certifications.
 
DID YOU KNOW?  Since there’s less friction when a hull moves through water, a vessel needs only one-third of a horsepower per ton of cargo carried.  If this ratio applied to land-based transportation, a semi could be run with a lawnmower engine.
 
American Maritime Partnership ("AMP") is the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry, a pillar of our nation‘s economic, national, and homeland security. More than 40,000 American vessels built in American shipyards and crewed by American mariners ply our waters 24/7, and this commerce sustains nearly 500,000 jobs, $29 billion in labor compensation, and more than $100 billion in annual economic output according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute. So efficient are these vessels that they carry a quarter of the nation‘s cargo for only 2 percent of the national freight bill, and being American owned, built and crewed helps make America more secure.

Elizabeth River Dredging Begins 4/15/2011

River-deepening for aircraft carriers starts Friday
By Patrick Bloodgood
Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public Affairs Office
 
04/13/2011 – NORFOLK, Va. – Dredging operations, deepening portions
of the Elizabeth River from Lambert’s Point to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., will begin Friday, April 15..  
The Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing the approximately $20 million project that will allow the Navy’s nuclear powered aircraft carriers the ability to traverse from Norfolk Naval Station to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard safely at all times of the day.  
“The dredging is necessary to eliminate the risk of the nuclear-powered aircraft carriers damaging their ballast water intakes, as well as grounding and possible hull damage.” said Raad Humadi, project manager with Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic.
  For three tenths of a mile, from Lamberts Point to the Navy Deperming Station, a 600-foot-wide portion of the federal navigation channel will be deepened from 40 feet to 50 feet. Another four-and-half-mile, 600-foot-wide portion of the channel from the deperming station to the naval shipyard will be deepened from 40 feet to 47 feet. 
“This will allow us to meet the current requirements for ships entering and exiting into the Lambert's Point Deperming Station, allowing the carriers safe transit into and out of the Deperming Facility,” said Humadi.  “The other reach of the project allows the carrier safe transit to and from Norfolk Naval Shipyard for repairs and overhauls."  
The Corps’ contractor, Norfolk Dredging Company from Chesapeake, Va., will start dredging operations at Lamberts Point and work their way to the naval shipyard over the next 18 months, removing approximately 3 million cubic yards of material. The dredged material will be pumped into the district’s Craney Island Dredge Material Management Area in Portsmouth, Va.      

Elizabeth River Dredging Map

5th Annual Jr. and Sr. Tradesmen of the Year Awards

Nomination forms are now available for the 2011 Jr. and Sr. Tradesmen of the Year Awards. Nominations must be received by VSRA by 5:00 PM, Friday, April 29th. This award helps our industry showcase the top epxerts among our Tradesmen, as well as feature up-and-comers who will lead the future. Nomination forms may be found on the Resources/Publications page at http://virginiashiprepair.org/research.asp, or by following the links below. If you have questions, please contact our office at (757) 233-7034. Thank you!

Jr Tradesmen Nom Form

Sr Tradesmen Nom Form

 

The Maritime Minute - 4/7/2011

AWO PROMOTING "BARGES ARE BEAUTIFUL":  The American Waterways Operators are promoting the benefits of the U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry on Capitol Hill. Their advertisements, which are appearing in beltway publications, include the themes: "Barges are Beautiful…For the Economy" and "Barges are Beautiful…For the Environment". Click here to view the AWO ad that appeared in POLITICO.
  
MICHIGAN-BASED U.S.-FLAG OPERATOR PRAISED BY BP SHIPPING:  BP Shipping, the transportation division of British Petroleum, has honored Andrie Inc.’s tug/barge KAREN ANDRIE/ENDEAVOR as the company’s 2010 partner vessel of the year. The honor is for the energy company’s top ship outside of its own fleet. The 2-year-old tug/barge combination was cited by BP Shipping for its advantages with the environment, safety and lower costs, said Andrie President Stan Andrie. Click here to read more.
 
U.S.-FLAG LAKER KICKS OFF PORT OF DULUTH/SUPERIOR'S 2011 SHIPPING SEASON:  Maritime traffic through the Port of Duluth/Superior (Minnesota/Wisconsin) resumed on March 17 with the sailing of the season’s first laker, the U.S.-flag dry-bulk carrier JAMES R. BARKER. The vessel departed with 52,000 tons of coal for the power plant in Presque Isle, Michigan. Due to the dredging crisis on the Lakes, the BARKER could not carry a full load (about 60,000 tons), but when vessels this size can fully utilize their hauling power, they deliver enough coal each trip to power a metropolitan area the size of Greater Detroit for a day. Click here to read more.
 
DID YOU KNOW?  The U.S.-citizen owned domestic fleet also provided fully half of the mariners needed to crew U.S. government-owned sealift vessels activated from reserve status to support military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
American Maritime Partnership ("AMP") is the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry, a pillar of our nation‘s economic, national, and homeland security. More than 40,000 American vessels built in American shipyards and crewed by American mariners ply our waters 24/7, and this commerce sustains nearly 500,000 jobs, $29 billion in labor compensation, and more than $100 billion in annual economic output according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute. So efficient are these vessels that they carry a quarter of the nation‘s cargo for only 2 percent of the national freight bill, and being American owned, built and crewed helps make America more secure.

2011 VSRA Tri-Annual Workforce and Training Survey

Many of our members have been requesting updated data on workforce, wages and training information. We are pleased to announce the release of the 2011 on-line survey, and we are thrilled to announce other Associations will also be collecting their own data so we will have both a regional and national picture. This information helps you make better informed decisions and strategically plan for workforce demands. Please take your time and do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions.