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SCA Weekly Report | February 27 - March 3, 2023
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Register Today:
2023 National Ship Repair Industry Conference (NSRIC)
March 20-23, 2023
The Westin Crystal City
Arlington, VA
The 2023 National Ship Repair Industry Conference (NSRIC) will be held in-person on March 20-23, 2023.The cost to attend the meeting is $550.
NSRIC 2023 is only open to SCA members and Ship Repair Association Members, and is closed to the press.
Confirmed Government Speakers for Tuesday Include:
- Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Vice Admiral William Galinis
- Commander, Regional Maintenance Center, Rear Admiral Eric Ver Hage
- ASN RDA (Acting), Mr. Frederick J. Stefany
- DASN Sustainment, Ms. Erica H. Plath
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Registration Now Open:
2023 SCA Spring Membership Meeting
May 17-18, 2023
20 F St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Registration for the 2023 SCA Spring Membership meeting in Washington, D.C. is now open. The meeting will be held at the Adams and Reese offices at 20 F St. NW, Washington, D.C 20001.
For more information on the schedule and to register, CLICK HERE
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OSHA National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction
May 1-5, 2023
Click here for more information
* Please note that while this is a construction focused Stand-Down, a lot of the data and discussion topics can be used to prevent falls in the shipyard industry as well.*
The 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is scheduled for May 1-5, 2023.
- How to Conduct a Safety Stand-Down and FAQs
- Companies can conduct a Safety Stand-Down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity such as conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job specific hazards. Managers are encouraged to plan a stand-down that works best for their workplace anytime. See Suggestions to Prepare for a Successful "Stand-Down" and Highlights from the Past Stand-Downs. OSHA also hosts an Events page with events that are free and open to the public to help employers and employees find events in your area.
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Navy Taking ‘Strategic Pause’ on Amphib Buys
The U.S. Navy is taking a “strategic pause” from buying amphibious ships, and using that time to study not just how many ships it wants but also the capabilities they should have when the service resumes buying them.
The Navy in its fiscal 2023 budget request last spring truncated the San Antonio-class amphibious ship production line. It asked to buy LPD-32 in FY23 and then would not buy any more LPDs for the foreseeable future, according to its budget documents.
Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro has called this a strategic pause, noting at a defense industry conference last week that the service would “probably” resume buying these medium-sized amphibious ships after a pair of studies: a battle force ship assessment and requirement that considers the quantity of ships, and a capabilities-based assessment that focuses on the ship design and capabilities.
Asked about the “LPD-like” terminology, Brig. Gen. Marcus Annibale told Defense News that “there is a study being done right now to look at the medium-sized amphib ship cost-saving opportunities, and I would be getting ahead of anybody to say what the outcome would be.” Annibale serves as the Marine Corps’ director of expeditionary warfare on the chief of naval operations’ staff.
An industry source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as the individual was not authorized to talk about the Navy’s deliberations, said the shipbuilding industry has heard the battle force ship assessment and requirement study might end sooner, but that the capabilities-based assessment could last longer and threaten the service’s ability to resume buying LPDs or LPD-like ships in FY25.
The Navy is expected to release its FY24 budget request on March 9, with additional details coming out March 13. However, that budget request may not reveal much about the plans for the LPD program, as FY24 was meant to be an off year for buying the ships on a two-year cadence.
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Bleutec Industries’ Jones Act-Compliant Wind Turbine Installation Concept Wins ABS Approval
Bleutec Industries Offshore Wind Services LLC (Bleutec) has recently received approval for its Binary Marine Installation Solution (BMIS) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). The design is specifically tailored for the U.S. offshore wind market and is compliant with the Jones Act.
The BMIS platform is described as an alternative to more expensive wind turbine installation vessels, consisting of a Pile Installation Vessel (PIV), Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Light (WTIVL), and Service Operations Vessels (SOVs). The vessels will be capable of installing turbines up to 22 MW and monopiles up to 4500T at U.S. offshore wind farms.
The BMIS utilizes innovative heavy lifting solutions, energy efficiency technologies, and a state-of-the-art dynamic positioning to ensure the safe and cost-efficient transportation and installation of offshore wind turbines. Bleutec has said previously that it expects the BMIS platform to be available for operations starting the early part of 2026.
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USDOT Announces more than $12 Million in Funding for the U.S. Marine Highway Program
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity making $12,423,000 available in Fiscal Year 2023 funds through the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP), previously named America’s Marine Highway Program. “America’s waterways serve as critical links in our nation’s supply chains,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These investments in our marine highways will help to strengthen our supply chains, reduce emissions, and create jobs across the country.”
The USMHP seeks to increase the use of America’s navigable waterways, especially where water-based transport is the most efficient, effective, and sustainable option. The USMHP helps to create maritime jobs, strengthen the nation’s supply chains, reduce emissions, and lower maintenance costs.
The Department will evaluate projects using criteria including the effect on movement of goods, level of non-federal funding investment, use of domestic preference, consideration of equity, and environmental justice. The Department will also consider geographic diversity when selecting grant recipients, as well as how the project addresses challenges faced by rural areas.
Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. EST on April 28, 2023.
St. Johns Bar Pilots Order New Launch from Gladding-Hearn
Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has booked an order from the Florida-based St. Johns Bar Pilots for a new high-speed launch. The vessel is based on the successful 40-foot Resilient Class pilot boat introduced in 2005. The launch is scheduled for delivery in mid-2024. It will be the St. Johns Bar pilots’ fourth Gladding-Hearn pilot boat since 1962.
Hornbeck to Acquire Six High-Spec OSVs from Edison Chouest
Recently, Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. announced that it will acquire six high-spec new generation offshore supply vessels from Nautical Solutions LLC, an affiliate of Edison Chouest Offshore. Each of the OSVs are U.S.-flagged, Jones Act-qualified, 280-class DP-2 OSVs with capacities of 4,750 DWT. Hornbeck estimates that it will take delivery of all six vessels over the next 12 to 15 months.
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If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the SCA staff.
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