OP/ED: Maritime Industry Faces Compliance Standard from OSHA on Respirable Crystalline Silica
Companies with workers repairing and refurbishing ship components utilizing sand blasting have become the subject of a new U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard.All employers and employees in the maritime industry need to be aware of the new requirements as OSHA continues efforts to protect workers from the hazards of exposure to breathable silica dust. The new application of the "Respirable Crystalline Silica" standards requires…
Construction Begins on Chouest’s B-Port
Officials representing the Edison Chouest Offshore family of companies announced that construction has begun on a massive logistics support base and naval repair shipyard modeled after the Gulf of Mexico Terminal Hub, C-Port, for its own vessels at the Port of Açu, located in São João da Barra in northern Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil. In April 2014, Chouest and Prumo Logistica signed the initial lease for the port property, recently amending the agreement to include a total area of 574,200 square meters, if all future contract options are exercised.
Wärtsilä Contracted by Vyborg Shipyard
Wärtsilä was contracted to supply integrated power and automation systems for two Russian icebreakers. Wärtsilä won the contract to supply integrated power and automation systems for two new icebreakers being built for a Russian state-owned enterprise by Vyborg Shipyard JSC, a long-time partner of Wärtsilä. The contract was signed in October 2012. The vessels, scheduled to be delivered in 2015, will operate mainly in the Baltic Sea and in Arctic waters. Wärtsilä's strong track record in supplying reliable and technically sound solutions for icebreakers, and other vessels operating in arctic conditions, was cited as being a key factor in the award of this contract. There is an option pending to supply similar equipment for a third icebreaker within this same project.
Wärtsilä to Supply Plant for New Russian Icebreakers
Wärtsilä contracted to supply equipment for two new icebreakers being built for a Russian state-owned enterprise by Vyborg Shipyard. The vessels, scheduled to be delivered in 2015, will operate mainly in the Baltic Sea and in Arctic waters. Wärtsilä’s strong track record in supplying reliable and technically sound solutions for icebreakers, and other vessels operating in arctic conditions, was cited as being a key factor in the award of this contract. There is an option pending to supply similar equipment for a third icebreaker within this same project. “Wärtsilä has a leading market position in supplying power and automation systems for icebreakers and other vessels that operate in harsh, arctic conditions.
Port Repair Bids To Be Sought
India's Kandla port will invite tenders soon for repairs to jetties, buildings and equipment damaged in last month's earthquake. "We will invite tenders in the next few days to repair the port," A.K. Joti said. He said total damages, including civil structures and mechanical and electrical systems, were estimated at $10.8 million. The port would invite several tenders for each job instead of awarding a comprehensive tender to one group, thus enabling work to begin simultaneously, said Vipul Mittra, port deputy chairman. Operations at the country's busiest port were halted on January 26 by the huge quake that struck the western state of Gujarat, killing at least 30,000 people. Partial operations were resumed on February 3.
