Virginia Ship Repair Association News

Virginia officials have established a well-planned, extensive strategy to build out an offshore wind industry, including wind towers for electricity generation and the supply chain to support that extensive infrastructure and operations. The State’s big picture is ambitious: developing 2,000 MW of offshore wind by 2028.As currently envisioned, VA’s offshore wind development will likely start this year with two 8-megawatt wind turbines 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. This is a Dominion Energy pilot undertaken in partnership with the Danish wind company Orsted.

The National Maritime Education Council (NMEC) informs that Michael S. Torrech, CEO of American Maritime Holdings, a leader in the repair, shipbuilding, and maritime industry, has been named as its new chairman to succeed John Lotshaw of Huntington-Ingalls Shipbuilding. Mr. Torrech, a founder of the NMEC, will lead the organization's strategic development of a national standardized maritime workforce program that addresses the critical issues facing the industry. "I am passionate about helping the maritime industry develop and deploy a workforce development program and curricula that will be available throughout the United States," said Mr. Torrech. Tim Johnson, Executive Director of the NMEC, is looking forward to working with Mr. NMEC explains that Michael S.

W&O, a global supplier to the marine and marine offshore markets for pipe, valves and fittings, valve automation and engineered solutions, announced several changes to leadership at its Gulf Coast branches, as well as at its offices in Charleston, Norfolk and Fort Lauderdale. Vince Rodomista, a graduate of Kings Point with a degree in Marine Engineering and Marine Transportation, joins W&O as General Manager of the Houston branch. He spent the first seven years of his professional career as an engineer and deck officer onboard a variety of vessels.

In the U.S. and across the globe, shipyards create solid, long-term economic stability in their regions. Ship construction and repair requires an extraordinary amount of expertise, time and resources. This work is made even more challenging because current economic pressures drive companies to reduce costs wherever possible without hindering production or quality. Having multiple shipyards in a region creates a naturally interdependent, yet highly competitive culture. This is…

Edward Lundquist talks to welder and apprentice instructor Ashley Wilber at BAE Systems Ship Repair’s Norfolk shipyard. Tell me how you came to be a welder here at BAE Systems Ship Repair. I have been here at BAE Systems going on seven years now. I was just doing odd jobs out of high school – Hardee’s, driving jobs like delivering pizzas – anything that was making money. I have a cousin, who at the time was an electrician apprentice, and he was telling me about the shipyard. I’d never heard of a shipyard even though I drove past it all the time.

As Congress considers extending critical federal incentives for wind energy this month, leaders from the Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority, the City of Norfolk, and the Virginia Ship Repair Association joined Environment Virginia to detail the economic and environmental benefits of supporting offshore wind power and its related supply chain industries. America’s wind power capacity has quadrupled in the last five years, and 39 states – excluding Virginia –are generating electricity from wind.

The Virginia Ship Repair Association (VSRA) is preparing to celebrate its 35th Anniversary and held a dedication of a new memorial to the private ship yard industry on the Portsmouth Path of History. This National Historical Landmark is a one mile walking timeline representing the birth of the industrialized US Naval fleet. In his remarks to the more than 240 member companies of the Association, CAPT.

When it comes to training, recruitment and retention issues – serious matters facing all maritime employers today – John Lotshaw probably knows better than most; what’s best for you. And, no matter what end of the maritime business model that you hail from, the challenge of hiring good people, training them and keeping them on payroll is an ongoing problem. Lotshaw joined Ingalls Shipbuilding in August of 2002 as the Director of Trades at the Avondale Site, responsible for workforce development and training and Operations support.

The 2013 Ship Repair Tradesmen of the Year were recently honored by the Virginia Ship Repair Association (VSRA). Steven Pulliam, an Outside Machinist from Oceaneering International, Inc. He was recruited to be a core member of the Shop Mechanical Team due to the high quality of his workmanship. He is a mentor to the Freshman class for his company’s Apprentice Program. He created a form that concisely documents deficiencies in components that are received for refurbishment which has been instrumental in reducing the number of hours required to create a Condition Report by at least 25%.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' AMSEC subsidiary employee, Casey Tarnowski, wins annual safety suggestion award. The annual Safety Suggestion Award contest is hosted by the Virginia Ship Repair Association (VSRA). Casey Tarnowski was honored for his stanchion stabilizer, which prevents stanchions from rolling off flight decks and preventing them from being dropped through flight deck stanchion holes on aircraft carriers. He received the award and a $500 cash prize from Brian Applewhite, VSRA's safety committee chair, at the VSRA's recent general membership meeting.