Bare Metal News

Somerset, Mass. shipyard Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, announced it has delivered the first of the Boston Pilots’ two Chesapeake-class pilot boats undergoing a comprehensive refit.“The vessels are well used and well maintained. Only minor structural repairs were necessary so definitely worthy of refitting,” said Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s co-president.Along with installing new shafts and Brunton propellers, the 53’ all-aluminum pilot boat’s twin 600 hp Lugger L6140AL2 engines were replaced with a pair of Volvo Penta D-16 diesel engines…

Laser systems quickly remove corrosion and scale from metal surfaces with less preparation and mess than traditional techniques.In the maritime industry, corrosion and scale (where rust penetrates a metal surface) can quickly become an issue in an outdoor, salt sea spray laden environment. When sea spray evaporates, it leaves salt behind, leading to saltwater staining and accelerated corrosion.So, most shipbuilders as well as those responsible for maintenance and repair understand the value of treating metal surfaces to remove corrosion…

The Tampa Bay pilot association has taken delivery of Tampa, a newly refitted Chesapeake Class pilot boat built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in 2003, when the Somerset, Mass. shipyard introduced the class of mid-size, high-speed launches. In 2015, the Tampa pilots also took delivery of the shipyard’s first Chesapeake Class MKII, which incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system. “After 19 years of hard work, the vessel was showing some wear and tear but she still had a lot of life left so it was definitely worth re-investing in…

The Tampa Bay pilot association has returned its first Chesapeake Class pilot boat to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding. Tampa was built in 2003 when the shipyard introduced the class of mid-size, high-speed launches. In 2015, the Tampa pilots took delivery of the shipyard’s first Chesapeake Class MKII, which incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system. With more than 50,000 operating hours, the 53’ all-aluminum pilot boat will be repowered and undergo repairs after a thorough inspection by the shipyard’s quality control department.

Approximately three times a week, for six months of the year, trains depart from upstate New York, en route to one of three EPA-approved long-term disposal facilities. The trains, which are loaded with dewatered, PCB-containing sediments, represent the last leg of a complex environmental dredging project undertaken by General Electric Co. in New York’s Upper Hudson River. To keep these trains on schedule, GE relies on two purpose-built material handlers from SENNEBOGEN, an 870 R-HD and an 870 M…

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) departed the Northrop Grumman Naval Shipyard in Newport News, Va., after completing an extensive four-year refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) and a 14-week Post Shakedown Availability/Supplemental Restricted Availability (PSA/SRA) period, Dec. Carl Vinson immediately went to sea to conduct Sea Trials in preparation for its homeport transfer to San Diego. Carl Vinson's Commanding Officer Capt. Bruce Lindsey said he thinks the crew did a great job bringing the ship out of the shipyard ahead of schedule. "The crew did a fantastic job," said Lindsey.

Signal International announced that SBM-Atlantia’s Thunder Hawk is currently drydocked at the company’s Port Arthur Texas facility for hull repairs. The huge structure arrived at Port Arthur after being transported from Singapore on a heavy lift dry-tow vessel. Drydocking of the newbuild semi will enable Signal to repair damage that was done to Thunder Hawk’s pontoons before leaving Southeast Asia. Repairs consist of: grit-blasting to bare metal the perimeter of the damaged outer hull…

Subsequent to the departure of Holland America's Statendam in April, Cascade General took in Crystal Cruises' Crystal Harmony for a 10-day stopover in May. The 10-year-old ship underwent maintenance and overhaul work below its waterline, extensive interior remodeling and steel replacement for pool areas on Deck 11. With maximization of work in mind, Cascade normally sends advanced crews to join cruise ships on their way to the yard's Portland, Ore. locale. This time though, the first mobile crew met the ship in Los Angeles, where work commenced immediately on an overhaul of one of Harmony's auxiliary boilers. A second team was then summoned to San Francisco to clean ballast tanks before undertaking structural repairs and preservation work. easuring 790 ft.

M/V Columbia, reported to be the largest ship in the Alaska Marine Highway’s fleet, returned to revenue service on June 5 with its scheduled sailing southbound from Ketchikan. The Columbia begins weekly round trip service between Bellingham, Wash. and Skagway, Alaska, with intermediate stops in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersberg, Juneau, Haines and Skagway with additional southbound stops in Sitka. Columbia left Cascade General Inc., (CGI) shipyard in Portland, Ore., on May 30 on schedule and within budget, after a major improvement project. In recognition of CGI’s efforts, the AMHS Vessel operations manager, Captain Jack Meyers, presented Bruce Dummer, senior V.P. of Finance, with an oversized replica of a $14,000 incentive check in a ceremony at the yard just prior to the ship’s departure.

With offices in key locations at the world's busiest cruise ports, the Subsea Solutions Alliance can be at the scene of an emergency repair on a moment's notice. If a repair happens to be one that requires more diver technicians than are available at one location, additional personnel are then brought in from the other Alliance members. While the relationship between Miami Diver, All-Sea and Trident spans 15 years a formal alliance was not established until earlier this year. According to Kevin Peters president of Miami Diver, there was no doubt in his mind that the alliance would not have been an immediate success. "Because of this venture, we now have more locations and more trained personnel to serve the cruise industry," Peters said.

USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) successfully completed sea trails Nov. 16 and 17, following a 68-day selective restrictive availability (SRA) maintenance period. During the two-day underway period, Blue Ridge Sailors cycled through a series of tests and drills to ensure the ship and crew are ready for sea. Blue Ridge deck department participated in several evolutions designed to keep their seamanship skills sharp. They conducted line-handling evolutions, an anchorage exercise, and small boat training. Chief Boatswain’s Mate (SW) Russell Townsend, deck department leading chief petty officer, said his Sailors did an excellent job during the underway period. “We didn’t have to knock any rust off our Sailors,” Townsend said of their performance.

almost unheard-of. maritime rule. back out to sea for another 5-7 years of ocean exploration. Point headquarters in December 2002. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Southern New England to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. classrooms. year," Albatross IV Commander Michael S. interview. happens once or twice in a ship's lifetime." According to Cdr. contributed to the Albatross IV's unusual longevity. must. occurred in 1988. Proposal (RFP). competing for this job," recalled SENESCO MARINE President Bob Jarvis. NOAA to do business with the growing company. contributed to the SENESCO MARINE choice. factor, but location is important as well. with their families during the half-year repair process. wonders for morale, but it also helped reduce NOAA's costs.

Most research ships don't live to see there 40's, and to approach 50 is very rare indeed. But the Albatross IV is quite an exception to this rule. Today, thanks to a recent overhaul at SENESCO Marine's (formerly SENESCO) repair facility in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, the vessel is back at its home base in Woods Hole, Mass., preparing to head back out to sea for another 5-7 years of ocean exploration. SENESCO Marine began its a overhaul on the Albatross IV at the company's Quonset Point headquarters in December 2002. Launched in 1962, the Albatross IV is the second oldest in a fleet of 15 research vessels used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Most research ships don’t live to see their 40’s, and to approach 50 is almost unheard-of. But the Albatross IV is quite an exception to this maritime rule. Today, thanks to a recent overhaul at SENESCO’s repair facility in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, she is back at her home base in Woods Hole, Massachusetts preparing to head back out to sea for another 5-7 years of ocean exploration. The Southeastern New England Shipbuilding Corporation (SENESCO) began its a major overhaul on the Albatross IV at the company’s Quonset Point headquarters in December 2002. Launched in 1962, the Albatross IV is the second oldest in a fleet of 15 research vessels used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The paint department at Pascagoula, Miss.-based Ingalls Shipbuilding has developed an innovative method of accomplishing business in surface preparation and painting process — saving the U.S. Navy on ship upkeep and maintenance. The main premise here is reaching a goal of improving the life cycle of all Ingalls-constructed destroyers. "We have started a new process of cleaning and painting the assemblies before we stack them on top of one another," said paint foreman Tommy Vick. "Now we can reach almost all surfaces, even those we cannot see or reach with hand tools. The extension of a ship's life cycle involves a new procedure consisting of a new abrasive medium. "We replace Black Beauty with Bar Shot in the process of cleaning assemblies," said paint foreman Jon Evans.