Quality Management System News

The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has released the 2024 edition of its Blue Book.The IACS Blue Book is an electronic library of all technical resolutions adopted by IACS as a result of its technical work and remains the core reference work for the Association. It contains all previous revisions of IACS publications and historical data. It is updated and published once a year.It contains:• IACS Unified Requirements which IACS members incorporate into…

Construction has started on a 35m Catamaran for CTM Deher of Guadeloupe in the French West Indies. The Incat Crowther 35 is being built by PT Kim Seah Shipyard Indonesia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore’s publicly listed Penguin International Limited, using Incat Crowther’s Digital Shipbuilding solution, a process that is designed to bring the designer, shipyard and owner together in one cohesive process, from concept through delivery.A feature of Incat Crowther’s Digital Shipbuilding solution is a 3D digital model of a ship…

KR Hellas, a subsidiary of the Korean Register (KR) has been accredited as a quality management system (ISO 9001) certification body, by the Greek National Accreditation Body (ESYD).ISO 9001 is an international standard that stipulates the requirements of a quality management system applicable to all industrial fields and activities, and the certification is awarded by an independent third party to those organizations that meet the specified requirements.KR acts as a comprehensive certification body…

Steve Lykins, President, Mako Industries, discusses the case for investing in Puradigm COVID-19 mitigation and monitoring technology onboard offshore rigs and ships.The creation of Mako Industries, a subsidiary of Mako Oilfield Services, is proof that every storm cloud has a silver lining. “Mako Industries is an interesting company that was spawned as a result of Mako Oilfield pivoting as a result of the downturn in early 2020 and Q1 2020,” said Steve Lykins, President, Mako Industries.

Barry Dreyfus Jr., CEO of United States Marine Inc. (USMI), doesn’t keep the recipe to his company’s success a secret. In fact, it’s displayed plainly for all to see on the homepage of USMI’s website: family, integrity and quality. These have been cornerstones of the 36-year-old firm, today regarded as one of the nation’s premier military small craft builders.Headquartered in Gulfport, Miss., with a maintenance/repair facility in Chesapeake, Va., USMI is a fully integrated manufacturer of military, patrol and special warfare boats available in lengths from 21 feet to 90 feet.

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a member of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) Group, based in Yokohama, has increased production capacity for its marine SOx scrubber system that reduces sulfur oxide (SOx) from the exhaust gas of ships, and begun shipments of the DIA-SOx C Series tower and DIA-SOx R Series tower from partner fabricators in China and Taiwan, respectively. The C Series tower shipped this time is designed to be fitted on LPG carriers and large oil tankers…

Scania USA Announces Expansion of Marine Territory for Distributor, Cascade Engine Center, LLC.As of September 1st, Cascade Engine Center, LLC has been assigned additional marine territory in the West Coast of the United States to include Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah.Cascade Engine Center currently represents Scania’s latest marine platform: 13- and 16-liter engines for auxiliary and propulsion applications; and currently distributes themin Alaska, Gulf Coast, Hawaii, Idaho…

Spanning 35 exciting years, USMI’s core values of Family, Integrity and Quality have served the firm and its military customers well. The next 35 promise to be just as compelling.Little more than one month ago, on April 16, 2019, Gulfport, MS-based United States Marine Inc. (USMI) celebrated its 35th anniversary of continuous Department of Defense production, with hopes of many more years to come. According to CEO and President Barry Dreyfus, Jr., they’ll do just that by exceeding customer expectations by adhering to USMI’s core values of Family, Integrity and, of course, Quality. Over three and one-half decades, the firm has thrived, primarily by evolving into one of the nation’s premier military small craft builders.RootsThe company originally built World Class racing sailboats.

The Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC), recently published two Mission Management System (MMS) Work Instructions (WI):1. CVC-WI-013(2), Initial Towing Vessel COI Inspections Under TSMS Option2. CVC-WI-010(1), OCMI Guidance on Special Consideration for 46 CFR Subchapter M VesselsThese instructions provide guidance to both Coast Guard field offices and the maritime industry on the Coast Guard’s interpretations regarding the application and implementation of regulations…

For a long time there has been a deficit of trained maritime officers in Brazil, as for decades the only accredited training institutes were run by the Brazilian Navy, where a very limited number of prospective maritime deck and engine officers could be trained at its two training institutes in the country. That's all changing now with the Institute of Nautical Sciences (ICN) leading the way.With the discovery of the pre-salt in 2007 and the continued growth of the maritime and offshore sectors, the lack of qualified Brazilian officers became acute. For many years, and even today, most offshore captains and officers are foreigners, while there is a more significant number of local captains and officers in the merchant fleet.

Arcata-based Wing Inflatables, Inc. announced it has recently been awarded two certifications that will help to continue its growth.Wing is now ISO 9001:2015 certified, attesting that the company’s quality management system and the knowledge of its employees have met rigorous international-standard requirements. This designation reflects Wing’s values of continuous improvement, quality processes and products, and customer satisfaction and has opened new markets for the products built on the North Coast.Wing also received a CE (European) boat certification for its P4.2 Craft…

The Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification, the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system.ISO 9001 certification helps organizations ensure they offer consistently high-quality services to the satisfaction of customers, management and employees. It also ensures the continuous improvement of the business.The certification coincides with the launch of the MNTB’s new Center Recognition service, which recognizes quality training centers in the U.K. and abroad with an MNTB kitemark.“The MNTB wanted to prove to the industry that our new Recognition Service is underpinned by strictly controlled quality processes and procedures.

R.W. Fernstrum & Company, a leading manufacturer in marine heat exchangers, received ISO 9001:2015 certification following an audit performed by Verisys Registrars in May. The scope of Fernstrum's registration includes the engineering, design, manufacturing, and sales of heat exchangers for marine and industrial applications. Published by the International Organization for Standardization, ISO 9001:2015 is an internationally recognized quality management system based on a set…

Terry MacRae founded Hornblower Yachts, LLC (doing business as Hornblower Cruises & Events) in 1980, and serves as Chief Executive Officer, the President and is also its owner. MacRae is the Co-founder of HMS Global Maritime and the American Queen Steamboat Company, and serves as Chief Executive Officer of Alcatraz Cruises, LLC, Statue Cruises, LLC, Hornblower Canada Co., Hornblower Cable Cars, Inc. and HNY Ferry, LLC (doing business as NYC Ferry). He leads one of the largest and fastest growing charter, dining cruise, and ferry operating companies in the nation.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) should amend regulations banning the use of asbestos and asbestos containing materials (ACM) in ships, says John Chillingworth, senior marine principal at Lucion Marine. Regulations under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) state that if asbestos is found onboard a ship built after July 2002 then the vessel’s flag registry, in conjunction with its classification society, issues a non-extendable exemption certificate, providing the owner with a three-year window in which to remove the asbestos.

Anything but unconventional, Viega piping products and systems provide uncommon time savings and safer repairs, leading to a better bottom line. The maritime industry, over time, has been unusually resistant to change in many aspects of how it operates. Arguably, the ‘biggest’ advances on the water spanning a five decade period leading up to the beginning of the new millennium could be measured in terms of deadweight tonnage and/or the length of a particular class of hulls. Nowhere is that reality more evident than in the shipyard, and looking at what equipment and hardware is used to build and repair marine vessels – now and in the past. Marine piping systems are a perfect example.

Marine security services company Truston said its Quality Management System (QMS) achieved  ISO 9001:2015 with Design Standard,. Truston partnered the West Virginia Manufacturing Extension Partnership to fine-tune its QMS to include all the enhancements in the latest 2015 standard. Truston leveraged the experience at Smithers Quality Assessments, an accredited quality and environmental management systems certification body, to perform the certification. Truston provides design, fabrication, installation and maintenance services, as well as inspections and repairs. The company's Port Security Barriers (PSB) systems protect waterside assets such as naval vessels and bases, commercial shipyards, LNG terminals, pipelines, oil rigs, nuclear facilities and dams.

A number of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion yards have recently or will soon achieve new ISO certifications as part of an ongoing initiative to standardize operating procedures across the group. Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam (DSAm) and Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen (DSVl) have passed ISO 3834-2 certificate audits. This standard defines rigorous quality procedures for the fusion welding of metallic materials and represents the highest possible accolade in the welding industry. The achievement demonstrates the ability of DSAm and DSVl to undertake the largest refit and conversion projects…

Singapore-headquartered Gaylin, a specialist supplier of lifting, rigging and marine equipment, said it has initiated a plan aiming to reposition its Vietnam facility to address changing trends in the local oil and gas, refining and chemical plant sectors. Under the plan, Gaylin will build on more than a decade of experience supplying slings and shackles to expand the portfolio, creating rental and labor-based revenue streams. Gaylin has five other global hubs in the region—South Korea…

Oceans HQ, a  provider of specialized software to the world’s Maritime Administrations, has signed an agreement to deliver a new digital Vessel Registration system to the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The new digital platform forms a key component of the MCA’s 2016/17 business plan and is critical to its digital strategy which is designed to improve the way it provides a range of services. Oceans HQ has partnered with Thoughtbot London to deliver a modern software solution inspired by its Vessel HQ product, already in operation at a number of Flag States.

Ardent, formed just over a year ago as a merger of A.P. Moller-Maersk’s Svitzer Salvage and Crowley’s Titan Salvage, has been issued the ISO 9001:2015 Certification for its Quality Management System for Preparedness, Emergency Response, Wreck Removal, Decommissioning, and Diving Services by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance. The ISO 9001: 2015 sets criteria for a quality management system, and evaluates organizations with their management approaches and customer focus. “I am very satisfied, and proud that we accomplished this in such a short time.

Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf (DSO) has become the latest Damen ship repair yard to receive ISO 9001:2008 certification, demonstrating that the yard fulfils the requirements of the defined management system standards to consistently provide a high quality service that meets all customer, statutory and regulatory requirements through a process of continuous improvement. This specifically refers to the repair, maintenance, inspection and drydocking of inland vessels, seagoing vessels and other steel constructions.

SafeMARINER, LLC and the ACTion group’s Marine Internal Lead Auditor (MILA) course has been audited by a third-party registrar and is now recognized as the first internal lead auditor course developed specifically for the inland industry and subchapter M. The course has been certified as meeting the ISO 19011 Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems and the ISO 9001 Quality Management System Requirements. The USCG has reviewed the course and determined that it is substantially equivalent to an ISO 9001 course and meets the internal auditor training requirements under 46 CFR 138.310(d)(2). “This course is full of practical hands on exercises for opening meetings…