Page 10: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2012)

10Maritime Reporter & Engineering News Founder: John J. O?Malley 1905 - 1980 Charles P. O?Malley 1928 - 2000 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News (ISSN # 0025-3448) is published monthly by Maritime Activity Reports, Inc.118 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010. Mailed at Periodicals Postage Rates at New York, NY 10199 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send notification (Form 3579) regarding undeliverable maga- zines to Maritime Reporter/Engineering News, 118 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010. Publishers are not responsible for the safekeeping or return of editorial material. ©2011 Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. 118 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 477-6700; fax: (212) 254-6271ISSN-0025-3448USPS-016-750No. 8Vol. 74 MemberBusiness Publications Audit of Circulation, Inc.www.marinelink.com MARITIMEREPORTER ANDENGINEERINGNEWS All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers.Gregory R. Trauthwein, Editor & Associate Publisher [email protected] EDITORIALWhile it certainly is true that shipyards large and small, near and far, have been in some form of ?struggle? mode since the financial collapse and lingering stagnation since 2008, as always there are pockets of prosperity to be found and the truly strong shall survive. As most of you know, the pockets of prosperity today reside offshore, as in the offshore energy business. Off- shore technology, more succinctly the evolution of technologies that allow oil majors to more quickly, effi- ciently and cost effectively discover and recover oil and gas, continues to evolve at a rapid rate. With the evolution comes a bigger, stronger and more capable breed of Offshore Service Vessel, such as the first of four GPA 688SC PSV?s designed by Guida Perla & Associates and launched in Brazil from Detroit Brasil Ltd. Regular readers of our pages recognize that August is Maritime Reporter & Engineering News? traditionalShipyard edition, a fitting end to the dog days of summer and introduction to the busier days and months ahead. To that end we present here more than 30 pages of coverage on shipyard activity from around the world, via personal interview with industry leaders and overviews of innovative yard of every conceivable shape and size. In particular, I would like to extend gratitude to Jan Kees Pilaar, Managing Director Blohm + Voss inHamburg, Germany, for taking the time to provide thoughtful insight and commentary to not only his ship- yard?s endeavors, but to the maritime market as a whole. I met with Mr. Pilaar on the sidelines of the Con- necticut Maritime Association?s (CMA) Shipping 2012 back in March, where he agreed to the interview for this edition. Seeing that this is the edition that will distribute at the upcoming SMM 2012 exhibition in Hamburg ? which for those of you have never had the opportunity to attend is hands-down the largest and best ship- building and marine technology show in the world ? it is only fitting that Mr. Pilaar?s interview serves as the informal ?kick-off? to our shipbuilding coverage, starting on page 44. While the vast majority of our shipbuilding coverage is dedicated to commercial matters, contributing editor Edward Lundquist on page 48 provides MR readers with a most insightful view of the National Shipbuilding Research Program, the program by with the Navy and the industry partner for research and the sharing of cost, risk and reward in the never-ending quest to reduce the total cost of ownership. Connie Bowling, the Navy?s NSRP Program Manager, Naval Sea Systems Command , informs MR readers with the story of a roboticwelder created in a basement workshop as a modest NSRP project involving a small business and the Univer- sity of Tennessee. Bowling says four shipyards are now employing the welder for use on the Navy?s DDG 1000, DDG 51, LPD 17, the Coast Guard?s National Security Cutter, and tank barges, and others are purchas- ing the system to introduce at their yards. ?We?ve saved 88% reduction in setup time, 93% reduction in re- moval/disassembly time and 30% reduction in total time on the job. And that?s just the easily measured stuff.? In conjunction with the NSRP story Lundquist was able to visit the Marinette Marine, which has been on a fast-track growth plan in conjunction with its successful bid in the Littoral Combat Ship program, among oth- ers. According to Scott A. Wellens, the company is doubling the size of its physical plan in just a few short years. These are just a sampling of ship construction companies on the move. The historic $33B Canadian Navy ship construction contract has both Irving & Seaspan investing heavily in infrastructure, equipment and people; Vigor Industrial on the West Coast has been a major player in the consolidation of shipbuilding power, is a major player in the burgeoning Alaska market and is set to double its size in the coming five years; and India?s ABG Shipyard ? the largest private shipyard in India ? under the guidance of Maj. Arun Phatak is expand- ing, too, preparing to open a new shipyard in Calcutta, he reports to our Joseph Fonseca in Mumbai. Read about, and better yet, report back to us on your experiences in the current market, for coverage in our pages.MR#8 (10-17):MR Template 8/13/2012 3:07 PM Page 10