Owners, yards and class team up on safety at Ship Repair USA

Credit: Shutterstock/Paullawat

At this year’s Marine Log’s Ship Repair USA conference attendees will gain critical insights into one of the most pressing challenges in the maritime repair sector: aligning safety practices and regulatory compliance across multiple stakeholders. The session, “Bridging the Gap: Owners, Yards & Class on Safety,” will bring together leaders from shipyards, vessel operators, and a classification society for a candid, solution-focused discussion on how to streamline safety strategy and regulatory readiness.

Moderated by Grady S. Hurley, partner at maritime law firm Jones Walker LLP, the panel includes:

• Guillermo Calderon, Business Development Manager for North America, ABS
• Brett Wolbrink, EVP & COO, Conrad Shipyards
• Steve Monson, Shipyard Contract Manager, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock
• Josef Vlach, VP Compliance & Emergency Management, James Marine Inc.

With ship repair projects often involving overlapping jurisdiction from the Coast Guard, OSHA, classification societies, and internal yard policies, coordination is more crucial—and more complex—than ever. The panel will address how different entities work together from vessel arrival through project completion to reduce operational risk and avoid compliance pitfalls.

Key topics include:

• Integrating HSE (Health, Safety & Environmental) expectations between shipyard teams and vessel crews
• Joint safety inspections and communication strategies to reduce confusion and prevent incidents
• Managing confined space entry and hot work on inactive vessels
• Building proactive relationships with regulatory bodies and preparing for surprise inspections
• Navigating updates to ABS rules, OSHA standards, and future requirements for LNG and spaceport-support vessels
• Mitigating safety impacts from labor shortages while onboarding new, less experienced workers

The discussion is expected to generate practical takeaways for both shipyard managers and vessel operators, with a strong emphasis on cross-functional planning, proactive compliance, and adapting safety protocols in a time of regulatory evolution and workforce transition.

Ship Repair USA is the only national event focused exclusively on the needs of small to mid-sized shipyards and their clients. In addition to this session, the two-day agenda features expert-led panels on maintenance strategies, technology upgrades, and infrastructure development.

The final Early Bird discount ends Friday, May 16.

EXCLUSIVE TOUR

New in 2025, attendees will also enjoy a special guided tour of the Empire State VII, the first National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV), hosted by cadets from SUNY Maritime College. The state-of-the-art training vessel will be docked nearby and open for a limited number of attendees.

Early registration is strongly encouraged to secure a spot on the Empire State VII tour and take advantage of discounted rates. Sponsorships and exhibitor space are still available.