MSC joins Ship Repair USA this week in New Orleans

Credit: Mass Communications Specialist Seaman Jimmy Ivy III

For a second year in a row, the Military Sealift Command (MSC) will be hosting several presentations aimed at shipyard and ship repair yard suppliers—both OEMs and non-OEMs alike—at Marine Log’s Ship Repair USA conference on June 11-12 in the French Quarter of New Orleans, La.

“MSC relies on the commercial ship repair and marine equipment industrial base to support our ship maintenance and repair requirements,” said Neil Lichtenstein, deputy director ship management, DSMx, for the MSC, who will be moderating Day 2 of the event. “MSC represents a niche industry for Navy ship maintenance and repair, with most of our ships built and maintained to ABS and USCG standards, and with about a 60/40 split between government operated and contract operated vessels. Our government operated vessels must follow Federal Acquisition Regulations contracting rules, but our contract operated vessels follow a different model for those contracts. We are constantly looking to expand the industrial base and are looking for new marine equipment and ship repair partners to support our maintenance and repair needs.”

In addition to panel discussion that focuses on MSC as a ship repair customer, featuring Alabama Shipyard and Bayonne Drydock and Repair Corporation, MSC will also go over:

• MSC ship inventory overview.
• How to contract with MSC and what small business opportunities are available.
• MSC’s maintenance and repair outlook.
• MSC work packages, with requirements and expectations.

Ship Repair USA

This second annual event follows a successful first conference last year, where nearly 250 attendees from across the spectrum of yards, vessel operators, maintenance providers, suppliers, and other specialists.

The agenda will focus on advances in techniques and management practices, meeting environmental and economic goals, proven ways to keep vessels compliant and competitive, case studies on repowers, and more.

Day two of the event will welcome back programming from the Military Sealift Command on how ship repair yards, especially smaller ones, can access its commercial repair work needs among other things. SNAME, an internationally recognized non-profit, professional society of individual members serving the maritime and offshore industries and their suppliers, will also return this year as a partner sponsor.

A cocktail reception and other networking opportunities will be incorporated into the agenda, as well.

“Ship Repair USA 2023 was a huge success and we’re confident we can produce an even better conference in 2024,” said Gary Lynch, publisher of Marine Log. “With our continued program collaboration with MSC, and SNAME partnership, we will, once again, deliver an exceptional experience for senior-level maritime professionals in the ship repair market.”

Registration for the event is still open in addition to sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities.

“I am excited to see how Ship Repair USA evolves as we take the advice of our attendees and our own expertise into this year and beyond,” says Heather Ervin, editor in chief of Marine Log. “We always want the industry to be involved in our programming and networking ideas since this event is truly for them.”

Sponsors

The Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers (SNAME); Core Resources Group; Bardex Corporation; Alabama Shipyard; Bergen Marine Systems; World Wide Metric; Bayonne Dry Dock; Integrity Staffing Services; W&O Supply; Bay Ship & Yacht Co.; All American Paint / Carboline; LGH; SSI; AiT Coatings; Conrad Shipyard; Crowley; Elliott Bay Design Group; EMS Marcon; Gulf Copper; LeBlanc & Associates LLC; PPG; Rigidized Metals; Separator Spares & Equipment; Sewart; The Brass Works Inc.; Tnemec; Tork Systems; CMP Global; Transport Products and Service Enterprises Inc.