Robert Bird Group’s Post

Opportunity

Introduction of Copper Sheathing https://bit.ly/3NREc8K A History of Maintenance Management article by Karl Burnett. Between 1670 and 1700, the Royal Navy installed lead sheets over the hulls of some ships to help preserve them and reduce repairs.

𝐂𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 🔍 𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞-𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘺'𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘌𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘦𝘻 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭. 🔱 As Indian Naval Ships faced movement challenges due to traffic congestion in Mumbai Harbour, Project Seabird at Karwar, was conceptualized as India's largest defence infrastructure project and approved by the Indian government in 1999. #defence 🔱 Covering more than 8000 acres, the facility provides fleet support, maintenance and docking space for 30+ warships, a Naval Air Station (including multiple runways, hangars, housing, ordnance handling areas) and dry berths for ships and submarines. #shiplift 🔱 To guarantee a long design life and ensure maintenance-free durability of the pre-cast and in-situ marine grade concrete, Everdure Caltite was specified throughout all three phases of construction and expansion. Phase one supplied in 2004, followed by phase two from 2015 to 2017, and concluding with the final phase in 2023. 🔱 Everdure Caltite, a Hydrophobic Pore-Blocking Ingredient, is added to the concrete mix for use in marine environments. It specifically protects against chloride ingress. ⚓ Pile Caps ⚓ Service Duct Base & Walls ⚓ Shiplift & Edge Beams ⚓ Support Beams for Shiplift Control Building ⚓ Light Tower Foundations ⚓ Sewage/Oily Bilge Storage Tanks ⚓ Waste Collection Pit ⚓ Dry Berth & Washdown Berth ⚓ Pier 1 ⚓ Pipe Outfalls Please reach out if you would like a full technical case study. #cementaid #concreteadditives #construction

Labor shortages can be mitigated with modern IT processes including a single digital thread for optimized workflows, VR for training, Robotic Process Automation for work packages, track and trace for misplaced inventory, and GenAI to solve challenges such as welding documentation rapidly. The United States ran 55 shipyards in WWII with half of the population but we are still maintaining our nuclear Navy with outmoded processes and antiquated technology. Through modernization and digital transformation, the Navy will gain efficiencies and get these critical national assets back to sea...Or build better and more modern shipyards as our peer competitors do. Either way, our nation must make a capital investment in revitalizing the maritime industrial base or we will soon find ourselves outnumbered, out-gunned, and out-sticked. Then the real supply chain and labor shortage challenges will begin.

While our general's and admiral's pump out glossy Force Design and Navigation Plans...tooting our own horns, China has quietly surpassed us in nearly all sectors of the economy and defense. "China's shipbuilding industry has over 230 times the capacity of the US, according to recent estimates from the Office of Naval Intelligence, representing about 50% of the total global shipbuilding capacity." We better realize that hubris is not a solution...to reclaim our position. While we plan and think in two year election cycles, China is operating, at a minimum, on 50 year cycles. One of the biggest challenges facing our nation is lack of talented skilled craft. For every 5 welders, pipe fitters, fabricators, plumbers, electricians, machine operators....retiring, we are replacing 2. It takes decades to train quality, standards and safety.... China has a long-term sustainable national policy backed by a pipeline and training for skilled craft...we don't. The wake-up alarm is buzzing, we can hit snooze and keep dreaming, or get our chubby butts out of bed and get to work...producing more than just glossy articles for domestic consumption. Otherwise, soon we will be out of Schlitz. https://lnkd.in/ddgAPyVB

Ingalls Shipbuilding, a Division of HII won a $9.6bn deal to construct three San Antonio-class Flight II (LPD 17) amphibious ships and a contract modification for the next America-class (LHA 6) large-deck amphibious ship. This combined procurement — the first of its kind for amphibious ships — begins the construction of LPDs 33, 34, 35 and LHA 10 for the US Navy. https://lnkd.in/ejxgKVN3

This is an exciting opportunity. From my days at Portsmouth in the 70's under Tom Westfall, Bill McDonough, Frank Manganaro, Pat O'Keefe, Chuck Swanson, Ernie Scheider, Pete Higgins and others I was exposed to their creative and motivated leadership on shipyard performance. At the time, SSN 637 class boats were scheduled for a one year overhaul. Two simple and visible things I remember Westfall doing: collaborating with the NRRO Rep for constructive progress and taking on the ship's force work package at no cost add. These moves alone created an atmosphere of relief and motivation, especially for the boat CO and crew. New on-time and early delivery records became common. With only four Navy yards and an excess of requirements for repairs and new construction, it cannot be left for NavSea and the shipyards alone to provide the solution. In my opinion, this is an "all of Navy" challenge to solve, from the highest levels on down. The four Senior Advisors must have active coordinated top-level shipyard and Navy access, support, and reporting responsibility. More thoughts: When boats come in for overhauls, crew members get transferred, go to schools, take leave, and may still have work packages of their own to complete, while maintaining ship safety, supporting yard work and testing. They have families that want to be with them. What demands are placed on the CO and Chief Engineer? No small matters are reactor safety and maintenance. The shipyard cannot solve crew availability issues. Type Commanders and Naval Reactors should have a role in supporting readiness here. Ideally, the shipyard needs unencumbered access to most efficiently complete a well-planned work package. And the crew needs unencumbered access to training and rest. All the while, the reactor and ship's safety must be maintained. I expect qualified manpower shortages will be a factor. What other factors/resources could contribute to an integrated solution to improving shipyard performance? Are there other lower levels of support in between overhauls that can serve to reduce shipyard scope and time? What about tender, repair ship and vendor resources for specific periodic planned availabilities to replace units or assemblies? How do we extend time between overhauls? Whatever solutions may be proposed or enacted, let us not forget the well-being of crew members and their supportive families. We must have a trained and motivated crew to meet the mission. Last but not least, steady advance funding by Congress must be part of the solution. Looking forward to hearing from the great new talent out there in the ED community who daily deal with these performance challenges.

A very good short term course for all who are interested in the Maritime Sector.

Boosting U.S. Navy Efficiency with Commercial Shipbuilding Techniques 🚢🔧 The Government Accountability Office suggests the U.S. Navy could enhance its shipbuilding efficiency by adopting standards from commercial shipbuilders. Implementing practices such as detailed 3D modeling before construction could significantly streamline the Navy’s design and build processes, potentially improving both cost and schedule outcomes for future naval vessels. #USNavy #Shipbuilding #GAORecommendations #CommercialStandards #DefenseIndustry #MaritimeEngineering #OperationalEfficiency #NavalConstruction #MilitaryInnovation #TechnologyAdoption 🔗 GAO: U.S. Navy Could Learn From Commercial Shipbuilders' Standards https://lnkd.in/eK7UUZhS