Those don’t need to be JA compliant.
Again that all looks great for welders, electricians and engineers but still not seeing how that is going to lead to long term employment opportunities for Mariners in particular with unlimited tonnage. A few lift boats long term and the CTV’s but the big set up rigs look to be all foreigners. I’m all for it but just don’t see the huge upside for the American Merchant Mariner.
Who are doing the offshore windmill jobs? I’d hop in on that.
Offshore wind is subsidized by US taxpayers and electric rate payers.
Offshore wind must be limited to US flag vessels operating from US ports, installing equipment made in the US.
If Siemens wants to sell equipment in the US, then they should build it here.
If not, we can wait a few more years until GE and Westinghouse are ready to build it in the US.
I’m sure Chouest , and others, could hire wind experienced European naval architects to design vessels to be built in the Chouest shipyards to service the US offshore wind market. I’m sure Aker would be glad to build offshore wind vessels at Philly Shipyard.
If we are going to have taxpayer and rate payer subsidized Offshore Wind in the US, it needs to be an opportunity reserved to US labor
Everyone just has their hand out for those sweet, sweet federal dollars.
What would be better than wind would be nuclear, more energy acre for acre. Wind could be used to suppliment other energy, but I am under no illusions that wind will replace coal fired plants or nuclear ever.
You forgot that the investment and expertise to build and operate the Offshore Wind Farm is also foreign.
Should foreign firms be banned from investing in the US altogether? Does that apply in ALL sectors, or only anything involving maritime activities?
Conversary, does that mean that US companies should be banned from investing abroad?
Should US Mariners be banned from working on foreign ships, or in foreign countries?
Yes, USA is best and deserves everything.
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Vard Marine Inc. is a North American company, with offices in Vancouver BC, Ottawa and Houston:
It is a subsidiary of Vard AS in Ålesund, Norway:
https://www.vard.com/Pages/default.aspx
It is wholly owned by Italian Fincantieri, who also have shipyards in the US that design and build ships for the US Navy:
I’m sure Vard Marine Inc. draw on knowledge and resources from other Vard and Fincantieri companies around the world, but they also know the special requirement that applies for ships under US flag, built to meet Jones Act requirements.
What are the special requirements for Jones Act ships as opposed to U.S flag in general aside from the location of the shipyard?
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Not much on the design I would think, aside from “No imported fabricated steel, or bent plates”.
If there are any other differences, Vard Marine Inc. would know though.
PS> That is the beauty of being part of a multinational company, with branches around the world; they can draw on each other’s special knowledge to meet the requirement of different clients and different rules.
Here is SOV design ready to go:
The Construction vessel designs are constantly changing. As the wind mills are getting heavier and the wind farms have moved to greater depths the Construction vessels designers have been going away from 4- or 6-legged Jackup type ships to DPIII floaters lately:
Most of these designs are available on the market for building at any yard that has the capacity and skills required. (Philly Yard should have no problems)
PS> There are even plans ready for conversion of Drillships to be converted for the purpose:
https://ocean-energyresources.com/2016/11/04/first-conversion-drillship-in-wind-farm-installation-vessel/
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And if anybody are still in doubt that there are opportunities for mariners, incl. those with “big tickets”, in the offshore wind industry, look at what is happening in Europe already.
Big players in the offshore oil & gas industry are getting involved with their big equipment and knowhow:
Can this happen in the US? I don’t know, but maybe some day there will be a change in attitude that enable development along the lines of what is already happening in Europe, China and other places around the world.
Your opinion please.
It’s time for one the big American industrial companies like GE or Westinghouse to buy up a few of the European wind companies, to learn how to build offshore wind projects. The can also send some Americans to Europe for training.
Then they can get easy government financing to build a new Jones Act fleet of offshore wind vessels.
There is no need for the US to be in a hurry to bring European vessels and crews over here. We can wait until there are American crews trained up and new US built vessels to do it.
Actually, I wouldn’t have any objection to half a dozen Jones Act waivers so American companies can buy a few existing European vessels to reflag and get started on construction sooner
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GE has already done that. They bought up a French company (Ahlstrom):
They are now one of the leading manufacturers of large offshore wind turbines:
https://www.ge.com/renewableenergy/wind-energy
Their development and production facilities are still in France though.
The “chicken and egg situation”. Before anybody will commit to build any expensive vessels for a “possible maybe” market.
That make more sense, but initially there need to be enough activity to keep such vessel(s) busy. Meanwhile, foreign flag vessels that transit for individual jobs from Europe will be needed to get the US offshore wind industry started. (Much like the start of the oil industry in the North Sea)
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Let’s just cut the BS from the law and let German/Scandinavian built vessels enter US service. They would be of just as good quality and the US would have quicker access to the already tried and true institutional knowledge of this stuff.
While European vessels would probably be higher quality than US built vessels, it would be bad policy to screw US shipyards and deprive them of the opportunity to build offshore wind vessels.
Again, I would have no problem with Jones Act waivers for the first 6 vessels to be purchased in Europe to get things started.
Also, I would be in favor of government financing for a US shipbuilder to buy a foreign shipyard with offshore wind vessel construction expertise. American shipyard workers could be sent to Europe for training and Europeans could be brought to the US to train Americans.
Let’s be smart about this, but let’s make sure that American workers get thSee offshore wind jobs.
Offshore wind is not competitive with natural gas. It is only possible if Americans are paying higher electric bills and taxpayers are providing government subsidies. It would be insane to do that unless American Mariners, shipyard workers, longshoremen, and other vendors are Geri go the jobs.
It’s unfortunate that US Flag vessels were/are not ready to take advantage of the opportunities right now.
MarineTraffic shows no less than 6 foreign flag vessels working survey and support south of the Vineyard and Long Island.
I don’t know enough about the Jones Act and it’s relationship to offshore wind, but I know what I see on Marinetraffic.
Here is a link to one of the outfits that is currently working in Virginia