Winter fleet repairs underway at Bay Shipbuilding

STURGEON BAY - The winter repair season has begun at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding with 16 vessels from the Great Lakes bulk carrier fleet in for winter repair. The vessels include five 1,000-foot bulk carriers, eight medium-size ships between 600 and 700 feet long, and three tugs.

The scope of the repairs is as wide as the variety of ships at dock. The repairs include vessel repowering from steam propulsion to diesel; steel and piping repairs; bulkhead renewals; machinery inspection and repairs; exhaust scrubber installation; painting; and, regulatory inspections, according to a news release from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

The shipyard's recent expansion allows the company to provide services for a variety of vessels, the release said. The three-acre expansion to the now 55-acre shipyard included new manufacturing buildings and additional computer-aided manufacturing equipment. The shipyard is equipped with a 7000-ton floating dry-dock and two graving docks.

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The repairs are time sensitive, said Todd Thayse, Fincantieri vice-president and shipyard general manager.

“We have a very robust lineup of vessels that need to be ready to sail around mid-to-late March,” Thayse said.

“Our workforce here at FBS is well prepared for this yearly challenge, as many of these seasoned professionals have more than 20-years experience," Thayse said. "In fact, many have worked before on building some of the same vessels we now have in for repair. Our management team is focused on customer satisfaction, and we employ all of our assets on a 24-hour, seven-day week basis to ensure that we meet the critical deadline of each ship.”

In addition to the heavy schedule, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has six vessels under construction that will operate as articulated tug barge units. They are scheduled for delivery in 2017 and 2018.

Liz Welter: 920-743-3321, ext. 4114, or liz.welter@doorcountyadvocate.com; on Twitter @welter_liz.