NEWSLETTER WINTER 2012 NUMBER 1
I AM PARTICULARLY PROUD TO PRESENT OUR FIRST EDITION GORDON BAIN PRESIDENT
Hello to all, I am particularly proud to present our first edition of Ocean’s newsletter. Each issue will provide you with the opportunity to get to know our company better and be informed on its major events. With Ocean’s sustained growth, we felt that it was fitting to publish an informative newsletter about our different projects, the realities and the challenges faced by the companies that form Ocean. Photographs and anecdotes will punctuate the newsletter on the various activities having occurred between each publication. This newsletter will be a retrospective of our achievements, of our work’s results. In 2012, Ocean will celebrate its 40 years of existence! A story of lives, of men and women, a beautiful and great story! We will keep you informed on the activities organized to celebrate this event. There is nothing more important in the history of a company than the story of its builders and its teams. I wish all of you lots of pleasure reading this first of a long series of issues. 2
OCEAN INDUSTRIES A BOOMING SHIPYARD
LEAN MANUFACTURING – AN OUTRIGHT SUCCESS Ocean Industries undertook a new continuous improvement program based on the principles of Lean Manufacturing. Last April, three projects were set up by work teams: I Make Room For Myself, I Manage My Steel, I Have The Correct Plan. During the project, I Make Room for Myself, the shipyard underwent a tremendous transformation. The cleaning done during the last months allows for a better view of the workplace, best organization and, most important, improved safety in the workplace. The two other projects are still in process and also yield good results. Congratulations and thank you to all those involved in these projects!
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Since the beginning of the dredge’s construction, a marked improvement in quality principles has been noticed. Preparation work of steel components is done properly, which facilitates assembly and welding of parts. Communication, cooperation and involvement of all members of the production units are the best ingredients for a successful continuous improvement program. By getting the work done right the first time and every time, we guarantee product delivery within budgeted costs and time, which makes for a satisfied customer. Respect of the vessels’ delivery date is crucial in order to start dredging as specified in the Traverse du Nord contract.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE DREDGE – UPDATE As planned, 50% of the project is completed! Here is the list of works in progress: • Construction of 15 steel structures for the hull and accommodations; • Installation of motors and generators for the front engine rooms; • Prefabrication and installation of piping; • Paint jobs of certain compartments; • Assembly of the accommodations’ three levels. The work done at Québec’s workshop has been of great assistance in meeting deadlines. Hatches and accommodations built by RNI, our ship and industrial repairs division, were delivered by three barge trips. In the picture, the shelter built for the front section is now outdoors.
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OCEAN REMORQUAGE WHERE THE ACTION IS
BLAZE IN THE PORT OF QUÉBEC On Friday, November 25, 2011, two tugs were deployed to aid Quebec City’s fire squad during a blaze in one of the Port’s storage sheds located at l’Anse-au-Foulon. Due to the importance of the fire, the danger involved and the size of the building, the tugs Ocean Ross Gaudreault and Ocean Bertrand Jeansonne were called to assist the fire department. Equipped with FIFI 1 fire fighting systems, the two ships pumped water directly from the St. Lawrence River and sprayed it on the burning building. They succeeded in extinguishing most of the fire on the front of the building facing the river.
SALVAGE OF THE MV ORSULA A bulk carrier, the MV Orsula, ran aground in the St. Lawrence River in front of Bécancour on Thursday, December 15. Its cargo had been unloaded, and the ship was on its way to Baie-Comeau. Following the incident, the ship’s owner was ordered to submit a salvage plan to Transport Canada. As soon as Saturday morning, the salvage team went to work. They succeeded in removing the ship from its position and towed it to pier B-4 in Bécancour by the end of the afternoon. The efficiency and professionalism of Ocean’s team ensured the success of the MV Orsula salvage.
BEGINNING OF TOWING OPERATIONS IN SEPT-ÎLES It is for the Cliffs Mining company and with the tugs’ Ocean Yvan Desgagnés and Ocean Raymond Lemay that our harbor towing operations officially began in the Port of Sept-Iles. In fact, Captain Sylvain Desgagnés oversaw the very first manoeuvre this past January 20th: the berthing of the Nisshin Trader at the Wabush wharf. Along with towing activities, Ocean also offers pilotage services through our new company, Ocean Pilotage Côte-Nord.
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This new step in Ocean’s development on the North Shore, which began in 2010 with the transshipment operations for CSL, further demonstrates our commitment to support the Port of Sept-Îles’s dynamic growth.
OCEAN CONSTRUCTION A BUSY WINTER
SHIP AND INDUSTRIAL REPAIR (RNI) Winter is well underway. The ice conditions on the St. Lawrence bring along de-icing operations for ships, water circulation system repairs and ballast water treatment (in cases of contamination by slush from the St. Lawrence River). For the second consecutive year, RNI has obtained wintering contracts for CSL vessels: • RNI’s mobile team has carried out a first contract for works on the CSL Spirit in Halifax and has obtained a second one for the same ship currently berthed in Sept-Îles; • As for the two other vessels, the Atlantic Erie and the Spruceglen, they are currently docked at wharfs located at the mouth of the St. Charles River in Quebec.
WINTER DREDGING For the very first time, Ocean Dredging DSM is conducting dredging operations in January and February. Since the beginning of January, mechanical dredging operations are underway in the Port of Baie-Trinité and the same type of operation is to be performed in Rivière-au-Tonnerre in February. Last November, Ocean Dredging purchased its own bathymetric equipment in order to improve the efficiency of its dredging operations. Thanks to this technology, the team has already completed a few projects, including at the ports of Berthier-surMer and Québec as well as at the Richardson wharf located in the Port of Sorel as well as during the salvage of the ship MV Orsula.
MARITIME EQUIPMENT RENTAL Four construction sites currently use our maritime equipment and will continue to do so throughout the winter season: • David-Laperrière Bridge in Pierreville: two river barges, three sectional barges and two work boats; • Port of Prescott in Ontario: sectional barges and a work boat for the construction of a wharf; • Bridge for the new autoroute 30 in Beauharnois: sectional barges, a river barge and a work boat; • Mooney Bridge in Inverness: a modular floating wharf to continue repair works. CSL also uses our barges for berthing of its ships in the Port of Sept-Îles and last but not least, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has extended the rental of the floating wharf for the Mingan community.
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RESOLUTIONS 2012: WELL-BEING AT WORK
David Côte-Robitaille Evening dispatcher Ocean Remorquage Québec
CAROLE GOUDREAULT DIRECTOR HUMAN RESOURCES
We spend a third of our life at work. In this years’s beginning, we offer five resolutions to increase our well-being at work. 1. Defining priorities Taking the time to stop and define our priorities is essential. We often feel a sense of general urgency. We must therefore learn to manage our priorities and diversify our sources of satisfaction and accomplishment. 2. Being organized Once we have established our priorities, we must learn to make room for them and organize our schedule in a balanced and efficient way. Use your agenda and your lists efficiently and put them in order! The more we live in a mess, the more we feel overwhelmed. 3. Concentrating on one task at a time Avoiding constant interruptions in order to better concentrate requires a certain discipline, but will make for greater efficiency and less stress. We often try to multitask, but we are more efficient when we avoid interruptions. We must learn to do one thing at a time and to finish the task at hand before starting another. 4. Keeping our energy for what is really important Avoid useless stress, perfectionism that drains energy and guilt. 5. Acting instead of reacting When we know what we really want, instead of reacting to the demands of others, we can be proactive, act in a manner that we wish to reach our goals, stay concentrated and let nothing draw us away.
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We hope that these pieces of advice will help you enjoy a good 2012 within the Ocean team!
OUR WORLD NEWS
HEALTH AND SAFETY We want to underline Ocean’s good performance in health and safety at work during the first three months of the year 2011-2012. Statistics clearly demonstrate that the frequency and severity rates of work-related accidents are down. During the first trimester, the severity rate has gone down by 6.44% compared to the previous year and the frequency rate is also lower than in 2010-2011 by 5.09%. We encourage you to continue putting in efforts in order to eliminate, at the source, dangers to the health, safety and physical integrity of each of us. Our common goal is to reduce accidents to their maximum. It is possible to meet this goal by adopting, every day, a safe behavior and by avoiding unnecessary risks.
Some safety advice : • Be wary when walking about winter conditions can increase the risk of falling. • At work, be careful to avoid foreign bodies in eyes and injuries to the back, hands and fingers; In closing, let’s continue to make health and safety a value shared by all at Ocean because health and safety is everyone’s business!
Claude Duval
OCEAN CARES ABOUT YOUR WELL-BEING AT WORK Last spring, Ocean’s management decided to measure employee mobilization by participating in the «Défi Meilleurs Employeurs». 66% of you answered the survey compiled by an external firm, thereby ensuring the confidentiality of answers. The results allow us to compare with other companies and identify our strengths in regards to your commitment and your well-being. We are proud to report that our results are equal to those at the reference group of Canadian businesses and that you are especially approving of the following aspects:
The analysis of the results also allowed us to identify opportunities for improvement specific to each division. Your directors are currently preparing action plans to be deployed in coming months. In order to measure the progression of the mobilization rate since last year, we will participate once again in the «Défi Meilleurs Employeurs» in 2012. We hope that you will be numerous in answering the survey since your opinion is essential in making Ocean a “better employer”.
Mireille Bérubé
• « Health and safety at work count for my organization »; • « My work provides me with a sense of personal achievement ».
MARKETING During 2012, a nice combination of promotional campaign and events will allow us to fully benefit from opportunities related to our 40th anniversary. Our anniversary logo will appear on our business stationery, electronic signatures, advertising and other material all year long. New corporate brochures and a new web site are also planned for 2012. Watch for the calendar of events in the next issue for more information.
Management recently offered employees the opportunity to purchase a new corporate jacket, signed Louis Garneau, for the lump sum $50. This jacket, which retails for over $250, had been skillfully negotiated by Serge Vaillancourt of our purchasing department at a price of $100. Management also wanted to play its part by paying 50% of the coat’s price. The sale was a tremendous success, exceeding all expectations; over 480 jackets were bought by employees for a total investment of more than $24,000 on the part of Management. Many thanks to Management!
Vicky Boivin
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OUR WORLD: AN EXPERIENCED TEAM 2011 SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES Thank you for your commitment and constant efforts; we are proud to have you as our employees. 30 YEARS Emilien Lajoie - Welder-fitter - Ocean Industries Marcel Mailloux – Assistant Manager and Dockmaster - Ocean Industries Lionel Pedneault - Foreman – Ocean Industries 20 YEARS Grégoire Jean - Captain - Océan Remorquage Montréal Noël Lavoie - Captain - Océan Remorquage Montréal Raynald Patry - Deckhand - Océan Remorquage Québec 15 YEARS Dan Blouin – Engineering Officer - Océan Remorquage Québec Charleen Bouchard – Chief Accountant – Ocean Group Bruno Collin – Manager, Towing Operations - Océan Remorquage Trois-Rivières Alberic Gauthier – Chief Operator, Barges - Océan Navigation Serge Genois – Executive Vice-President – Ocean Group Julien Harvey - Welder-fitter – Ocean Industries Martin Jérôme - Deckhand - Océan Remorquage Montréal 10 YEARS Jean-François Bolduc – Welder-fitter – Ocean Industries Paul-André Bouchard – Heavy Equipment Operator- Océan Construction Réjean Boulet - Buyer- Ocean Group Raymond Bourgoin - Machinist - Océan Construction Raynald Collin – Welder-fitter - Océan Construction Martin Côté - Labourer – Ocean Industries Éric Dufour – Welder-fitter – Ocean Industries Richard Dufour –Welder-fitter – Ocean Industries Claude Duval – Safety Practitioner- Ocean Group Michel Frenette - Captain - Océan Remorquage Trois-Rivières Pierre Julien – Executive Vice-President - Qualité et Service Océan Jacques Lachance - Welder-fitter – Ocean Industries Jocelyn Lajeunesse - Superintendent - Océan Construction Frédéric Maltais - Welder-fitter – Ocean Industries Louis Paquin - Captain - Océan Remorquage Sorel Jean-Pierre Périgard - Deckhand - Océan Remorquage Montréal Mario Poirier – Engineering Officer - Océan Remorquage Québec Michel Simard – Engineer Officer - Océan Remorquage Québec Luc Tremblay - Welder-fitter – Ocean Industries Sylvain Tremblay - Foreman - Qualité et Service Océan
« In all things, works leads to experience and experience leads to excellence.» Literal translation of a quote from Daniel Desbiens