Newsletter summer 2012 number 3
A new image that will refelect our peRsonality Gordon Bain PrEsident
Hello everyone, Our 40th anniversary is the perfect occasion to update our image and promote our company outside the marine sector. Our increasing workforce needs have prompted us to review our promotional and advertising approach. Ocean’s success being directly linked to the competence and ingenuity of its personnel, we believe that it is now time to put the people who make up our team at the forefront. We want a strong and recognizable image to which our customers and the public will adhere. Ocean is more than a supplier of marine equipment; it is a young and dynamic team offering ingenious solutions. Cossette, a communication and marketing agency, has been mandated to create the new image. During the next months, you will see the changes that will better reflect Ocean’s personality, including a new advertising concept and a revamped website.
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ocean industries Performance and innovation
HINGES OUT OF THE ORDINARY Early in June, Ocean Industries manufactured the two major components of the trailing suction hopper dredge: the famous hinges. This non-standard production required a special engineering procedure since we needed to assemble 2 base metals difficult to weld together, Type 4340 steel and two standard 44w carbon steels. Throughout the welding procedure, it was necessary to maintain a minimum temperature of 700°F, really difficult conditions. Immediately after the welding, the parts were completely buried in a big sandbox during 48 hours to cool them off slowly in order to avoid the formation of cracks. This process proved successful as no defects were detected in the parts. Once assembled, the hinges measure approximately 2 m x 1 m. Congratulations to all the team who worked with precision in spite of the uncomfortable conditions!
THE PROGRESS OF THE CONSTRUCTIONS AT INDUSTRIES AND FABRICATION NAVALE Dredge: we are at 97 % completion of the total project. The launch took place at the beginning of July. All the testing and the start-up are done in Quebec, with the delivery scheduled for mid-August. 25 m tug: we are at 10 % of progress. The construction of the 25 m began with the block for the engine room. Then, we move on with the rear block #3 followed by the front block #1. The accommodations and the wheelhouse will be assembled by FNO and transferred by barge to the shipyard in mid September. FNO will also help us with the finishing work. This 3rd Intrepid type tug must be delivered in December. This short deadline represents a big challenge. Barges OC42-OC21 and Uniflottes: the construction of the barges is going well. Ten OC42 should be finished in a few weeks. Eight OC21 units and 20 Uniflottes must be completed in August.
Announcement of the CONSTRUCTION OF the TUNDRA 100 On July 11, Gordon Bain and Jacques Tanguay travelled to the shipyard in order to announce to the employees and the media, the construction of Canada’s most powerful harbour tug. The 27th tug to join Ocean’s fleet will be assigned to the operations of Ocean Remorquage Côte-Nord. The construction of the new TundRA escort tug will be spread out over a period of 9 months with the delivery planned for March 2013. This important project will help maintain the shipyard’s employment level. As you can see on the cover page of this bulletin, the news was received with enthousiasm by the team.
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Ocean remorquage All Aboard
OCEAN FOXTROT IN GREENLAND After a stop in St. John’s, Ocean Foxtrot recently left for Greenland for a contract until the fall season. The Foxtrot will be part of a fleet of 7 support ships which will assist 3 seismic vessels. The latter drag cables behind them for several kilometres and must avoid the blocks of ice or other ships that could disrupt the operations. Enormous efforts by the following teams – fleet maintenance, Quality Assurance, Quality Service, purchasing and Ocean Navigation were made to obtain the certification required for this journey.
RENDEZ-VOUS NAVAL Our harbour tug boats located in the Port of Québec were very busy during the Rendez-vous naval event last June. They assisted 2 German ships, the FGS Emden and the FGS Franckfurt as well as the American ship US WHIDBEY ISLAND. HMCS Kingston also required our services on arrival. Ocean Henry Bain, Bertrand Jeansonne, Ross Gaudreault and Keith Rusby supplied berthing and unberthing services for a total of 12 towing operations.
LAURENTIAN PILOTAGE AUTHORITY We entered in an agreement with the Laurentian Pilotage Authority (LPA) to supply them with a new building for pilots in transit. It will offer accommodations to the pilots during their stay in the Port of Québec while waiting to embark on ships in the direction of TroisRivières or Les Escoumins. This new building will be located at the end of wharf 17 as a replacement for the current one; the construction will begin at the end of August with the inauguration scheduled for next December.
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travaux maritimes ocEan Barges at work
marine equipment This y e a r, O c e a n sp o nso r e d the Tr a nsa t Qu ébec - StMa lo . As a p a r tne r o f the e v e nt, w e sup p li ed ou r barge RADIUM 6 2 5 w hic h se r v e d a s a flo a ting bar i n si de th e Ba ssin Lo uise , fr o m July 1 4 to 2 2 . We a lso p ur c ha se d the P ug w a sh, a b a r ge previ ou sly o w ne d b y Kie w it. It w ill b e o ur b igge st flat- deck barge, m e a sur ing 2 5 0 ’ X 7 2 ’. It w ill p o ssib ly be towed i n Q ué b e c d ur ing the r e tur n tr ip o f the O c e an Foxtrot.
OCEAN DREDGING DSM Our dredging contracts were conducted in an impeccable way! The STQ project for the Isle-aux-Coudres site required no touch ups and was effective at 90 %; 20,000 m3 of sediments were collected in 7 days with La Basque dredge. Congratulations to the team for the excellent work! As for the Federal Government’s project for one of the sections Montreal - Cap-Santé, 15,000 m3 were removed from the sea bed with the help of the Raymond D. and Basque 2 dredges. A single touch up was necessary, which has never seen before by the Canadian Coast Guard since it took over the management of the dredging contract.
RNI - MAINTENANCE The Rosaire, a large capacity mechanical dredge recently acquired, underwent major renovations. In Quebec, Louis Pedneault’s team did steel work on the structure - the accommodations were shortened by 16 feet - to obtain the necessary space to install a new 200 ton Liebherr crane. New electrical equipments (generators, lighting system, and electrical distribution) were installed, as well as the 45,000 lbs hydraulic winches and the wheelhouse on the upper floor. It was towed to the shipyard on June 21 for sanding and exterior painting. Upon the completion of this phase, it will return to Quebec for the loading of the crane and the first tests to check the machinery. Congratulations to all the team for the work accomplished!
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ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT: GREEN MARINE Guy HAmel, ing. JR. Superintendent QA/QC
Concerned with our ecological impact, Ocean joined the ranks of Green Marine in 2008. It is a voluntary environmental program aimed at enhancing the environmental performance of the marine industry in Canada and the United States. This sustainable development program, launched in Quebec City in 2007, quickly gained credibility and popularity for its rigor, relevance, transparency and ability to lead the industry beyond the regulatory requirements. Today, Green Marine has 160 members, among them 67 participants that include shipowners, ports, terminals and shipyards. Participants must complete a yearly selfevaluation and are subjected to a rigorous external verification process, conducted every two years by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance, which validates the reported results. As part of Océan Remorquage’s operations, the targeted environmental issues are: 1. Greenhouse gases 2. Air emissions (SOx and NOx) 3. Oily waters 4. Prevention of spills and leakages 5. Ship Garbage Management Since Ocean Remorquage is certified ISO/ISM, always on a voluntary basis, its issues are systematically treated under the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (ISM). To this effect, the ecological footprint diminishes from year to year by the progressive renewal of its fleet’s vessels and by increasing employee awareness who act as ambassadors towards the preservation of the marine environment.
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Our world ACTUALITÉS
HEALTH AND SAFETY At Ocean, working in a confined space is part of our current activities. We have recently noticed certain shortfalls in regards to the compliance of the policy in place. Here is a reminder: 1. Before entering a confined space, measure the concentration of oxygen and other gases with an updated gas detector. 2. Obtain a permit for work in confined spaces. It must be completed each time someone enters the confined space. The workers and the attendant complete the permit and sign it. 3. Ensure the presence of an attendant and a means of communications to ensure a constant visual or auditory contact. 4. Ventilate the confined space by mechanical means. The ventilation ensures fresh air to workers and the extraction of contaminants generated by the work. 5. During hot work (welding, cutting, grinding), a respiratory protection
and the gas detector in continuous monitoring mode are compulsory. The welding process generates contaminants and consumes oxygen. Furthermore, oxygen cutting, in case of a gas leak, introduces in the confined space a risk of explosion with possible dramatic consequences. The attendant must keep contact with the worker in the confined space at all times, ensure adequate ventilation, control the entrances/exits and quickly initiate emergency procedures if there are indications of an event inside the confined space. Working in confined spaces requires teamwork at all times. It is a routine operation but always dangerous and often fatal. At Ocean, safety is everyone’s business. Claude Duval
Défi employeurs inspirants Ocean takes part in this survey since 2011, formerly named Défi Meilleur Employeur, in order to measure employee satisfaction within an organization such as ours. Over 60 employers participate every year. The Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines, the newspaper Les Affaires and Emploi-Québec participate in the organization of the Défi to promote good management practices within the companies in the Province of Quebec. A 60% participation this year means that many of you took the time to complete the questionnaire. I thank you for your cooperation!
During the next weeks, management will receive the report generated by the Défi. The results will be used to set up a plan of action aimed at improving commitment and well-being within the organization. Because your opinion is important, additional consultations will be held so that some of you may suggest the most pertinent interventions in order to improve your wellness within the company. The Management team is aware that the sustained growth brings along constant challenges and that necessary efforts will be deployed to provide a stimulating work environment for our employees. Mireille Bérubé
MARKETING In order to create the new image introduced by Mr. Bain on page 2, we took time to analyze of our current situation. This exercise demonstrated that we were not known by the population in general, that the people in the marine industry know us well, but especially that we have an extraordinary team. Resourceful and committed personnel sharing the same passion for work well done. We could not have a better foundation on which to build our image. We thank you for showing pride in our company. We really look forward to showing you the results of our collaboration with Cossette which will illustrate our biggest strength: YOU!
In the meantime, I am always happily surprised to hear you speak proudly of our company and your projects. However, I also note that several of you do not always comply with the standards to be used in the presentation of documents, both internal and external. It is essential to adhere to the standards and ensure that all communications are uniform and recognizable for a professional look. In short, the logo must not be deformed; the backdrop must always be white and the text in 10-point Verdana. Vicky Boivin
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NOTRE MONDE ACTUALITÉS
santé-sécurité
DÉFI ENTREPRISES: RUNNING FOR A GOOD CAUSE Carole gOUDREAULT DIRECTOR human resources Manou Bernard and her son Charles who walked 5 km.
OCEAN 2012 Our Athletes
Nearly 2,000 people rosed to the challenge Défi Entreprises last June 10 on the Plains of Abraham in the City of Québec. A walk or a run of 5 or 10 kilometres aimed not only at getting workers to move but also to help the Run for Life organization finance the suicide prevention centres. Roughly 50 employees from Ocean decided to take a step towards good health and take the challenge; employees of all departments, who made a lot of efforts during several weeks. Several were wearing running shoes for the first time, an adventure that allowed them to improve their life habits, but especially to surpass themselves. Others, regular runners, outdid themselves during the event; the Road Runners team, composed of François Côté, Pierre-Luc Iza, André-Philippe Gonthier et Gilbert Dufour, finished 3rd out of 60 teams. We are particularly proud of all those who participated. Now, the objective is to stay motivated. We invite you to continue on this path and participate in the Grand Demi-Marathon of l’Isleaux-Coudres. Ocean will have its team and it is one of our employees who is organizing the event!!!!!!!! (see UPCOMING ACTIVITY for more information).
Upcoming activity Grand demi-maraThon de l’isle-aux-coudres organized by pierre-luc iza Employee of RNI date and time: Sunday, August 4, 2012 Starting at 9:45 a.m. Location: Municipal Park Isle-aux-Coudres 30, chemin de l’Islet www.courseiac.com
Have any comments, suggestions or would like to submit an article? Contact us : rose-marie.hache@groupocean.com or vicky.boivin@groupocean.com
8 René Ouellet at the finishing line.
Pierre-Luc Iza, proud member of the winning team.
Valérie Bellemare after her 5 km run.
All the Défi Entreprises pictures will be made available soon, check your email.