The ASG Shipyard Service Authority now has five newly certified “deep-sea divers”, who will not only contribute to their trade but also towards a new and long term vision of the shipyard to establish a “salvage-response” team for stranded and shipwrecked vessels in territorial waters, according to shipyard chief executive officer Moefa’auo Bill Emmsley.

Certification of its “deep-sea divers” is in line with the shipyard quest for “continuance-improvement” for its rigorous campaign to certify all of its tradesmen within its operation, said Moefa’auo.

Shipyard board chairman  Keniseni Lafaele describes having five divers as a “great achievement” and that he is “proud” of them. And if there’s no female among the five, “I’d like to see at least one in the near future.”

As to the importance of certifying the five employee as well as the shipyard’s efforts in certifying all of its tradesmen, Lafaele said this “is part of the shipyard’s workforce development long [term] plan to certify all tradesmen working at the shipyard including divers.”

He also says that God continues to bless “our developments at the shipyard to serve boat repair, renovation and building needs of the territory.”

Moefa’auo added, “Shipyard management has also adopted and actively practiced a Japanese philosophy called, “Kaizen” — or continuous improvement — in its work ethics.”

“Thus, this is just a ‘first-step of ‘a 1,000-mile journey’, with respect to building its core ‘values’ for the organization,” he told Samoa News last Friday.

 “Moreover, divers are an essential element in creating a Salvage-Response Team for stranded and shipwrecked vessels, populating our reefs throughout Territorial waters, without immediate relief — a segment of this operation, the Shipyard, among other things, is keen to undertake,” he said proudly.

Last Friday afternoon at Paradise Pizza was the shipyard’s graduation formalities to “celebrate and embrace this major accomplishment” for the five successful graduates, who “underwent a stringent three-week course, and are certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, under the leadership of board member, chief Kitara T. Vaiau of Aunu’u, according to the shipyard in a news release.

The graduates and now recognized as divers are: Andrew Maloa, hull prevention specialist of Lauli’i; Malologa Talai, marine welder & fabricator from Nu’uuli; Arthur Koloi, marine machinist & fitter from Faleniu; and two divers from Pago Pago - Peter Curry, a marine welder & fabricator and Sinapati Avei, a marine machinist & fitter, according to information provided by the shipyard.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

At a recent cabinet meeting, Moefa’auo said that repair work on the more than 36-year old, slipway, which is deteriorating, has continued and could take two to three months to complete with major needed work.

Repair work has to be put on hold when there are vessels on the slip way for repair, he said and noted that they are waiting for funding from Capital Improvement Projects money to carry out repairs to the ASG tug boats. He said the shipyard will benefit from doing the repair, using skills in the shipyard workforce; and the shipyard will work in collaboration with the Port Administration.

The fiscal year 2017 budget shows that $1 million is allocated under CIP funds to Port Administration for tugboat repairs.