The Shipyard Services Authority has moved forward with upgrades at the government owned facility while it continues to monitor challenges faced by the US purse seiners fleet that are “beginning to take a toll on the Shipyard’s operational strength,” according to shipyard chief executive officer Moefa’auo William ‘Bill’ Emmsley.
The plight of the US fishing fleet based in American Samoa and securing federal assistance to strengthen the local canneries competitive edge are the prominent issues Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga had raised in Washington D.C. where he is attending several meetings including the National Governors’ Conference.
REPAIRS
Last year, the shipyard was awarded $940,000 in Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funding for procurement of equipment and supplies needed to restore the 3,000-ton slipway, the shipyard’s top revenue generator and the territory’s only provider of dry-docking services.
The slipway will be restored to meet required tuna fisheries and maritime industries standards making this project of high economic development value and a priority for the territory as a whole, according to the US Interior Department’s Office of Insular Affairs in announcing the CIP award.
Asked about the status of the slipway project, Moefa’auo said the project “is making good progress” adding that a couple of weeks ago shipyard crews “successfully replaced the old, worn-out and unsafe ‘backing-chain’, which was accomplished by underwater divers, marine engineers and machinists, unfurling the 1,300 ft. chain and re-splicing it back to the main hauling mechanism.”
Moefa’auo explained that the ‘backing chain’ allows the main hauling unit to remain taut and free from entanglement without which it would dangerously derail the slipway from its tracks during normal operations.
As to the other major components — i.e. rollers, main girders, cross beams, wooden blanks and subsequent phases of the cradle work, Moefa’auo said they’re being currently processed for off-Island procurement and they too will be swapped-out as soon as they arrive.
According to the CEO, the “systematic repair method” used by the Shipyard in the operation is called, “swap-and-go”.
“This approach permits the shipyard to impose minimum downtime to the slipway, which allows it to remain active — at a marginal level — thus, earning some revenues, during intermittent phases,” he said and points that the shipyard is preparing to dry-dock two small size longliners for routine maintenance and minor repairs, at the end of this week.
“Naturally, this delightful news has translated to a small but consequential infusion of ‘cash’ into our depleting coffer,” he said.
FISHING VESSELS
Meanwhile, the US fishing fleet is facing many challenges from last year into 2016, with purse seiners tied up, due to among other things, fishing ground restrictions and the latest challenge — no license issued for the US fleet to fish in Pacific Island Parties (PIP) waters for 2016 under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty.
Asked how these challenges faced by the US fleet are impacting the shipyard’s operations and revenues, Moefa’auo said the “conundrum” affecting the local fishing fleet “is a regrettable turn of events that is also beginning to take a toll on the Shipyard’s operational strength.”
He points out that 90% of the Shipyard’s revenues derive directly from services offered to the fishing fleet and the local maritime industry and with the cloud of “uncertainty” hanging over vessel owners, “their confidence level to engage in major repair jobs is at best tenuous.”
“Thus, any significant disturbance that might throw-off the ‘equilibrium’ of said industries merits concern! While I wish not to raise the specter of trepidation at this time however, we’re monitoring the situation closely, on a daily basis,” he said.
GOVERNOR'S DISCUSSION
Responding to Samoa News inquiries, the governor’s executive assistant Iulogologo Joseph Pereira says the most prominent issues of discussion in meetings the governor has had in DC are raising awareness on the current plight of fishing vessels based in American Samoa as well as securing federal assistance to strengthen the competitive advantage of the two local canneries, which has been summarily nullified by federal policies which include the recent raising of the minimum wage by 40 cents, loss of traditional fishing grounds for the fishing fleet supplying fish to the two canneries, negative impact to the canneries due to certain provisions of the Tuna Treaty, adverse impact on the canneries due to the proposed reduction of import tariffs on canned products imported from the 12 countries that are parties to the Trans Pacific Trade Agreement and the financial implications of having to comply with US Coast Guard Rules and Regulations, as well as complying with other regulatory federal agencies.
“Despite our disappointment with federal policies acting contrary to our efforts to grow our economy and protecting our economic assets, the Governor was pleased with the prevailing sympathetic attitude of the officials of the US Department of State, the US Trade Representative, and off-course the proactive and aggressive support from Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kia'aina,” said Iulogologo. “The Governor is very hopeful that the current negotiations could yield some positive results for our fishing fleet and our canneries.”
“And if this prognosis eventuates, our Shipyard is poised to meet the needs of the fishing vessels which have been sitting idle in the harbor for some time,” Iulogologo said from Washington D.C. where he is accompanying the governor.
Additionally, the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources is currently working on an MOU with the Shipyard for the repair of the smaller fishing vessels and pleasure cruise boats. “The Shipyard is one of our valuable economic assets and we cannot allow it to deteriorate,” he said.