Mainland Machinery Ltd

Career Profile: Working as a Harbour Master

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harbour master

Career Profile: Working as a Harbour Master

A large percentage of everything you have in your home was most likely shipped over water and at some point, was processed at a harbour. The person responsible for the smooth operation at these ports is the Harbour Master. The simplest way to describe their role is that they oversee the daily operations of a cargo port. However, this does not do justice to the depth and variety of work that they do.

The Harbour Master has the ultimate authority for granting permission for ships to come and go in the port. In order to carry out this important task, the Harbour Master has to become familiar with every aspect of the port including all security guidelines, nautical data, and environmental concerns. This puts them at the center of all operational planning for the port.

Although a large portion of the Harbour Master’s job would be considered administrative work, they will often spend time down on the docks. This is especially true when weather conditions are an issue. It’s also very common for a Harbour Master to work extended hours when traffic at the port is at its peak.

The specific duties of the Harbour Master depend on the size of the port. With a smaller facility, the Harbour Master could actually be the sole employee. This would put them in a hands-on role managing vessel movements. At a larger port, the Harbour Master will work with various management systems to coordinate all the port activities. They need to make sure all the tugs and pilots are up to code and following proper procedures for their specific duties. The Harbour Master is also responsible for maintaining all the safety protocols and managing the pollution and emission controls of the port.

There are thousands of commercial ports all around the globe. Each one of them needs a Harbour Master, which means you could work anywhere in the world. It is vital that you understand the international port regulations of the region you would be working in, and learning the culture will be helpful for creating good working relationships with local employees.

There is a lot of competition to secure a job working as a Harbour Master. Often, a Harbour Master will begin their career with a stint at sea and typically, the person who lands the job will stay in that position for several years. You’ll frequently notice that Harbour Masters have made the transition from ship captain to their current position. Officially, holding the title of master mariner is not required; however, most Harbour Masters have obtained that level of instruction and experience. The good news is that there are many new ports being built that will require the services of a certified Harbour Master.

The International Harbour Masters’ Association is the leading online resource for Harbour Masters around the world. Their online mission statement reads, “With 200 members in 40 countries the Association strives to bring together all those who hold a managerial position in aspects of the control of Marine Operations within a port.” The association provides current information about all harbour regulations. There are links to training facilities, job posts, and nautical information that would be of benefit to anyone in the profession. If you are interested in this type of career visit www.harbourmaster.org to learn more.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Combating Farm Noise Fatigue

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noise fatigue

The Sight and Hearing Association of Minnesota has found that hearing loss can occur from chronic overexposure to loud noise. Noise fatigue is a workplace hazard for many occupations, including farming.

According to several university studies and research compiled by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 75% of all farmers experience some form of work-related noise fatigue and hearing loss. Although mining comes in at number one, farming would be towards the top of the list when it comes to occupations that have a high risk of causing hearing loss.

Here are some of the symptoms to be aware of with hearing loss:

  • Difficulty in understanding what someone is saying;
  • Reduced sound quality;
  • Hearing less overall;
  • Tinnitus, commonly described as ringing in the ear.

Hearing loss is often progressive. This means that farmers exposed to persistent, intense noise could feel the affected of damage later in life. For example, despite upgrading to noise reducing machinery such as cab tractors, hearing loss could still occur due to past exposure. Unfortunately, many farmers feel that the only loud noises they come in to contact with are from the tractors. This is not the case; throughout the day, a farmer is exposed to a variety of noises that could lead to damage.

How loud is too loud? A general rule of thumb is that if you have to raise your voice over the noise of a machine to talk to someone who is just a few feet away, then the machine noise could be at a damaging level. The accepted level of work related noise is 85 decibels; anything louder than this and protective gear should be used to prevent hearing damage.

How do farm noises rate? Consider these decibel levels:

  • Tractor = 74-112 decibels
  • Combine = 80-105 decibels
  • Chainsaw = 77-120 decibels
  • Riding Mower = 79-89 decibels
  • Pig Squeals = 85-115 decibels

Clearly, there isn’t a lot going on during the course of an average workday on the farm that wouldn’t require the need for noise protection. There are many types of protective gear available on the market including noise reduction headphones to ear buds; even small earplugs will provide some level of noise dampening. In order to follow through on using them when needed, the best choice is something you feel comfortable wearing.

Whatever type of safety gear you select, consider purchasing several pairs. By having multiple sets spread across your machinery, you are more likely to remember to use them. Whenever possible, try to go from a noisy environment to a quiet zone to give your ears a rest. The harsh reality is that the hearing loss from the persistent noises that come with the job, is irreversible. Not even hearing aids or surgery can make up for the loss; however, that doesn’t mean you cannot slow down the progression. It is vital that you wear protective hearing gear at all times, your hearing should not be taken for granted.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Crude Discovery Turning Point for Offshore Industry

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crude discovery Crude Discovery Turning Point for Offshore Industry

“The next 12 months could reveal the long-range future of Canada’s offshore industry” 

This headline of a recent article published on Oilweek.com piqued our interested this weekend. With at least two recent finds of significant hydrocarbon in Newfoundland and Labrador waters, and the promise of more on Nova Scotia’s shores, there has been a lot of talk around the future of Canada’s Petroleum industry.

With these recent discoveries, industry leaders and professionals have garnered guesses that the estimates of crude to be found could be even higher than originally thought. The industry is certainly buzzing with the news of the recent crude discovery and many are weighing in on the subject.

To read more on Shell Canada’s geophysical operations and other professional’s opinion on the matter of Canada’s offshore industry future, read the entire article at Oilweek.

 

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Improvements Seen on the Port Productivity Front

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port productivityImprovements Seen on the Port Productivity Front

According to a report just released by the Journal of Commerce (JOC), there is good news when it comes to port productivity. Overall, nine out of the top ten U.S. ports posted improved numbers. Across the globe, there was the same level of improvements for vessel berth performance at the leading international ports.

For the purposes of this study, JOC classified productivity as the average of gross moves per hour, during each specific vessel call. To calculate the gross moves, JOC added up the amount of loadings, unloadings and repositioning performed. That figure is then divided by the number of hours a particular vessel is stationed at the berth. Armed with this information, port operators and vessel companies can pinpoint areas where improvements can be made.

To compile the facts in this report, the JOC used data collected from 17 ocean carriers. These carriers represent up to 70% of the globes total vessel capacity. The data points include the following:

  • Vessel name
  • Terminal name
  • PortCity
  • Port Country
  • Berth Arrival
  • Berth Departure
  • Number of lifts on, lifts off and restows

In total, these figures represent 12,500 vessel’s ports of call throughout the Americas and 63,500 international ship calls between January and June of 2013. However, the improvements did not come as a surprise to industry analysts as the combination of bigger container ships, advanced technology and refined operating techniques all contribute to increased productivity.

A perfect example can be found at the Port of Oakland. Here, crane operators working for SSA Marine, routinely handle 35 to 45 lifts an hour, per crane. This average occurs during the night shift when there is less interference from traffic. As a point of comparison, the dayshift at Oakland has been clocking in an average of 28 to 30 moves per hour.

Another key factor in improving productivity is crane density. Most terminals will utilize the exact number of cranes needed to get a vessel in and out of the port. Usually, that means one crane for each set of 1,000 moves. At a large terminal such as Los Angeles-Long Beach, there could be as many as six cranes working on a single vessel.

In Asia, labor costs are lower, which translates into the ability to operate around the clock, opposed to the normal 16 hour shifts at an American terminal. That is around 50% more work hours than the average U.S. Port. Clearly, it explains how the top 10 most productive ports are located in Asia. These include Qingdao, Ningbo, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Dalian in China and Busan in South Korea.

Although the Asian ports can clock more man-hours, this does not necessarily translate into increased productivity. A review of the compiled data shows that the U.S. ports are on par with their Asian counterparts; welcome news as U.S. manufacturers consider returning some of their assembly plants back to America.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

New Arctic Spill Regulations Coming in 2014

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arctic spill regulationsNew Arctic Spill Regulations Coming in 2014   

The Arctic is an area which can be covered in ice for up to nine months out of the year; plus, geographical conditions cause the region to be dark for three of these months. Even in the summer, there are rough conditions such as high winds, freezing temperatures, fog, and floating ice. All of these contributing factors equal a setting that would be extremely challenging to navigate and operate within, if a major oil spill were to happen.

Thankfully, an incident like the Deepwater Horizon, which took place in the Gulf of Mexico, hasn’t happened in the Arctic. A spill even a fraction of the size of that disaster would have a devastating impact on the Arctic’s marine ecosystem. With the Arctic becoming a valuable region for oil exploration, while having a fragile ecosystem, it is of high importance that rules are set and enforced.

A new set of Arctic Spill Regulations, created by the US Congress, regarding procedures for handling Arctic oil spills is scheduled to be implemented next year. In light of this, a U.S. based, non-governmental organization, the Pew Charitable Trust, has put together a report they hope will serve as a guide for shaping the regulation updates. The suggested guidelines cover a wide range of topics, from the need to develop safer rules for hydrocarbon development in the Arctic Ocean, to emerging technology standards for staging recovery equipment.

The Pew Charitable Trust provides resources to government agencies to help them develop legislation in relation to environmental issues. Their report, Arctic Standards: Recommendations on Oil Spill Prevention, Response and Safety, recognizes the need for oil extraction, but highlights their desire to help facilitate a balance between this type of energy development and the need to protect the environment.

The following are among the suggested guidelines in the Pew report:

  • All vessels, drilling rigs and other support facilities should be designed and built to stand up against the maximum level of ice forces and sea conditions;
  • Any equipment that would be required to contain a spill should be staged in Alaska for easy deployment. This includes machinery such as relief rigs and well-control containment systems;
  • The spill response equipment needs to be strong enough to quickly remove any amount of oil that pollutes ice floats or has become trapped under the ice;
  • Redundant systems should be part of the staged containment equipment. This would pertain to backups of blowout preventers, double-walled pipelines, and double-bottom tanks. Too often, the hard weather conditions would prevent these types of machinery from reaching the region, in the event of a spill.
  • All offshore drilling in the Arctic should be restricted to times when the response system can be operated. In other words, during the most severe times of year, there should be no drilling if spill containment cannot be achieved.

The new regulations for oil and gas exploration in the U.S. Arctic Ocean will be brought up for review in the early part of 2014. As the rules are subjected to legislative scrutiny, undoubtedly, this will generate a fair amount of debate; especially since whatever is decided in the U.S. will have an impact on all other countries.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Tips for Scoring an Entry-Level, Oil Industry Job

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oil industry jobTips for Scoring an Entry-Level, Oil Industry Job   

Before you consider searching for an entry-level, oil rig job, you need to be aware of three vital requirements. You’re going to need a clean driving record, you’ll have to be drug free, and you’ll need to pass a company physical. If you meet these first level criteria, you’re on the right track to pursuing what could become a very lucrative career.

How can you get from the desire of wanting an oil industry job to actually landing a job? Consider these factors:

No Higher Education Required

Working on an oil rig is physically challenging, but you certainly don’t need a college degree to succeed in this type of work. This is a fact that the energy companies looking for workers understand. Often, these companies don’t even have to advertise for job openings as they have a steady stream of willing applicants; which is why they often hire locally. You could submit your resume at any time.  Take any help you can get, if you have a friend already working on a rig, ask them for a recommendation; this could further your chances over that of your competition.

Get a Certification

Although you don’t need a college degree, obtaining certification in certain heavy machinery operations is a good way to prepare yourself for an entry-level position. For instance, you can become certified in the proper way to deliver pipes and pumps and how to run a vac or pressure truck.

Third-Party Employment Agencies

Most of the entry-level jobs on oil rigs are filled by third-party staffing agencies. In other words, you don’t need to visit Shell Oil to get a gig. The big companies aren’t going to bother themselves with hiring the support staff.

Go Where the Jobs Are

As an electrician or plumber, you can pretty much work anywhere. However, when it comes to working on an oil rig, you’ll most likely need to relocate to where the work is happening, even if this is temporary. A little online research can point you in the right direction of the oil rig “hot spots.” Essentially, you need to decide where you want to work. Alberta? Newfoundland? The Gulf of Mexico?

Search the Industry Job Sites

You can start your search at the following online classified job sites:

  • OilandGasJobSearch.com
  • OilCareers.com
  • Rigzone.com
  • CareersinOilandGas.com

Before you pack your bags, searching sites like these can help you narrow down potential cities with available work. You might want to consider an exploratory trip to the work area to make sure it’s a good fit for you. If you apply for a job while visiting, you should be prepared to start right away. Asking for a couple of weeks to “get your stuff together” won’t fly with your potential employer.

Once you’ve landed on a specific city, start searching the area’s local newspapers and enquiring at nearby temp agencies in order to find location specific job opportunities. If you’re lucky, narrowing in on these postings may even present you with an opportunity for the specific site you are hoping to get work at.

Try to find the human resources representative for each company where you’re applying for work. Don’t just send in your resume without a follow up.

If all goes according to plan, your entry-level job won’t be entry-level for very long. You’ll find that most competent workers are promoted within the company. The best way to get promoted is through doing good work and professional networking with your colleagues, peers and managers.

Good luck.

 

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Surviving the Holidays On an Oil Rig

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holidays on an oil rigWe all know that the holidays are a time to spend with family and friends. However, if you’re contracted to work on an offshore oil rig during this time of year, it could mean spending them far from your loved ones. As challenging as this may be, there are ways to ease the holiday blues. Consider these helpful tips for keeping up your cheer while spending your holidays on an oil rig:

  • Be Straight with Your Family: Obviously, you’re going to know if you can’t make it home for the holidays. Share your schedule with your family as soon as it becomes available; this will give them the chance to accept the situation. It will also let them know you’ll be thinking of them no matter how far away you’re working. Of course, if a last minute opportunity comes your way, then the surprise trip home will be all the more sweeter.
  • Stay in Touch: Just because you can’t physically be there for the holidays doesn’t mean you can’t stay in touch. During the holidays, keep the texts flowing. Be sure to share plenty of pictures of your life on the rig. If you have the opportunity, schedule a little face time with a video chat. Even on an oil rig, there will be plenty of technology to let you connect with your family over the holidays; just make sure you work out your time zone issues in advance.
  • Plan for a Second Christmas: There will come a time when you’ll be off the rig and back with your family, so plan for a second Christmas. In many ways, a Christmas in March could be even more fun. You’re sure to have plenty of laughs as you come up with a spring version of a Christmas tree! If possible, it might make sense to squeeze in an early Christmas before you leave for your time on the rig. Either way, locking down a date for an alternative holiday will lessen the sting of you being away, especially if you have younger children.
  • Mail a Letter: We live in the age of instant communication, but when was the last time you sent an actual handwritten letter? Sending a greeting card or letter from your job posting will deliver a personal message that only you can craft. There is something very special about holding a letter or card sent from a loved one; these are the mementoes that will matter years from now. Can you imagine looking for an email in ten years?
  • Make it Count: Just because you’re be away from your family doesn’t mean you’re going to be alone. There will be plenty of co-workers who are in the exact same situation. Why not put together your own celebration with your rig mates? This will be the time to break out the family photos and that box of home baked cookies that arrived in the mail. At the end of the day, you’ll feel a lot better if you’ve had the chance to share some holiday cheer.

Happy holidays!

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Are Your Silos Ready for Your Corn?

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silos readyAre Your Silos Ready for Your Corn?

Are your silos ready for corn storage? It seems that every couple of months there is a bacteria breakout that sends folks to the hospital and causes major headaches for food producers. Among the common culprits of these outbreaks are contaminated lettuce and beef. There isn’t a lot of discussion about corn bacteria, but that could change with this coming harvest. Because of a dip in prices, more farmers are opting to store their corn in the hopes that the value will pick up in the coming months. This is when farmers need to be aware of mycotoxin contamination.

Typically, corn will go into a storage unit retaining 14 percent of its moisture content. However, that content can waver anywhere between 13 and 20 percent. This puts the responsibility squarely on the farmers’ shoulders to monitor the temperature of those silos and stay on top of the moisture levels. Being lax in this regard can lead to swatches of corn that become infected with Penicillium mycotoxins. When left unchecked, a small zone of infected corn can quickly spread through the entire harvest.

Recently, Alltech conducted its yearly Harvest Analysis North America. For the survey, 10 samples of corn and corn silage were collected from Canadian and American farms. According to the results, all of the samples tested positive for multiple mycotoxins; in spite of record rainfalls in these corn producing areas. This has shifted the debate from “will contamination happen?” to “how to control the contamination?”

Many of the American corn samples were taken from the Corn Belt region (located in the Midwestern United States), crops which end up as feed for the major dairy producers. According to the results of the Alltech survey, it would seem that mycotoxin contamination is on par to match the same levels as last year. The zones with the most reported corn silage contamination are found in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Upper Midwest. Among the strains of mycotoxin, the most dominant is Fumonisin. The second and third most prominent strains are Fusaric Acid and Type B Trichothecenes.

In the case of Type B Trichothecenes, many of the farmers have deemed the low levels to be of little risk to the crop. This is all part of the process that every farmer goes through as they asses quality over quantity.

Here are some helpful storage points to keep in mind:

  • Move grain out of trucks and containers within a 6 hour time period: High moisture grain should be moved out of trucks and/or wagons within 6 hours. If you’re drying high moisture corn, make sure it gets into a holding bin with forced air keeping it as cool as possible for the duration of the process. Bacteria can also attach to grain when your sanitation is below par. Make sure your augur wells, pits, and dump stations are cleaned after every use.
  • Aerate the silo or storage containers when it gets warm: When it gets to be 10 degrees warmer inside the silo than outside, you should aerate the grain. If needed, drying fans can be powered up to cool off the grain. The goal is to keep the heat out of the aeration process. It is best to inspect your storage units every 3 weeks. You should also be on the lookout for insects and sprouting at the top of the corn stack.

A little due diligence will go a long way towards protecting your harvest.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Mining the Moon: How Your Mining Job Could Land You in Space

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mining the moonMining the Moon: How Your Mining Job Could Land You in Space

“To boldly go where no one has gone before.”

That could just become your new mantra, as your current mining skills might actually land you in space. With every passing day, the earth’s population increases and the effect is an increasing strain on all of our natural resources. Therefore, it seems the question on everyone’s mind is – will we have enough fuel and minerals to see us through this century?

Some scientists and geologists are saying that private space exploration could lead to mining the moon or beyond, to alleviate the pressure on Earth’s natural resources. Even a passing asteroid could provide an abundance of raw resources and who better to tap into those astral veins than skilled mining operators?

Thanks to fallen fragments from space, scientists are able to determine the mineral components of various asteroids. A single platinum-rich heavenly body could provide more precious metal than what has ever been dug up on this planet. When you consider the vital role that platinum plays in reducing the price of electronics and improving electric circuit boards, then it becomes clear this is a commodity worth traveling into space for.

Far-fetched idea, you say? As it happens, a mining company named Planetary Resources has just been established by some very prominent entrepreneurs. This outer space enterprise was formed as a partnership between former Google executives and famed sci-fi cinema director James Cameron. Teaming with Virgin Galactic, they hope to hitch a ride on one of their sub-orbital crafts. That could be enough to propel a ship beyond earth’s orbit and into the flight path of a passing asteroid. It wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine a mining mission being set up on one of those “rocks.”

Clearly, there will be a whole range of challenges to overcome when mining outer space. New technology and tools will have to be manufactured. And workers will need to train in zero gravity environments just like the astronauts question of who can claim ownership of an astral body.

As all of this is being sorted out, there will be numerous job opportunities for veteran workers who are willing to experiment with new methods and technologies. There will be a need for experienced workers who will be testing the limits of the technologies, including setting up safety standards. Current miners might even have a leg up on being selected for the astronaut training since they are already used to working in extreme conditions, while often utilizing an external breathing apparatus.

Although there might not be an immediate mission to Mars, the company is accepting applications for internships. Planetary Resources has put out the call for a couple of General Space Nuts. The application questions are meant to be taken in fun, with questions like “What name would you give a crash test dummy?” and “Are you a space nut? Prove it!”

All jokes aside, signing up to work with a company like this could present an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a very exciting venture. Remember, in 1961 we barely had a space program. Within eight years, we had landed a man on the moon.

Is mining in space really that far out?