For the past three years, Crofton has partnered with the Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy to host 9 students in internships that will prepare them to enter the maritime industry. One of those interns was Kevin Thomas, a Churchland High School graduate, who worked as a deckhand on the Pinners Point in preparation for the 42^nd Annual Norfolk Harborfest Parade of Sail. Kevin wasn’t with us long, as he secured a job in California where he will work on board an ocean-going ship with Chevron Shipping Company. As many industries deal with the challenges of shifting trends in the workforce, the Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy’s (MAMA) program is a welcomed resource that focuses on preparing their students with the skills and knowledge for a successful career in today’s maritime industry. To learn more about the Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy, visit their website at www.mamatrains.com 

  

(Left) Kevin Thomas, MAMA intern, aboard the Pinners Point.

(Right) Sheryl Correia, HR Specialist, speaks to a student at the Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy Career Fair.

Portsmouth native using tugboat internship to launch maritime career.

Earlier in May, Crofton teams completed an exciting project that involved an industry first! The City of Hampton, partnering with Fort Monroe Authority and Youth Sailing Virginia, replaced the current floating pier with a 210’ x 30’ floating pier, which connects to a 185’ fixed pier and a 55’ x 7.5’ aluminum gangway. This robust pier, built to federal ADA standards, is the first to utilize single extrusion 30’ HDPE deck boards. Due to their substantial length, these deck boards required alternative installation methods. Crews incorporated a crane with a spreader bar to handle the boards. HDPE is a long-lasting material and lends to increased strength of the floating dock. The atypical length of the deck boards not only provides seamless aesthetics to the piers, but also helps reduce tripping hazards.  As Mill Creek is essentially land locked by two low bridges, mobilization of equipment and materials proved to be complex. Project equipment, including cranes and barges, had to be transferred from land to water using a trestle constructed of multiple pin barges, steel crane mats and timber crane mats. Kelly Handly, a sailing enthusiast and board member with Youth Sailing Virginia told the Daily Press, “When that pier is built, it will be a game-changer for us”. Congratulations to Clay Backus, Project Manager and team on completing the installation of this brand-new pier that will impact generations to come!

  

Fort Monroe getting Mill Creek Sailing Pier

This spring, Crofton began executing a 10-year rehabilitation project of 40 trash rack guides at Conowingo Dam in Darlington, Maryland. Conowingo Dam has provided clean renewable power to the cities of Philadelphia and Baltimore for almost a century. A truly massive structure, Conowingo impounds the Susquehanna River in northern Maryland and serves as a bridge for U.S. Route 1, stretching 4,648’ long. Early in 2010, Exelon Generation, the owner and operator of Conowingo, approached Crofton Industries to address the significant maintenance task of rehabilitating the forty-four rail systems that provide guidance for the trash racks protecting the eleven intake bays. In 2012, Crofton performed a prototype installation to test the 100’ cofferdam—used to create a dry work environment in areas usually underwater—which is one of the deepest asymmetrical cofferdams ever built or used in the United States. During this process, Crofton was responsible for all engineering, design, and cofferdam installation, dewatering, and maintenance of the confined space once dewatered. The prototype was executed successfully, measured by the fact that not one leak passed the entire 220.55 linear feet of sealing surface. Additional rack guides have been repaired since, and with the installation methodology in place, Crofton has begun the significant task of rehabilitating the balance of the trash rack guides—a total of 40—to be completed over a 10-year period. Two teams, all of whom have undergone high angle rescue training, will remain on site from May through November. During the cofferdam installation, two 6-man dive crews are at work using USN in-water O2 decompression procedures. After the cofferdam installation, two 4-man crews remain for confined space management and rescue. Crofton continues to be responsible for quality assurance on all construction activities and we are excited to contribute to a rehabilitation project of such monumental scope. Thank you to the Crofton team members and other strategic partners who have lent their innovative thinking and dedication to such a unique project!

  

(Left) Installation of one of the 25′ sections of the 100′ deep cofferdam.

(Right) Looking up from inside the cofferdam.

In early February, principal engineer David Mrowiec, P.E. and project manager Josh Will traveled to Puerto Rico to conduct an initial site visit for underwater inspections at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station. Their visit was followed immediately by project kick-off meetings and by February 15^th, crews were on site to begin inspections! The inspection of the Roosevelt Roads facility included 4 piers, about ¾ mile of bulkhead, relieving platforms, moorings, and tie back excavations. During the inspection, contracts were awarded to Crofton for 6 additional facilities– San Juan Cruise Port, Loose Cargo Piers, Break Bulk Wharfs, Navy Frontier Docks, Panamerica Docks, and Isle Grand West Facility —all of which had to be completed (including final field reports) by mid-May. Due to the limited time frame and the new scope of work, Crofton reached out to trusted industry partners. Six additional teams of twenty-two people total were mobilized to Puerto Rico and conducted the additional inspections in just three months. These inspections would normally take place over a 12-14-month period. Technical reporting included identifying deficiencies, recommendations for repairs that add to resiliency, engineering analysis, and construction estimates for repairs. Thank you to David Mrowiec, P.E., Josh Will, the rest of the Crofton team and our strategic partners, for their collaboration and creativity that allowed us to respond to project evolutions with safety, service, integrity, and innovation.