Southwest Marine
Southwest Marine is a large industrial marine defense contractor, operating out of San Diego California. As a subsidiary of BAE Systems since 2005, Southwest Marine has played a critical role in the development of advanced defense systems as well as commercial clients with construction and repair for cruise ships, tankers, research vessels and kelp cutters. The company holds the distinction of being one of the leaders in government vessel repair, with work being done on passenger ships, destroyers, and massive carriers.
The San Diego facility is a state of the art shipyard, with the total campus composed of nearly 28 acres. The yard is comprised of 5 piers, totaling close to 2,800 feet of pier repair space. A full complement of on-shore and floating cranes are able to service nearly any hull repair. Additional services include painting, grit blasting, AC/DC repair and installations, structural steel, as well as pipe-fitting and renovation. Southwest Marine, even as adopted by a larger firm, still relies upon the values of business integrity upon which the firm was established. There is a loyalty between management and staff, as well as management and customer that has allowed Southwest Marine to thrive as a shipyard in modern repair and construction. One of the more evolutionary practices initiated by Southwest Marine, is a direct and open dialogue between the customer and the shipyard employees who are executing the customer's repair or transaction. This has allowed for transparency and accountability throughout the company's ranks.
The employees of the yard are committed and hardworking individuals who rely upon customer feedback and concerns so that they can work to their highest abilities every day. These employees are the clear foundation of quality at Southwest Marine, who understand what a commitment to their customers and their job means. Shipyards are dangerous places, and while Southwest Marine prides itself as employer with above-par safety standards, the nature of ship repair and construction certainly lends itself to dangerous circumstances as a daily reality.
Some of these situations are more easily detectable than others. Working with compressed air, gas, and heavy machinery certainly can lead to potentially life-threatening situations and put an emphasis upon proper procedure. However, some situations in which the dangers are not readily apparent to the human eye still exists. One of these is asbestos exposure, which has a tendency to pervade nearly all facets of shipyard work. Knowing where exposure may occur can be helpful in guarding against dangerous inhalation of asbestos fibers. Work that is done in older vessels, particularly in areas near piping, boiler rooms, as well and floor and ceiling tiles is especially prone to asbestos. If you think you might have been exposed in one of these areas, it is important to consult the advice of a physician, as prolonged exposure can have life-threatening consequences.
