HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY TO SEAWARD!!
On February 29, 1972, Ed Wardwell, Gene Daly, Bob Kutzleb, and Bill Searle founded Seaward, Inc. Seaward began as a deep-sea search and recovery (S&R) company and was quickly involved in many pioneering S&R operations, many associated with the Vietnam war effort. The founders proceeded to diversify the company to add manufacturing of large marine fendering and pollution control equipment and systems, as well as an ordnance clearance division, and eventually underwater ship husbandry/hull cleaning services. Ed Wardwell’s words of advice to new managers was, “Tell the truth and have fun!”

From those humble beginnings, Seaward Marine Services has grown and prospered over the past 50 years and has become the recognized leader in Underwater Hull Cleaning. In 2019, Seaward passed the milestone of over 300 million square feet of US Navy hulls cleaned under our U.S. Navy Worldwide Underwater Hull Cleaning contract with U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA 00C5). In August of 2021 Seaward Marine Services was awarded a Worldwide Underwater Hull Cleaning Contract for Military Sealift Command (MSC).

 

​Today, WE all stand on the shoulders of our founders and many others who helped make Seaward what it is today.  

Happy Birthday Seaward!  Here’s to many, many more!!!

 

Seaward Marine Services, LLC mobilized from Norfolk Virginia to Arthur Kill Power Station in Staten Island New York to conduct underwater repairs to the concrete discharge tunnel damage discovered during previous 2017 and 2021 underwater inspections.
 

 The 350-foot-long discharge tunnel walls were cleaned of marine growth prior to repairs utilizing Seawards Submersible Cleaning and Maintenance Platform (SCAMP) to allow identification of damaged areas, proper surface preparation, and execution of the repair plan. Repairs performed on the underwater portions of the North, East, and West walls of the discharge tunnel and support columns included areas of concrete spalling, cracks, and exposed reinforcement bar. All loose concrete material was removed from areas of spalled concrete by use of pneumatic and hydraulic powered chipping hammers. Exposed areas of reinforcement bar with corrosion were surface prepped using underwater grit blasting process prior to coating with Hycote 461 underwater fairing compound and capped with Splash Zone Underwater Epoxy Compound. There were old steel seal plates installed over some voids that had large areas of bare meatal with corrosion and pitting which were surface prepped and coated with Hycote 151 and 461.

Work was completed by Seaward Marine Services Mobile Diving Unit 2 from October 1 through 8, 2021.

 

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has certified Seaward Marine Services, LLC, a Titan company, as recognized service supplier in the field of Hull Gauging.

Seaward Marine Services, LLC was audited by the local ABS senior surveyor to ensure all measures of job performance were performed satisfactorily. The ABS regulations regarding company approval did not differentiate between underwater hull gauging and topside internal dry gauging. Also, there were no preexisting standards for hull gauging by a ROV (remote operated vehicle). This presented a challenge for ABS to certify Seaward. In the end it was necessary for Seaward to be able to perform hull gauging dry internally, as well as underwater with divers and underwater with a ROV. All three processes were able to meet the requirements by ABS and Seaward was certified as the very first company to be certified to perform hull gauging underwater by a diver and with ROV. Seaward would like to thank Moran Towing for use of one of their tugboats as the test and demonstration vessel.

 

Pacific Gulf Marine, Inc. awarded Seaward Marine Services, LLC Norfolk a firm fixed contract to provide all diving services necessary to prepare the SS Flickertail State (T-AKS 5) vessel hull, stern tube, sea chests, and overboards, for long-term lay-up at the James River Reserve Fleet. Work was completed by Seawards Diving Vessel Coastal Pride team at Newport News Virginia Marine Terminal.
 

 Seaward Marine Services, LLC provided diving services in support of cleaning and inspection of the underwater hull, external hull blanking of all sea chest gratings and overboards. Seaward Marine Services designed, fabricated, and installed an external stern tube seal to remain in place during layup. All deck scuppers were cleared and proven clear for layup. Seaward NDT Department provided interior ultrasonic gauging of all sea valve spool pieces and sea chests and underwater ultrasonic testing of a hull breach discovered during cleaning. Seaward established a repair procedure and accomplished subsequent wet welding of a doubler plate to seal the breach. All work was accomplished safely, within the project budget, and timeline between June 15-July 7, 2021 with a two-day return August 12-13 to install final sea chest blanks after ship force system related work was complete. Coastal Pride Dive Team accumulated 1,180 hours of safe dive ops in support of this effort.

 

The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia has awarded Seaward Marine Services, LLC, a Titan company, a firm-fixed-price, Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity contract for underwater hull cleaning services and associated work for the Military Sealift Command’s fleet of ships worldwide.  This contract includes five one-year ordering periods that would bring the cumulative value of the contract ceiling to $24,090,612.
 
Greg Lee, President of Seaward Marine Services, LLC. stated “Seaward is very pleased that we have been awarded this opportunity.  We look forward to working with the Military Sealift Command staff to provide the quality work and performance that Seaward is known for worldwide.”