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June 2005
e-dition |
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Welcome to our new format
This
May/June (and almost July) newsletter has a new look, new
format, and a new e-mail delivery system – and is more “wordy”
than normal due to the time period covered. The NC Marine
Trades Services is a statewide program of the NC SBTDC (www.sbtdc.org/services/marine_trade.asp)
and we are making this change to bring a more professional
look and continuity to our newsletters. Your comments are
welcome as we transition.– Mike Bradley, editor |
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Coastal
Boating Guide available
Coastal North Carolina marinas and tourism agencies should be receiving
the 2005-2006 Coastal Boating Guide from the Department of
Transportation. If your marina or tourism agency has additional
requests for maps (or additional cases), contact Joan
Dark (DOT) toll-free at 877-368-4968. Identify your facility
and need. If your marina information needs to be corrected, e-mail
Mike Bradley.
Project funding, politics, strong citizen and media involvement,
federal and state collaboration, and specific marine-industry lobbying
has kept this issue alive and in front of the appropriate legislators
- both State and federal. A copy of a "North
Carolina-focused" letter from Rosemary Lynch of the Atlantic
Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) provides a summary and
update of the money, effort, and politics.
Simple and inexpensive might actually work! The results of water testing and efforts by David Flagler at NC MARTEC and several folks from the NC Division of Water Quality (including Ed Beck) point to an inexpensive solution that seems to work. It results in power wash waste water that apparently can be used for lawn irrigation and possibly even be placed back into municipal waste treatment systems.
Marine
business recruitment update
North Carolina continues to have marine businesses knocking on
our door and kicking our tires. We are currently working with about
40 marine companies (boat builders and product manufacturers) and
beginning to understand the draw and the criteria that these companies
use to decide in favor of North Carolina. What are the key factors
that seem to tip relocation in our direction?
Read
More...
North Carolina boat construction products, material, and services will have an important and growing presence at the October 19-21, 2005 IBEX (International BoatBuilders' Exhibition & Conference at http://www.ibexshow.com) tradeshow in Miami.
NC Marine Trades Services' Mike Bradley will attend the Marine Aftermarket Accessory Trade Show (MAATS) from July 20-22 and work with North Carolina exhibitors and buyers (and potential NC exhibitors and buyers), helping them network and establish buying and selling relationships. If you plan to attend and want to arrange a meeting at the show, contact Mike Bradley. For show information, visit www.nmma.org/maats or e-mail Kathleen Clickett.
Marina Day (August 13, 2005) is being promoted by the Association of Marina Industries (AMI) and is an annual nationwide celebration of the role America's marinas play as gateways to boating and as stewards of the environment. NC Marine Trades Services is one of this event's national supporters and encourages marina participation. For information, visit www.marinaassociation.org/nmd/home.cfm.
Marine
Training Center (MARTEC) opens
Carteret Community College officially launched its job training
center for marine trades on June 9th during a meeting of more than
50 marine industry representatives.
Read
More...
COA
boat building/marine technologies program begins
Boat building and marine industry proponents in the seven-county
region of the College of the Albemarle (COA), along with college
officials, are actively involved in setting-up and funding boat
building, marine trades, and marine business training support. In
addition, COA is offering product and materials buying assistance,
including a trade association and a new buying group, the Affiliated
Marine Manufacturing Group (AMMG). Contact: Teresa
James, Dean, Dare County.
ADA
compliance workshops slated
The specifics times and facility locations are being worked out, but the dates are as follows:
- Charlotte - Tuesday, Sept. 20
- New Bern - Wednesday, Sept. 21
- Wilmington - Thursday, Sept. 22
We will soon provide additional information from our http://www.NCwaterways.com
home page. These workshops will be free and sponsored by the AMI
and the Access Board as well as the SBTDC Marine Trades Services.
Why should you attend?
Read
More...
Southport
Marina - Added to growing list of non-public marinas?
A flurry of calls from boaters, marina interests, and media representatives is focusing on the apparent conversion of the state-owned Southport Marina to a private condo marina. If true, this continues a trend that concerns boaters and waterfront municipalities up and down the entire east coast.
This problem: the loss of boat repair and service facilities for
transient and local boaters and the loss of publicly owned slips
for short-term (and long-term) public use. This topic is the fodder
for dozens of boater's forums and blogs. North Carolina has lost
more than a dozen private but publicly operating service marinas
in the past year. The Southport marina may be the first non-privately
owned North Carolina facility to convert. See the Wilmington
Star News article June 24th, 2005 found on www.starnewsonline.com.
Two
companies expand in eastern North Carolina
Two new businesses — Gregory Poole and Bausch American Towers
— are projected to employ more than 70 at their new sites
near Beaufort.
Read
More...
Rep.
McIntyre honored for role in waterways dredging
The National Marine Manufacturers Association selected NC Representative Mike McIntyre as this year's recipient of its Admirals Circle Award for drawing national attention to the importance of funding for dredging projects. This was a part of the American Boating Congress held in Washington, DC in May.
OSHA
fire standards to change?
NMMA is asking that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) use the same fire protection standards as does the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in its regulation of boat and composite manufacturing plants. Currently, OSHA uses NFPA guidelines from 1969, which make little sense in today's boat manufacturing plants. The adoption of NFPA standards by OSHA would reduce complexity and make it easier for NMMA member companies to comply with federal requirements and result in substantial savings to their businesses.
SOURCE: NMMA InterPort
newsletter
Highway
bill conferees meet/determine fate of boating tax
The NMMA is calling upon its member companies to contact the conferees of the highway bill and urge them to support reauthorization of the Wallop-Breaux Aquatic Resources Trust Fund. They are asking that the wording maintain the language in the House version of the bill that recaptures 4.8 cents and sends it back into the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund as well as keeping the Senate language that reauthorizes Wallop-Breaux while protecting the complicated funding formulas agreed upon by all boating and fishing stakeholders.
SOURCE: NMMA InterPort
newsletter
"Nexus"?
Word may mean NC boat builders pay additional tax
Boat builders that export boats or even provide warranty or other
services to those boats in other states may be exposed to demands
from those states for sales income tax payments.
Read
More...
