SIU-contracted companies and Seafarers have a myriad of services, training courses and capabilities at their fingertips. One such benefit for mariners and the companies they work for is the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, which offers the most U.S. Coast Guard-approved courses of any maritime school in the nation.A founding principle of the SIU and its affiliated school, located in Piney Point, Md., is to remain at the forefront of change and advancements in the maritime industry. With this in mind, the center offers state-of-the-art coursework and training in numerous maritime trades, one of which is in the growing field of liquefied natural gas (LNG)—its handling, safety and fire fighting.
In these days of rising oil consumption, its surging prices and the search for alternative energy sources, the LNG industry is growing and LNG now accounts for one-fourth of the types of energy products being used in the world.
Always working to stay a step ahead of industry trends and needs, the Paul Hall Center started LNG coursework decades ago and resumed it in 2005. One of the most comprehensive training courses available at the school is Tank Ship Familiarization/LNG. The course provides a basic knowledge of LNG tanker cargoes and operations as required by the Code of Federal Regulations (46 CFR 13.409). It leads to original endorsement as tankerman assistant (LG) and complies with the amended STCW convention. Topics include hazard communication, safety and fire fighting, cargo piping, valves and pumps, watchstanding, ship mooring, confined space entry, cargo characteristics, tankership characteristics, cargo containment systems and repair materials.
Basic and advanced fire fighting are other comprehensive safety courses conducted at the school, and those classes often are tailored to an individual company’s specific needs. For instance, the school has developed training scenarios to include LNG flange fires and piping system isolation, among many others. Hands-on training for these classes is provided at the Joseph Sacco Fire Fighting and Safety School—and the school stands ready to train companies and seafarers in the burgeoning field of LNG safety. “We have Coast Guard-qualified instructors at the ready,” said school instructor Joe Zienda.
For example, students from nearby Dominion LNG, LP’s Cove Point, Md. LNG facility and terminal, have trained at the Joseph Sacco Fire Fighting and Safety School, part of the Paul Hall Center. According to Zienda, “We have an ongoing program to train Dominion’s folks about LNG in areas such as extinguishers, hand-lines, CPR, fire safety and more.”
From the customer standpoint, Dominion Senior Safety Specialist Terry Cox said, “The instructors’ experience as real fire fighters is a big reason we go to the fire school. We could have gone elsewhere but with the staff’s experience and training that is tailored to meet our needs, we determined that what [the Paul Hall Center] offered was the best way to go.”
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