Material Storage Systems - Introduction

Overview

When new vessels are being constructed or repaired a shipyard will have millions of dollars in material to deal with. In order to operate efficiently, the shipyard must have a good understanding of what stock they have on hand, what has been ordered, and what will be needed in the future. These three stages in material procurement are important because they affect such things as storage, cost, and the sequencing of work. When new ships are being built, material can be purchased in the order that it will be used in the new vessel, but when large batches of plate or structural steel are ordered, it is often more cost effective to procure it in large quantities, sometimes called "mill runs". These purchases can be so large that they may be delivered by multiple semi-trailers or even by rail cars.

For a shipyard to be efficient there it must be clear:
1. what stock is on hand,
2. what has been ordered, and
3. what will be needed in the future.

Large procurements can create storage issues. In some cases, material may be purchased when it is most advantageously priced and then stored offsite for months prior to use. Other times material or equipment must be ordered months or even years in advance if it is of a specialized nature. Managing material is a complex business and there is no "one size fits all" approach.

In this module we will cover the folowing areas:

  1. Storage
  2. Inventory Movement
  3. Stockyards
  4. Stores
  5. Documentation and Tracking
  6. Quarantine Areas

Learning Objectives

At the end of this module you will be able to:

  1. Describe the material management systems that are used to ensure the identification, organization, and quality control of materials.
  2. Apply safe practices and procedures for the removal, retrieval, and storage of material from a vessel or shipyard environment.
  3. Apply problem solving skills to safely move, handle or position loads.
  4. Describe the function, purpose and organization of various material handling zones within a shipyard.
  5. Describe how to check that material received is complaint, in good working order, and in serviceable condition.
  6. Describe how to process damaged or incorrect material following established practices.