April 4, 2022
Jeff Shepherd is a Port Engineer who has worked for Sause Bros, based in Oregon, for the past 42 years. He was recently at the Vancouver Drydock to oversee the latest round of maintenance work on the Noa and Monterey Bay, liquid cargo barges that primarily transport gasoline and diesel from Burnaby to California.
Over the length of his career, he has been to shipyards across Canada and the United States, where he ensures all regulatory requirements are met. He recalls how he came across the Vancouver Drydock, and why he continues to come back regularly.
“We’ve been bringing our vessels here for a long time, since the late 2000’s. If you can believe it, I discovered VDC by mistake. We were in Burnaby loading fuel when we had an accident,” noted Jeff. That was when he called Vancouver Drydock, and the team was able to complete the repairs the next day.
Bay-class vessels like the Monterey Bay are in high-demand due to their speed and efficiency, which is why staying on-schedule is very important to customers like Sause Bros. “I know I can rely on Seaspan to deliver on-time. More importantly, we’ve built a relationship over the years, and I keep coming back because I know the team can adapt to any challenge.” commented Jeff.
Ad Bertens, Sr. Director Sales, Commercial Repair & Conversion, has been with the Vancouver Drydock for over 6 years. “We understand that for our customers, getting their vessels back in the water quickly is crucial. They put their trust in us and putting them first is our top priority.”
North Vancouver has undergone a series of changes over the years, including the revitalization of the Shipyards District. Like the Vancouver Drydock, the new Shipyards District has strong ties to the rich maritime history of the area, something that the Vancouver Drydock is proud to continue today.
“I enjoy visiting North Vancouver, and a lot has changed since my first visit! There are some pretty incredible amenities, and it’s great that it’s close to the drydock. Now that I’m disabled, I’m still able to get everywhere I need to when I visit. It’s also vital to have repair and maintenance facilities within a busy port – you never know when an accident will take place.”
Both barges are now back in the water and on their way to transporting vital goods to communities on the West Coast.