Engineers from Boston-based Crandall have completed a survey of the ASG shipyard and the Shipyard Service Authority is now awaiting an official report on the status of the shipyard, says the authority’s chief executive officer, Moefa’auo Bill Emmesly.

Moefa’auo first revealed the survey during a cabinet meeting on Dec. 2, saying that officials from Crandall Engineering were due on island to start the certification process of the shipyard.

He later told Samoa News the survey work was completed and three officials had collected data from Crandall. “Now, engineers must sift through and analyze data, then based on the results, generate a report,” he said, adding that he couldn’t provide more information.

During the Dec. 22 cabinet meeting, Moefa’auo said initial word on the survey is that there are some parts of the slipway that are in dire need of repairs, but the official report will provide specific details.

He also said that the shipyard continues to discuss with StarKist Co. the use of part of the land at the shipyard for their operations. He added that some issues pertaining to the ongoing negotiations have been completed — but didn’t elaborate further.

(As previously reported by Samoa News, StarKist is looking for space to build an additional freezer facility and has been in negotiations with the shipyard for use of part of the shipyard land for the facility. Shipyard board chairman Keniseli Lafaele had said the land has been identified for StarKist, but negotiations are ongoing.)

Moefa’auo told cabinet directors that shipyard personnel are working on two outside projects, which would bring new revenue for the yard. One project is welding, fabrication and pipefitting work for American Samoa Power Authority’s new Satala Power Plant, and the second project deals with renovating and sandblasting StarKist Samoa’s tanks on the hills of Atu’u.