The November 2026 issue as it reached inboxes on 2 November. The text version follows below, with links to the pages each block covers.
A message from our business manager
Every successful project, every satisfied client and every milestone we reach begins with one thing: people. Without people a business is only a vision or an idea, and in our industry no software can do what our engineers and technicians do on the dock.
Across Australia, and particularly in the marine sector, there is a real shortage of skilled workers, and it reaches both clients and businesses. For a client it can mean a longer wait before work on a vessel can start, and every owner knows how much faster a job moves when three or four technicians are on it rather than one or two. For a business it limits how much work can be scheduled, which means fewer billable hours and more strain on the people we have, at the same time as we try to keep clients happy and our team protected from burnout.
We understand the problem. The focus now is the solution. We have worked closely with Marine Jobs over the years and taken part in Queensland Government initiatives that raise awareness of the trade and invest in pathways into it. Whether someone is a senior high school student or a professional looking for a change, the person we want has the right attitude, curiosity, an eagerness to learn, a team habit and a solution-focused mind. The technical skills can be taught, and at MSA we are committed to guiding people through the qualifications this sector needs. By working together we can build a stronger marine community, and that benefits everyone.
METSTRADE, Amsterdam, 17 to 19 November
Our director and business manager are off to Amsterdam for METSTRADE, the largest marine equipment trade show in the world, travelling as part of the Invest Gold Coast trade mission. Three full days on the floor with the manufacturers behind the equipment we fit and sell, and a first look at what is heading for the Australian market next year.
Is there a product you would like us to look at while we are there, or are you making the trip yourself? Contact us and we will make a time to catch up.
In the workshop: a hydraulic davit crane rebuild
This Besenzoni crane came off a motor yacht at The Boat Works and into our Coomera workshop, where it was stripped to components. All five cylinders, the swivel and the power unit were overhauled and pressure tested, every one of the fifteen hoses was renewed, and the structure came up like new after a repaint by Superyacht Solutions. Craned back aboard, it was load tested to its full 600kg plate rating before sign-off: ready for another season of lifting tenders without a second thought.
Our most watched clip yet
750,000 views, and climbing, for a propeller coming off. That was the clip from our workshop that took off on Facebook in September, and the job behind it was just as satisfying: a shaft and cutlass bearing replacement, with the vessel back in the water in October on fresh bearings and seals.
Love watching the work? Every job clip is on our YouTube channel too, each one titled by the job so you can find yours in seconds.
Related services
Get the next issue by email, in the first week of the month.
Subscribe