Posts Categorized: Caribbean News
TOTE Group’s operating fleets to be certified by Green Marine
April 19, 2023
Jacksonville, FL – TOTE Group, an industry leader in U.S. transportation and logistics, is enrolling its TOTE Maritime Alaska and its TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico fleets in Green Marine, the leading voluntary environmental certification program for North America’s maritime industry.
With a special fleet of roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) cargo ships, TOTE Maritime Alaska serves the maritime route between Tacoma, WA, and Anchorage, AK. Its highly efficient and dependable custom-built cargo ships for this route are part of TOTE’s commitment to Alaska, its communities and environment since 1975.
TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico routes cargo from across the continental United States through Jacksonville, FL to Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean, offering critical services to the islands where reliable delivery of goods and supplies are vital. TOTE introduced the world’s first two LNG-powered containerships in 2015, specifically for this Puerto Rico trade.
“TOTE’s use of alternative fuels such as LNG dramatically reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a tank-to-wake basis, offering a pathway to decarbonization in the shipping industry,” said TOTE Group President & CEO Tim Nolan. “By utilizing the cleanest, most readily available fuel for shipping today and into the future, TOTE is creating positive outcomes for those we serve and the coastal communities in which we operate.”
Green Marine’s President David Bolduc salutes TOTE’s environmental vision: “It is with great pride that we welcome such a sustainability pioneer and leader within our certification program,” he said. “I look forward to us learning from each other’s experience.”
Bolduc also noted that the Green Marine program is a good fit for a multi-faceted company such as the TOTE Group. “We are very pleased with TOTE’s intention to enroll its terminal operations into the certification process in due course,” he said. “Our program is unique in its certification of both ship activities and landside operations.”
To achieve Green Marine certification, TOTE will assess the environmental performance of its operating fleets through key performance indicators that address such issues as greenhouse gases, ballast water discharge, air emissions, oily water, waste management, underwater noise, and ship recycling. The certification process is rigorous and transparent, with results independently verified every two years, and each participant’s individual performance made public annually.
Green Marine Overview
Founded in 2007, Green Marine’s North American environmental certification program is celebrating its 15th year as a voluntary effort by the shipping industry to go beyond regulations. There are currently more than 175 ship owners, port authorities, terminal operators, and shipyard managers throughout Canada and the United States participating in the program. A pivotal element of Green Marine’s success from the outset has been the active support from environmental stakeholders, the scientific community, and governments. Many of the more than 90 Green Marine supporters take part in reviewing and shaping the environmental program. In 2020, Green Marine collaborated with Surfrider Foundation Europe to export the environmental certification program to France and give birth to Green Marine Europe. More details are available at www.green-marine.org.
About TOTE Group
TOTE Group is an industry leader in transportation and logistics, overseeing the deliveries of some of the most trusted U.S. companies with the highly reliable services that it provides to the customers and communities that it serves. Its maritime business line has a team of logistics professionals dedicated to providing shipping solutions for service throughout the Lower 48 to Alaska and Puerto Rico. Its terminals business line provides world-class stevedoring and cargo services. Other TOTE Group services include vessel construction, ship management and top-to-bottom technical consulting for ships that range from cargo to military vessels. As the owner and operator of independently managed operating companies, the TOTE Group upholds four pillars in all its enterprises: safety, customer satisfaction, operational excellence, and colleague experience.
Seaside LNG Acquires LNG Bunker Barge Clean Jacksonville from TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico
February 9, 2023
Polaris and TOTE Services Sign Additional Long-term Service Contracts
Jacksonville, Florida – Seaside LNG announced the acquisition of the liquefied natural gas fueling barge Clean Jacksonville from TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC, a subsidiary of TOTE Group, LLC.
Seaside LNG’s maritime transportation company, Polaris New Energy, has contracted to continue fueling TOTE’s Marlin Class LNG-powered container ships and other commercial customers with its fleet of LNG bunker barges. The Clean Jacksonville recently reached a significant milestone having successfully completed her 300th bunkering at the Port of Jacksonville. 
Seaside now has the largest fleet of LNG barges operating in the United States. “Seaside continues to expand its ability to bring environmentally-friendly LNG to the shipping industry with our partnership in JAX LNG and our investments in growing the LNG barge fleet,” said Tim Casey, CEO of Seaside LNG. “Use of LNG as a maritime fuel delivers substantial environmental and public health benefits by dramatically lowering emissions of NOx, SOx, CO2 and particulate matter. By purchasing the Clean Jacksonville, our team gains not only a new customer and valuable operating partner, but also the opportunity to expand our fleet operations geographically.”
In addition, Polaris entered a long-term contract with TOTE Services, LLC, a separate subsidiary of TOTE Group, to continue serving as the technical manager of the Clean Jacksonville. The Clean Jacksonville complements the bunkering services of Polaris’ 5,500 m3 Clean Canaveral that operates along the coast of the southeastern U.S. and is the largest bunker barge in the Jones Act market. Polaris also has a second 5,500 m3 barge, the Clean Everglades, under construction which is scheduled for delivery by end of 2023.
“TOTE Services’ experience in bringing LNG to the maritime sector is the most extensive in the industry. By working across every aspect, from vessel construction to ship management and technical expertise, we help our customers achieve their business and environmental objectives,” added Jeff Dixon, President of TOTE Services. “We look forward to continuing to operate the Clean Jacksonville safely and reliably for years to come.”
The LNG for Polaris’ vessels is loaded at the Jacksonville dock of JAX LNG, an LNG production facility and joint venture between Seaside LNG and Pivotal LNG.
Saltchuk companies contributed $4.9M to community-building organizations in 2021
June 28, 2022
Giving time, talent, and treasure to the communities that support our employees and businesses is a value the founding members of Saltchuk shared, and one that has become a cornerstone of our family business.
Saltchuk companies provided almost $5M million in grants, in-kind freight transportation, and employee-matching contributions to our communities in 2021.
In 2021 Saltchuk matched employee donations of $231,000 and gave another $2.2 million in cash grants through individual operating companies and Saltchuk Regional Giving Committees in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and Florida/the Caribbean.
Our Regional Giving Program largely returned to its historical focus on youth development and post-secondary education programs after turning our efforts in 2020 on emergent needs such as food security, housing, and healthcare insurance related to the COVID-19 crisis.
Our companies provided $2.5 million in in-kind transportation for emergency supplies, recycling, food bank donations, and other community programs in 2021. Whether focused on health, the environment, social services, the arts, youth, and/or education, Saltchuk companies intend for their gifts to build capacity and resiliency in our communities.
As shareholders, we set a minimum target for community giving to ensure consistency and accountability to our value of giving back. As we reflect on the last year, we want to express our appreciation and gratitude to the communities and employees who support our family of companies. We hope this report provides a sense of ownership and pride, reflecting the values we share and the commitment we as shareholders feel to our communities.
– Saltchuk Shareholders
In 2020, Saltchuk companies gave $4M to the communities we live and work in
November 15, 2021
Giving of time, talent, and treasure in the communities that support our employees and businesses is a value the founding members of Saltchuk shared, and one that has become a cornerstone of our family business.
We are proud that in 2020, during an extraordinary year of challenge for so many, Saltchuk companies provided almost $4M million in grants, in-kind freight transportation, and employee-matching contributions in our communities.
In 2020, Saltchuk matched employee donations of $187,000 and gave another $1.76 million in cash grants through individual operating companies and Saltchuk Regional Giving Committees in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and Florida/the Caribbean. Our Regional Giving Program expanded its usual support of youth development and postsecondary education to include emergent needs such as food security, housing, and healthcare insurance related to the COVID-19 crisis. Our companies provided nearly $2 million in in-kind transportation for emergency supplies, recycling, food bank donations, and other community programs. Whether focused on health, the environment, social services, the arts, youth, and/or education, Saltchuk companies intend for their gifts to build capacity and resiliency in our communities.
As shareholders, we set a minimum target for community giving to ensure consistency and accountability to our value of giving back. As we reflect on the last year, we want to express our appreciation and gratitude to the communities and employees who support our family of companies. We hope this report provides a sense of ownership and pride, reflecting the values we share and the commitment we as shareholders feel to our communities.
– Saltchuk Shareholders
TOTE Named Best Place to Work
August 24, 2021
Recognized as Best Place to Work in both 2020 and 2021
Jacksonville, Fla. — TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico (“TOTE”), a premier carrier in the domestic m
aritime industry, was once again named one of the “Best Places to Work” on the First Coast by the Jacksonville Business Journal. This is the second year in a row that TOTE has received this recognition.
“TOTE greatly values our employees and we’re honored to have again been recognized as one of the best places to work in northeast Florida,” said TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico President Mike Noone. “Thanks to the dedication of our talented, experienced, and diverse team, TOTE’s committed to providing reliable, value-added service for our customers and to contributing positively to the communities in which we live and work.”
TOTE’s dedicated, twice-weekly service from Jacksonville, Fla. to San Juan, Puerto Rico, provides essential goods and cargo on which consumers rely to support their quality of life and most basic needs. Leveraging the world’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled containerships – the cleanest and most advanced in the market today – and other innovative capabilities, TOTE is a maritime leader in safety, service, and sustainability.
“TOTE’s mission is personal, and we take care of our people. We’re committed to a culture that develops and rewards those who do good work. Driven by a focus on our core principles of safety, the customer experience, operational excellence, and our colleagues, TOTE truly is a phenomenal place to be a part of,” concluded Noone.
The Jacksonville Business Journal conducts an annual survey of employees at companies throughout the northeast Florida region to determine which should be recognized as a “Best Place to Work” based on morale, engagement, and tenure. This is the fifth year that Jacksonville Business Journal has conducted the survey and the second time that TOTE has been recognized.
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About the TOTE Group
The TOTE Group includes some of the leading transportation and logistics companies in the U.S. domestic market. TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC, and TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC bring unmatched reliability and service to their respective markets, while TOTE Services, LLC offers crewing and technical services to meet the needs of commercial, privately owned, and U.S. Government vessels. The TOTE Group and its subsidiaries are part of the Saltchuk family of companies. www.toteinc.com