News

Eastern Shipbuilding Group awarded contract to construct four escort tugs for Saltchuk Marine

July 8, 2024

PANAMA CITY, FL – Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) has been awarded a contract to construct four new escort tugs for Saltchuk Marine. The vessels will be built at ESG’s Allanton and Port St. Joe facilities, with delivery expected in 2026.

“We are pleased to partner with Saltchuk Marine on this significant fleet renewal project. Our team is dedicated to delivering high-quality, reliable vessels with industry-leading low lifecycle costs that meet stringent environmental standards and support our customer’s missions for many, many years,” said Joey D’Isernia, Chairman and CEO of ESG.  “This contract award is more solid evidence that ESG is able to successfully design and build both government and commercial vessels while remaining highly competent and competitive in both arenas.”

“As the West Coast’s premier tug operator for more than a century, it’s critical that we continue to innovate and provide ship assist services in a manner that prioritizes safety and minimizes environmental impact,” said Jason Childs, Saltchuk Marine’s president and CEO. “The combination of Robert Allan team’s naval architecture and engineering experience and ESG’s proven history of building best-in-class vessels will ensure that we continue to provide our customers with the most reliable service on the West Coast, Hawaii, and Alaska.”

As a premier builder of commercial vessels in the United States, Eastern Shipbuilding Group is renowned for delivering high-quality tugs on budget and on schedule that have the resilience to support operations for decades. Over the past 20 years, ESG has successfully delivered 35 ship assist tugs to satisfied customers. This contract marks the beginning of Saltchuk Marine’s long-term fleet renewal project, with the new tugs set to support West Coast port operations and comply with EPA Tier 4 and California Air Resources Board (CARB) environmental requirements.

VESSEL SPECS:

Customer – Saltchuk

Delivery – 2026

Type – Ship Assist/Escort Tug

Length, overall – 84′-0″ (excluding fenders)

Breadth, moulded – 42′-0″

Depth, moulded – 14′-0″

Draft, navigation – 18′-7″

Accommodation for – 8 persons

Speed, ahead – 12 knots

Bollard Pull, minimum – 95 Short Tons (86.2 MT)

Main Engines – Caterpillar 3516E, EPA Tier 4, 3500 hp (2610 kW) @ 1,800 rpm

Thrusters – Schottel RudderPropeller SRP 510

Hawser Winch – Markey Machine DEPGF-52, 75HP, Single Drum Class II Winch

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About Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) is an American owned and operated shipbuilder with three shipyards on the Florida Gulf Coast. They build world class vessels for national defense and commercial clients, including the U.S. Coast Guard’s Heritage Class Offshore Patrol Cutters. ESG is the largest private sector employer in Northwest Florida and is a 2017 recipient of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Small Business of the Year award. With a portfolio of over 350 vessels and Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) certified systems, ESG is known as one of the most diverse vessel construction companies in the country. www.easternshipbuilding.com

About Saltchuk Marine

The Saltchuk Marine family, with the tugboat as the center of our services, is steeped in a rich and storied history of innovation and service. With a keen use of technology, Saltchuk Marine companies: Foss Maritime, Young Brothers, Cook Inlet Tug & Barge, AmNav Maritime, and Foss Offshore Wind continue to lead the industry in harbor services and marine transportation solutions, with safety and the environment leading our principles. Saltchuk Marine is part of Saltchuk. Saltchuk provides air cargo, domestic shipping, international shipping, logistics, marine services, and energy distribution services throughout North America. Visit www.saltchuk.com for more information.

Carlile Celebrates New Water Treatment System at the Port of Tacoma Terminal

May 23, 2023

TACOMA – Carlile Transportation will soon complete construction of a stormwater-treatment system at its Tacoma freight terminal. The eco-friendly Chitosan-Enhanced Sand Filtration (CESF) system will ensure Carlile remains compliant with federal, state and local regulations. The Tacoma freight terminal supports large shipments of essential supplies transported by vessel to Alaska.

The new system is designed to clean and filter runoff before it reaches surrounding waterways. Carlile and the Tacoma-Pierce Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the new treatment system with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 24.

“We are committed to being good neighbors by doing our part to protect the environment by keeping surrounding communities safe and healthy,” said VP of Freight Operations John Armstrong.

The company has a history of supporting the communities it serves. Carlile supports the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) by donating transportation for a major wood bison restoration project in North America. Additionally, for the third year, the company is donating and will transport thousands of pounds of recyclable waste from the Denali Borough to the Community Recycling Center in Palmer as part of the Zero- Landfill Initiative, a public-private effort to reduce waste at national parks.

“Carlile is dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment in the communities we serve. We are proud to support a program that is helping to restore Wood Bison in North America. Additionally, we are looking forward to taking part in the Zero-Landfill Initiative again this year to help minimize waste in our communities and national parks, said Chief Financial Officer Paul Millwood.

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Carlile is Alaska’s leading trucking and logistics company, with terminals in Alaska, Tacoma, Houston and Alberta. The company providestrucking, ocean, air and rail solutions to connect shippers and supply chains to Alaska.

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.

New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal reaches demolition milestone

January 30, 2023

New Bedford, MA – Demolition continues at the New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal in preparation to support offshore wind projects off Massachusetts and the U.S. Northeast seaboard.

As part of the demolition of the Power Station building, the New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal reached a demolition milestone with the smokestack implosion last Friday morning, January 27.

“There has been a significant amount of work to get us to this point, and we could not have gotten here without the support of the people in the neighboring community and government officials on both the local and state level.  The implosion of the smokestack symbolizes a point of cleaning up this site and transitioning to clean energy,” said Andrew B. Saunders, President of the New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal.

The terminal, slated to open in Spring 2023, will provide storage and laydown areas for equipment and materials, berth facilities for a range of vessels such as crew transfer vessels (CTV) and service operation vessels (SOV) as well as Foss tugs and barges. It will also house new office space for project teams, crew marshaling facilities, workspaces, and a marine coordination center for technicians supporting the Massachusetts Offshore Wind Industry.

“The demolition of the Cannon Street Station marks an important milestone in New Bedford’s effort to become the East Coast leader in offshore wind energy as the new Foss Terminal will be able to serve a variety of maritime support functions. We are rapidly modernizing the Port of New Bedford, and we are grateful that Foss will be a major part of the Port’s future,” said New Bedford’s Mayor Jon Mitchell

“Progress is being made at the terminal and the implosion of the smokestack serves as the milestone as we prepare to serve the offshore wind market,” said Joel Whitman, President of Foss Offshore Wind.  “The repurposing of this facility to support offshore wind has been a vision for many in this community and it is great to see the project continue to take shape,” added Whitman.

(Video courtesy of Anchor QEA)

New Bedford Foss Terminal Opening to Support Offshore Wind

March 23, 2022

New Bedford, MA – The Port of New Bedford will add another base of operations and terminal logistics facility to support offshore wind projects off Massachusetts and the northeastern coast seaboard.

The former Sprague/Eversource site was selected for its proximity to offshore wind blocks located approximately 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket islands. The site will undergo redevelopment over the next year and be renamed the New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal. The terminal, slated to open in March 2023, will provide storage and laydown yards for equipment and materials, berth facilities for tug and barge operations, and host crew transfer vessel (CTV) and service operation vessel (SOV) support services. It will create new office space for project teams and a marine coordination center for technicians involved in offshore wind projects.

Foss is partnering with key local investors of New Bedford’sCannon Street Holdings LLC (CSH) to develop the 30-acre site. Andrew Saunders, local commercial offshore marine industry attorney with Cannon Street Holdings, will serve as President of the New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal.

“Today marks a big day for the Port of New Bedford and the City as a whole,” said Saunders. “The repurposing of this facility to support offshore wind has been a vision for many and it is great to see this project now begin to materialize”.  “This day was the result of a lot of support from the many key local and state government stakeholders as well as industry stakeholders and we would not have gotten to this point without this support.  Both Sprague and Eversource also helped greatly in bringing this day to reality. Thank you to all involved”.

“The New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal is perfectly situated to support offshore wind projects on the East Coast,” said Jason Childs, President and CEO of Saltchuk Marine. “We appreciate the vision of the City and Port of New Bedford and the vital role they are playing in making this project a success,“ added Childs.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell lauded the announcement. “We are thrilled to welcome Foss to the Port of New Bedford. The new terminal will solidify the Port’s status as the East Coast’s leader in offshore wind, complement our fishing industry, and create opportunities for our residents,” Mayor Mitchell said. “I congratulate Andrew Saunders and Foss’s parent, Saltchuk Marine, for their skillful and persistent effort to close this important deal.”

“Congratulations to Andrew, John and Lou at CSH and Foss for acquiring the Sprague and Eversource sites and building a marine terminal there to support the offshore wind companies. Today’s announcement of the acquisition for a new marine terminal brings New Bedford another step closer to realizing the economic and environmental benefits of the offshore wind industry and the city’s role within it. This is an exciting day for New Bedford and the SouthCoast region, and the role our city will continue to play in offshore wind development and renewable energy.” said local State representative Antonio F.D. Cabral (D – New Bedford) whose district includes the property.

“Re-dedication of this local port facility in New Bedford to provide support services for the coming Massachusetts wind renewable industry will provide jobs and economic growth while complementing the existing fishing, shipping and recreational maritime users in the harbor”, said local Representative Bill Straus (D-Mattapoisett), whose district includes both port communities of New Bedford and Fairhaven.  Rep. Straus is the House Chair of the legislature’s Transportation Committee.

“Congratulations to Foss and the City of New Bedford for continuing to build on the momentum that the emerging offshore wind industry is gaining in our community. This project is another opportunity to spur economic development in the region,” said local Representative Christopher Hendricks (D-11^th Bristol).

“The people of New Bedford should be very excited that a private company has decided to make such a huge investment in our community.  This type of private investment in our city should be an example of how important offshore wind will be to our community over the next generations.  Very proud that a native of New Bedford was able to put this all together.  Hats off to Andrew and the team at Saltchuk.” said local State Representative Christopher Markey (D-Dartmouth) of the 9^th Bristol District which includes New Bedford.

“Foss’s investment in New Bedford is a great example of how the emerging offshore wind industry, led by the Vineyard Wind 1 project, can have a meaningful impact on the community,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller.  “The agreement will not only expand Foss’s operations in Massachusetts but also create opportunities for local residents. We’re proud to work with Foss and look forward to the positive effect their presence will have in the City of New Bedford.”

“We are happy that we supported Foss in its development of this terminal as we believe that this is an example of creating added value in the development of offshore wind along the Northeast US coastline. It shows that cooperation, long term relationships and trust between companies and people creates opportunities for multiple parties and leads to local job creation”, said Jan Klaassen, director of DEME Offshore US.

The seller, Sprague Massachusetts Properties, is wholly owned by Axel Johnson Inc. which is a private operating company with a mission to invest in and help grow great industry-leading businesses over the long term. Until mid-2021, Axel Johnson was the majority owner of Sprague Operating Resources with Sprague utilizing the New Bedford facility as a petroleum marketing location. In the near term, Sprague will continue to service the New Bedford petroleum market from its nearby Providence, Rhode Island distribution terminals via truck.

“We’re proud of our continued partnership with the City of New Bedford and the work that has already gone into the waterfront site over the past several years,” said Eversource Executive Vice President for Corporate Relations and Sustainability Jim Hunt. “Redeveloping the property will bring environmentally responsible economic development opportunities to the area as our region becomes a leader for offshore wind, which aligns with our work creating a more sustainable future.”

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held later this year, in conjunction with the One SouthCoast Chamber of Commerce.

Media Contacts:

Mark Grantor

206.448.5868

Andrew Saunders

508.264.6230

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ABOUT FOSS MARITIME

Founded in 1889, Seattle-based Foss Maritime offers a complete range of maritime services and project management to customers across the Pacific Rim, Europe, South America, and around the globe. Foss has one of the largest fleets of tugs and barges on the American West Coast. The company has harbor services and transportation operations in all major U.S. West Coast ports, including the Columbia and Snake River system, Hawaii, and Alaska. Foss offers worldwide marine transportation, emphasizing safety, environmental responsibility, and high-quality service. See www.foss.com for more information.

ABOUT CANNON STREET HOLDINGS

Cannon Street Holdings was established in 2021 to acquire and develop the Sprague/Eversource site into an offshore wind staging facility. Its principals are Louis A. Cabral, John A. Lees Jr., and Andrew B. Saunders. Each of the three principals are local members of the community and bring extensive experience to the project. In Early 2021, the project signed a public private partnership with the City of New Bedford which committed the development objective be focused on an offshore wind staging facility.

ABOUT SALTCHUK MARINE

The Saltchuk Marine family, with the tugboat as the center of our services, is steeped in a rich and storied history of innovation and service. With a keen use of technology, Saltchuk Marine companies: Foss Maritime, Young Brothers, Cook Inlet Tug & Barge, AmNav Maritime, and Starlight Marine continue to lead the industry in harbor services and marine transportation solutions, with safety and the environment leading our principles. Visit www.saltchukmarine.com for more information.

ABOUT EVERSOURCE

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the #1 energy company in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2021 and recognized as one of America’s Most JUST Companies. Celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, Eversource transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas and supplies water to 1.8 million customers throughout Massachusetts, including approximately 1.45 million electric customers in 142 communities, 635,000 gas customers in 110 communities, and 8,700 water customers in five communities. Eversource harnesses

the commitment of approximately 9,300 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles, and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.