Posts Categorized: Hawaii News
Saltchuk Fall Newsletter
November 1, 2024
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Young Brothers Invests Over $45 Million to Enhance Reliability of Interisland Shipping
October 3, 2024
MORGAN CITY, LA – Last week, Young Brothers christened the Kalohi and Nāulu barges, marking a milestone in the more than $45 million investment to enhance the reliability and resilience of the interisland shipping services. Entering service in December 2024, the new barges will provide additional cargo capacity and were designed with advanced technology and features that make it safer and more efficient to load and unload cargo.
The addition of these state-of-the-art vessels – the first new barges in nearly 20 years – is a major step forward in modernizing Young Brothers’ fleet and ensures we are well-positioned to deliver the frequent and reliable interisland shipping service to power Hawai‘i’s economy and connect our island communities,” said Jay Ana, president of Young Brothers.
The Kalohi, a 286-foot-long barge, was designed to serve smaller ports like Kaunakakai (Moloka‘i) and Kaumalapau (Lāna‘i).
“As the only water carrier serving Lānaʻi and Moloka‘i, Young Brothers has a critical kuleana to these communities,” said Ana. “This investment in Kalohi reflects our deep commitment to enhancing the capacity and resiliency of our services moving what matters most for Lānaʻi and Moloka‘i.”
The Nāulu, a 365-foot-long barge, will be the largest vessel with the most cargo capacity in Young Brothers’ fleet. The versatile design enables Young Brothers to transport additional cargo during peak periods and realize significant operational efficiencies in the ease of loading and discharging cargo when volume returns to off peak levels. Nāulu will be homeported in Kawaihae (Hawai‘i Island) and will serve Young Brothers’ four larger ports.
Key Features of the Kalohi and Nāulu Barges
- Ballast technology raises or lowers the vessels in response to changing tidal and ocean conditions, increasing stability, safety and efficiency when loading and unloading cargo in the challenging ocean conditions often present at Young Brothers’ port locations.
- Additional cargo ramps across the barges, giving employees greater flexibility and enabling greater efficiency in safely loading and discharging cargo.
The vessels were custom-designed by Hockema Group, a Washington-based naval architecture firm, and built by Conrad Shipyard, a national leader in the construction of ships for commercial customers and the U.S. governments.
About Young Brothers
Young Brothers, LLC is Hawai‘i’s trusted interisland freight company. Founded more than 120 years ago, Young Brothers is responsible for transporting 100% of all ocean cargo that originates and ends in Hawaiʻi and is the only water carrier to serve Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i. The publicly-regulated company offers 12 weekly sailings between the ports of Nāwiliwili, Honolulu, Kaumalapau, Kaunakakai, Kahului, Kawaihae, and Hilo. More than 400 highly skilled employees move what matters most to Hawai‘i using state-of-the-art shoreside equipment and a fleet of eight barges and eight tugboats, including four fuel-efficient Kāpena-class tugs. Young Brothers is an independently managed subsidiary of Foss and part of the Saltchuk family of companies. For more information, visit www.youngbrothershawaii.com and connect via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Conrad Shipyard
Conrad Shipyard, established in 1948 and headquartered in Morgan City, Louisiana, designs, builds and overhauls barges, dredges, and dredge support equipment, tugboats, ferries, drydocks, liftboats, offshore supply vessels and other steel products for both the commercial and government markets. The Company provides both repair and new construction services at its five shipyards located in southern Louisiana and Texas.
About Hockema Group
Hockema Group, Inc. is an independent, full service naval architecture firm primarily involved in commercial and government projects in various sectors of the marine industry. We provide naval architecture and marine engineering services for tugs, barges, commercial fishing vessels, dredgers, cargo vessels, workboats, passenger vessels and government/military service vessels.
Young Brothers Blesses $1.5M Mooring System to Improve Service for Lāna‘i
April 29, 2024
Lāna‘i becomes first port in the nation to use ShoreTension technology
PORT OF KAUMALAPAU, LĀNAʻI – Young Brothers, Hawai‘i’s trusted interisland freight company, blessed its $1.5 million ShoreTension mooring system, which keeps the barge steady against the dock during inclement weather, at the Port of Kaumalapau in Lāna‘i on Monday. The port becomes the first in the nation to implement this technology, which is utilized in harbors around the globe in countries like New Zealand, Peru and Italy.
“As the only water carrier to serve Lāna‘i, we take seriously our kuleana to provide safe, reliable, frequent and affordable shipping to this rural community,” said Jay Ana, president of Young Brothers. “This innovative mooring system reflects our commitment to enhancing the reliability of service for Lāna‘i so we can safely deliver the goods the community depends on despite rough conditions.”
Adverse weather, such as large swells, harbor surges, and high winds, regularly plague the Port of Kaumalapau, especially in the winter season, and can prevent Young Brothers crews from safely unloading and loading cargo from the barge. When delivery is impossible, Young Brothers regularly attempts recovery sailings at the company’s own expense to ensure Lānaʻi receives its cargo as soon as safely possible.
The mooring system addresses this issue by using a series of four 100-ton bollards and ShoreTension units to manage tension on the mooring lines that safely hold a barge against the dock during dangerous conditions. The ShoreTension units use the energy they store from the barge’s movement to automatically adjust the tension on the lines—loosening or tightening—as needed to keep the barge secure against the dock.
“Improving and modernizing our harbors is a priority,” said Dreana “Dre” Kalili, Deputy Director for the State Department of Transportation – Harbors Division. “We appreciate Young Brothers’ collaborative and proactive efforts to implement the ShoreTension mooring system because it will help ensure the uninterrupted flow of goods throughout our island chain.”
The blessing, conducted by Kahu Saul Kahihikolo, brought together elected leaders, Lāna‘i businesses and community members to mark the occasion.
Beyond the ShoreTension system, Young Brothers continues to reinvest in enhancing its services for Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i. In winter 2024, the company will welcome a state-of-the-art $10 million barge, Kalohi, to its fleet. The 286-foot-long vessel offers more deck space and cargo capacity, ballastable technology to address changing tidal conditions, and five ramps that enable greater flexibility and efficiency for loading and discharging cargo.
Young Brothers Appoints Two New Board Members
April 19, 2023
Grant Chun and Emily Porter join the company’s executive board
PORT OF HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I – Young Brothers announced the appointment of Grant Chun and Emily Porter to its board of directors. Chun and Porter join the board as local business and community leaders who will help oversee Young Brothers’ strategic direction and mission.
“Both Grant and Emily are talented Hawai‘i-grown leaders who bring a new level of depth and vision to our board,” said Jay Ana, president of Young Brothers. “Their unique perspectives and knowledge will help us navigate challenges and seize opportunities as we continue to serve the people and businesses of Hawai‘i.”
From left to right: Grant Chun and Emily Porter
Grant Chun has extensive leadership experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, having held prominent positions at A&B Properties Inc. and the County of Maui. He is the executive director of Hale Mahaolu, a nonprofit dedicated to developing and managing safe, accessible housing and providing supportive services for low to moderate-income seniors, families and individuals in Maui. He has also served on the board of directors for numerous nonprofit organizations, such as A Keiki’s Dream, Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, Maui Economic Opportunity and the Legal Aid Society of Maui Economic Development Board. Grant is an alumnus of the University of Southern California and the University of California, Hastings College of Law (now known as UC Law San Francisco).
As Chief Operating Officer at MacNaughton, a Hawai‘i-based real estate investment and development firm, Emily Porter brings expertise in organizational development, strategic planning, corporate governance, legal and risk management, operations, and corporate social responsibility. She serves on several nonprofit boards, including Child and Family Services, Punahou School, Oahu Transit Services, Inc., and Outrigger Canoe Club. A distinguished alumna of Punahou School, Princeton University, and Harvard Law School, Emily has been recognized as a Pacific Business News Woman Who Means Business and Hawaii Business Magazine’s 20 for the Next 20, among several other honors.
Media Kit (Courtesy of Young Brothers)
About Young Brothers
Young Brothers, LLC is Hawai‘i’s trusted interisland freight company. Founded more than 120 years ago, Young Brothers is responsible for transporting 100% of all ocean cargo that originates and ends in Hawaiʻi and is the only water carrier to serve Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i. The publicly-regulated company offers 12 weekly sailings between the ports of Nāwiliwili, Honolulu, Kaumalapau, Kaunakakai, Kahului, Kawaihae, and Hilo. Around 380+ highly skilled employees move what matters most for Hawai‘i using state-of-the-art shoreside equipment and a fleet of eight barges and eight tugboats, including four fuel-efficient Kāpena-class tugs. Young Brothers is an independently managed subsidiary of Foss and part of the Saltchuk family of companies. For more information, visit www.youngbrothershawaii.com and connect via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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