Posts Categorized: International Shipping
Saltchuk names Salazar, Estencion 2024 safety award honorees
August 20, 2024
Saltchuk is pleased to announce the honorees for the 2024 Saltchuk Safety Awards. Nominations received from across the Saltchuk family of companies highlighted incredible stories of safety mentorship, examples of going above and beyond, leading safety culture, and innovating to make operations safer for employees and the community.
The Michael D. Garvey Award for Distinguished Service in Safety is awarded to an individual who displays distinguished service at a Saltchuk company with regard to safety.
Aldin Estencion, 2024 Michael D. Garvey Award for Distinguished Service in Safety
Carlile Hostler Aldin Estencion is the 2024 Michael D. Garvey Award for Distinguished Service in Safety. A daily stretching program started five years ago at Carlile has helped to nearly eliminate soft tissue injuries, but these programs don’t happen without consistent champions. Each morning, Al, a well-respected 18-year Carlile veteran, leads employees at Carlile Transportation in Tacoma, Washington in a series of exercises designed to keep everyone moving safely throughout the day. “Aldin has been a model employee for safety and reliability,” his nominator says. “He continues to be a great asset to Carlile and all of the employees around him.”
The President’s Award for Innovation in Safety is awarded to an individual responsible for an innovative idea that improves safety behaviors or activities at a Saltchuk company.
George Salazar, 2024 President’s Award for Innovation in Safety
Tropical Shipping Senior Cargo Handling (and Hazmat) Specialist George Salazar is the 2024 President’s Award for Safety Innovation honoree. After witnessing a near-miss situation in which cargo wasn’t properly secured on a flatrack container, George took action. “Loading flatracks entails many risks — for the person loading, for the drivers and for everyone on the highway daily,” he said. To ensure safety for all parties, he used a 40-foot shipping container to create a flatrack inspection depot at the Miami warehouse. Inside, he stored tools — chains, cutters, straps, measuring poles and more — that he needed to ensure each flatrack load was secure and would pass inspection. George went beyond just creating the depot, he volunteered to work nights, training a new crew and ensuring processes and safety were consistent across the team.
2024 Honorable Mentions:
- Michael Correa, Mechanic Crew Chief, Aloha Tech Ops
- Sal Griffith, Operations Manager, St. Thomas, Tropical Shipping
- Tomas Merel, Electrician, TOTE Services
- Drew Nanouk, Cargo Agent, Ryan Air
- Hector Rodriguez, Operations Manager & Vessel Planner, Tropical Shipping
- Ronald Rodriguez, Cargo Operations Manager, TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico
- Scott Jason, Manager, Marine Operations, Vineyard Wind, Foss Offshore Wind
- Blair Teddy, Port Captain, Pacific Northwest, Foss Maritime
- Nathan White, Assistant Foreman, TOTE Services
- Donell Wilson, 289 Mechanic, TOTE Maritime Alaska
Congratulations to Aldin and George and thank you to all the 2024 nominees for making Saltchuk companies safe workplaces. This fall, People of Saltchuk will feature the stand-out achievement of the 2024 honorees.
For information regarding Saltchuk’s safety awards program, contact Saltchuk Head of Safety Michiel Versteeg, , or Communications Director, Emily Reiter,
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
Tropical Shipping Enters Suriname Market with Fastest Transit Time
May 4, 2020
Only Eight Days from Florida to Suriname
Paramaribo, Suriname – Tropical Shipping has announced it will serve the Port of Paramaribo with once-weekly sailings beginning May 14. The new eight-day transit will be the fastest service between Florida and Suriname. Tropical will ship everything from small packages to refrigerated cargo, dry goods, building supplies and vehicles. Based in South Florida, Tropical has served The Bahamas and Caribbean, including Guyana, for more than 50 years and added Belize to its ports of call in 2019.
“Moving into the Suriname market is a natural fit for Tropical,” said Tropical Shipping Assistant Vice President Mark Lopez. “It enables us to integrate our Caricom neighbor into Tropical’s network for inter-island commerce and provide an on-time, reliable supply chain to Suriname from the U.S. and Canada.”
Tropical Shipping uses state-of-the-art technology that allows customers to track their cargo for the entire journey, including at sea. Tropical is known for its on-time service and good communication with its business partners, something those customers have come to depend on.
“When you’re in the food business, you need a carrier that’s reliable,” said Willie Hamed, owner of Plaza Extra, one of the largest grocery store chains on St. Thomas and St. Croix. “We need to get fresh produce, meat, milk and other items consistently, and Tropical has provided us excellent service for more than 30 years. If there’s a delay on the mainland, they let us know, so we can plan for that. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
Southbound service to Suriname will depart the Port of Palm Beach every Thursday and arrive in Paramaribo each Friday of the following week. The northbound 11-day service will depart Suriname on Friday and arrive in the U.S. on a Tuesday. Tropical has retained Best Maritime Services as its Suriname agent.
For more information on Tropical Shipping and the new Suriname service, visit: www.tropical.com/news/2020/tropical-shipping-announces-a-new-service-to-suriname
Foss Maritime Joins FEMA’s Response and Relief Operations in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
October 4, 2017
SEATTLE – Foss Maritime Company announced today that it has contracted with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the relief and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.
Three accommodation vessels are being utilized and will serve as floating hotels, providing safe housing and warm meals for responders. With these vessels, Foss will be able to help feed and temporarily house 729 people.
“We have the ability and the commitment to serve the wide range of needs of hurricane victims in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and are prepared to offer additional services, as needed, to FEMA and other federal agencies throughout all relief efforts,” said Will Roberts, Foss CCO.
“For Foss, this type of project is at the heart of what we do. We are glad to do our part to help the families affected by this devastating disaster by enlisting the skills of our finest operators and providing needed equipment,” he said.
Foss has deployed a multiple disciplined team consisting of operations, fleet engineering, project management, safety, marine assurance, supply chain, legal and finance.
Foss sister companies, Tropical Shipping and Tote Maritime Puerto Rico, employ 42 employees in Puerto Rico and 115 in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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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 operates two shipyards and offers worldwide marine transportation, emphasizing safety, environmental responsibility and high-quality service. See www.foss.com for more information.
Tropical Shipping Announces Port Change in Canadian Service
November 22, 2016
Palm Beach, FL: Tropical Shipping is committed to providing the highest quality, on-time shipping services to our customers. Please be advised of the following change to our port operations in Canada.
Effective January 9th, 2017, Tropical Shipping will move its port operations to Halterm Container Terminal in the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia. This move will improve our long term commitment to our customers with improved intermodal connections and terminal capacity designed to meet market demands. Tropical Shipping’s Canadian service will continue to provide a weekly sailing every Monday from the Halterm Container Terminal, Halifax.
Tropical Shipping’s last sailing from the Port of Saint John will be December 27, 2016.
We want to thank the Port of Saint John and Logistec for their valued partnership and excellent service over the past 15 years. The Port of Saint John has been a supporter of Tropical Shipping and we appreciate the relationship.
Tropical Shipping has had a presence in Canada for over 30 years. It is our belief that this strategic move will better align Tropical Shipping now and in the future with the ability to service the Canadian market with the best shipping service to Florida, The Bahamas and the Caribbean. Tropical Shipping will maintain its local office in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Tropical Shipping values the close relationships we have built with our customers throughout our more than 50-year history. Thank you for choosing us as your carrier of choice. For further information, please contact your local sales representative or the Canadian Customer Service Team at 866-767-6576.
Complete contact listings, including telephone and fax numbers and email address information can be found 24/7/365 on our website on the Bookings and Customer Service page – found in the Contact area of our website, www.tropical.com.