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Posts Categorized: Pacific Northwest News

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.

Saltchuk companies contributed $4.9M to community-building organizations in 2021

June 28, 2022

Link to 2021 Annual Report pdf fileGiving 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

 

Download the 2021 Saltchuk Giving Report

Montana-based Fuel Company Joins NorthStar Energy

March 18, 2022

With the addition of CityServiceValcon, NorthStar Energy expands its operational reach into Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Eastern Washington, and beyond.NorthStar logo

NorthStar Energy, a business operating unit of the Saltchuk family of companies focused on the energy sector, announced this week that CityServiceValcon, based in Kalispell, Montana, and with operations in multiple states throughout the Plains, Rocky Mountain, and West Coast regions, will be joining its family of companies.

“Throughout the history of our company, it has always been our vision to grow and expand our business through honesty and integrity, maintain a strong capital foundation, provide a great environment for our employees, and give back to our communities,” said Tim O’Neal, president of CityServiceValcon. “Becoming part of the NorthStar Energy family helps us achieve this vision and we look forward to this partnership.”

CityServiceValcon was founded in 1932 and has a 90-year history of exemplary customer service. The company’s mission is to create a safe and healthy environment for its employees while providing innovative and high-quality products to its customers. As one of the major logistics and delivery industry leaders in the United States, CityServiceValcon touches businesses and residents in 20 states and operates in regions where fuel supply remains fragmented, yet fuel consumption is increasing along with population providing attractive growth opportunities.

“We are excited that CityServiceValcon will join the NorthStar Energy family,” said Bert Valdman, president and CEO of NorthStar Energy. “Our two companies are a strong cultural fit. We align well in terms of operating philosophy and customers served.”

CityServiceValcon is a market leader in fuel distribution across multiple product lines offering wholesale ground and aviation fuel programs from top national brands and independent refiners. Commercial products including propane, proprietary card lock, bulk fuel, and lubricants are distributed from its multiple locations across Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The company serves customer needs in aviation, trucking, agriculture, mining, construction, government, and residential homes. CityServiceValcon’s experienced and long-tenured management team is committed to optimizing the business and has a track record of successful growth.

NorthStar’s current operating companies distribute fuel and lubricants throughout Alaska, Hawaii, and California. Its companies include Delta Western Petroleum, a highly respected petroleum and lubricant distributor in Alaska; Northern Oilfield Solutions, serving the North Slope of Alaska; Inlet Energy, Alaska’s premier lubricants distributor; Alaska Petroleum Distributing, the largest home-heating oil distributor in Fairbanks, Alaska; Hawaii Petroleum, the leading independent fuel marketer on Maui and the Big Island; and The Jankovich Company, a full-service marine and land fuel and lubricants specialist in Los Angeles and San Diego. The Jankovich Company, a family-owned business with a strong local brand, joined NorthStar in early 2021.

“NorthStar is now one step closer to becoming the West Coast’s leading fuel supplier,” Valdman continued. “We are well-positioned to support customers through the energy transition as the industry develops alternate fuels with lower carbon intensity.”

“Our aspiration to be the most respected marketer in the region remains the same,” O’Neal concluded, “Joining the NorthStar Energy family of businesses provides us an opportunity to expand and grow together.”

About CityServiceValcon
Established in 1932, CityServiceValcon is a robust full-service lubricants, fuels, and specialty products distributor that strives to provide high-quality, dependable delivery and superior service. We take care of our people by providing a safe and healthy work environment, and in turn, it allows us to serve customers across multiple industries with goods that keep commerce prospering, people comfortable and provide economic stability. Our customers, employees and vendors are the heart of our operations. For more information, visit cityservicevalcon.com.

 

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

Read the 2020 Saltchuk companies annual giving report

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