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Saltchuk names Salazar, Estencion 2024 safety award honorees

August 21, 2024

Saltchuk is pleased to announce the honorees for the 2024 Saltchuk Safety Awards. Nominations received from 14 Saltchuk operating 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, Saltchuk’s 2024 Michael D. Garvey Award for Distinguished Service in Safety award honoree

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, Saltcuk’s 2024 President’s Award for Safety Innovation honoree.

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.

Carlile Steps Up For Safety at Annual Community Event

July 29, 2022

ANCHORAGE – Alaska has some of the most hazardous driving conditions in the country. In 2020, there were 53 fatal motor vehicle crashes and 64 deaths in the state, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Traffic fatalities at a national level reached a 16-year high in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This is one of many reasons Carlile Transportation, an Alaska shipping company, is active in roadway safety and prevention education.

The company kept safety awareness moving at the annual Wheel-O-Rama fair on June 15. The event, hosted by Alaska Regional Hospital, raised awareness about trauma, safety, and injury prevention related to wheeled vehicles. Carlile was joined by several community partners, including police officers, firefighters, People Mover , and the American Red Cross.

“Safety is at the core of our business operations. We appreciate the opportunity to spotlight safety practices in the communities that we serve,” said Jeremy Miller, who is Vice President of Operations at Carlile.

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

Carlile Truck Drivers Steer for the Win At Annual Competition

July 26, 2022

ANCHORAGE – Rogue moose, heavy snow, and summer traffic are just a few examples of the many challenges motorists face in the Last Frontier. It’s all in a day’s work for Alaska’s truckers, who are trained to navigate some of the most hazardous terrains in the country. On June 4, Carlile’s professional drivers put their skills and training to the test and won top spots at Alaska’s annual Truck Driving Championship.

Bill Krenz, a Carlile driver of 12 years, took first place in the tank truck division. Brad Hinkes, also with Carlile, an Alaska shipping company, for more than a decade, took first place in the four-axle tractor-semitrailer division and was the overall grand champion. The competition featured a total of nine vehicle categories ranging from step vans to five-axle big rigs. Competitors completed a multiple-choice test on trucking safety facts and were also judged by time and proximity to targets, often winning or losing by mere inches.

“The competition is a great opportunity to come together as a trucking community. Congratulations to all drivers who placed in the competition,” said grand champion Hinkes.

The annual truck driving championship is hosted by the Alaska Trucking Association, formed in 1958 to foster and promote the trucking industry in Alaska. The organization has hosted more than 20 truck-driving championships in Alaska.

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Think you have what it takes to be a Carlile truck driver? Learn more about careers in truck driving.

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

TOTE Maritime Alaska Receives Governor’s Safety Award of Excellence

May 24, 2022

ANCHORAGE– TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC, (“TOTE”) received the Governor’s Safety Award of Excellence last week during the Alaska Safety and Health Conference for outstanding achievement in safety, health, and environment for 2021.

The Governor’s Safety Award of Excellence is presented to organizations demonstrating distinction in the safety and health of their personnel, stewardship for the environment, and a demonstrated commitment to corporate citizenship. Awards are based on safety and environmental systems and performance metrics, reviewed from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety data.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Alaska Safety Advisory Council for our safety performance and our commitment to environmental stewardship, ethical business practices, and the communities we serve,” said TOTE Maritime Alaska President Alex Hofeling. “I’m incredibly proud of our Alaska team and congratulate all the organizations that were recognized this year.”

Since 2019, TOTE has strategically focused on programs to support a safe and healthy workplace. These include adding QR codes and signage for fast and efficient “near miss” reporting, new sanitization stations throughout their terminals, regularly scheduled zone audits and third-party inspections, as well as a robust “Speak Up/Take Action” program to promote a culture of transparency, trust, and compliance throughout the organization.

TOTE Maritime Alaska is committed to excellence in safety and service, maintaining internationally recognized certifications for Corporate Social Responsibility (MVO 8000), Occupational Health and Safety (ISO 45001), Quality Management (ISO 9001), and Environmental Management (ISO 1400).

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About TOTE Maritime Alaska

TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC belongs to the TOTE Group family of companies, a leading transportation and logistics company, overseeing some of the most trusted companies in the US. TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC bring unmatched reliability and service to their respective markets. TOTE Services, LLC offers crewing and technical services to meet the needs of commercial, privately owned and U.S. Government vessels. TOTE Group is part of the Saltchuk family of companies. www.totemaritime.com

Jack Hagey, Jozette Montalvo named Saltchuk’s 2020 Safety Award winners

June 7, 2021

SEATTLE – Saltchuk is proud to announce that Jack Hagey of Foss Maritime and Jozette Montalvo of Hawaii Petroleum are the Saltchuk 2020 Safety Award honorees. Hagey, Chief Engineer onboard the Stacey Foss, will accept the President’s Award for Innovation in Safety. Montalvo, Vice President of Human Resources at Hawaii Petroleum, is the honoree for the Mike Garvey Award for Distinguished Service in Safety.

Montalvo was nominated by her supervisor, and company President Kimo Haynes.

Leadership in Uncertain Times

“Jozette was instrumental with the planning, execution, and management of our COVID protocols and response plan,” Haynes wrote of Montalvo in her nomination.

Hawaii Petroleum has 22 sites (18 convenience stores/gas stations, three wholesale warehouses, and the main office) that are staffed, and “our employees interact with the general public daily,” Haynes continued.

“Fuel distribution is considered critical infrastructure, and our facilities had to remain operational during the pandemic. Like most companies, we did not have a formal response plan in place for a global pandemic, and when COVID hit last year, we had to react and respond on the fly.”

According to Haynes, Hawaii Petroleum created a COVID response committee tasked with developing company policies, procedures, and protocols to remain operational and ensure employee and customer safety.

“Jozette took a leadership role in this committee and spearheaded the initial research effort,” wrote Haynes. “Although it seems simple, creating and implementing the framework to execute this was complex. Jozette’s (award) not only recognizes the time and effort she put in last year, but the effectiveness and results of the combined efforts she helped lead.”

The Hagey Handler Safety Innovation

Jack Hagey was nominated by his Supervisor Chris Mack, Jr. for his development of the “Hagey Handler,” a contraption designed to assist his shipmates on the barge when handling heavy or frozen lines at Red Dog Mine in Alaska. The Hagey Handler is a hand tool that the line handler brings with them and fits over the line. The line is fed into the “jaws” in a downward motion, forcing the jaws open to secure the often frozen, water-logged line in the “teeth.”

The handler can then use the handle to get more leverage and a better position for holding the line, reducing risk on the job.

Hagey fabricated the tool himself, developing several iterations until it was perfect.

“His shipmate approach to safety is honorable and should be recognized,” Mack wrote in his nomination.

Congratulations to Jack, Jozette, and all the 2020 nominees for making Saltchuk companies safe places to work, we look forward to sharing their stories in People of Saltchuk throughout the summer.

• Dustin Case – Captain, Aloha Air Cargo
• Tim Healey – Vice President, Human Resources, Northern Aviation Services
• Brandon Kurtzweil – Terminal Operator, Delta Western Petroleum
• Patrick Leahy- Chief Mate USNS Wheeler, TOTE Services
• Bill Lounsbery & Matthew Jarrett – Cargo Services Supervisor & Cargo Services Lead, Northern Air Cargo
• Zack Midles – Sr. Operations Analyst, TOTE Maritime Alaska
• Edward Rowe, Passenger Ramp Lead, Northern Air Maintenance Services
• Leroy Schlecht , Launch Operator, Foss Maritime
• Erika Vega, Risk Management Generalist, TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico
• Gregory Walz – Lead Terminal Operator, Delta Western Petroleum