Posts Categorized: Saltchuk
Delta Western breaks ground on new facility at the Port of Anchorage
April 30, 2015
Delta Western President Kirk Payne, Port Director Steve Ribuffo, and Assembly Enterprise Committee Chair Tim Steele dug the first shovel of dirt. Also present were Assembly Chair Dick Traini, Municipal Manager George Vakalis, business partners and staff.
ANCHORAGE- A local petroleum company will bring a brand new product to Anchorage this year. Delta Western, Inc. broke ground on their new refined petroleum storage facility at the Port of Anchorage on April 30th, 2015. The first product to be offered will be methanol which will be used on the North Slope Oil fields.
“This is an exciting day for Delta Western. After years of planning and permitting applications, we’ve officially broke ground. We’re ready to get to work. By Fall of this year we’ll be prepared to receive methanol,” said President Kirk Payne.
Anchorage Port Director Steve Ribuffo added “It’s wonderful to see the Alaska business community investing in the Port of Anchorage, especially when they had the choice to go anywhere they wanted. We’re thrilled to lease this space to Delta Western and we welcome their new operation. We’ve worked well together for many years now, and we look forward to continued growth and success.”
Delta Western is the leading independent distributor of petroleum products and lubricants in Alaska and has been serving Alaskans since 1985. A household name to many in rural communities, Delta Western distributes its products from fuel terminals placed throughout the Aleutians, Pribilofs, Bristol Bay, Western Alaska and Southeast Alaska.
The Port of Anchorage is a landlord port with over twenty customers including Delta Western, Totem Ocean Trailer Express, and Horizon Lines. The Port is located at the northern end of Cook Inlet in Southcentral Alaska. The facility accommodates three dry cargo berths and two petroleum handling facilities. It serves as Alaska’s regional hub.
Totem Ocean recognized by Evergreen Safety Council
April 28, 2015
Federal Way- Totem Ocean Trailer Express (Totem Ocean) was honored to receive the Evergreen Safety Council’s 2014 John D. Spellman Safety Award earlier this month.
Patty Ludden, Safety, Loss Prevention and Quality Director for Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. accepts the John D. Spellman Safety Award
Evergreen Safety Council is a private, non-profit (501(c)(3)), non-governmental organization based in Kirkland, Washington, with a dedicated corps of contract instructors that deliver safety and health information and training to the businesses, governmental entities, and communities of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska.
The award recognizes programs Totem Ocean has implemented in the last two years, resulting in two consecutive years without a recordable or time loss injury at Totem Ocean’s three facilities.
TOTE Launches World’s First LNG Powered Containership
April 18, 2015
Isla Bella will Serve Puerto Rico Once in Service
San Diego, CA– More than 3,200 gathered to watch as the world’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered containership, christened Isla Bella, was launched tonight in San Diego. The ships’ owner TOTE, in partnership with General Dynamics NASSCO, celebrated the completion of the first of two Marlin Class containerships headed to Puerto Rico later this year.
The use of LNG as a marine fuel in the U.S. defines a major shift for the industry. By switching to LNG, TOTE is reducing NOx emissions by 98 percent, SOx by 97 percent, carbon dioxide by 72 and particulate matter by 60 percent in the Puerto Rico trade.
In his remarks Anthony Chiarello, President and CEO of TOTE noted “Building the Marlins has been about change as well as bold and innovative thinking. NASSCO and our other partners have enabled us to build these ships that reflect our commitment to the environment and doing what is right.”
The Marlin Class vessels have attracted international attention as the first cargo ships in the world to run on natural gas. In addition to their improved environmental profile, the Marlins will represent a new standard in safety and TOTE’s long-term commitment to the people of Puerto Rico.
The Chairman of Saltchuk, TOTE’s parent company, Mark Tabbutt thanked the many partners who worked on the new generation of containership. “We especially want to thank the hundreds of men and women that did the real work – the welding, the piping, the lifting, the planning, the electrical, the designing, the logistics, the painting, and all the other work that went into making these ships a reality.” He went on to recognize the support of the U.S. Maritime Administration and NASSCO for their long term partnership.
The ship’s name, Isla Bella, was selected from a contest hosted in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Puerto Rico. Isla Bella translates to beautiful island in English and will serve as a reminder of the cultural and economic significance of the ships for future generation
s.
Sophie Sacco, wife of Michael Sacco President of the Seafarers International Union, is the ship’s sponsor and had the honors of christening and launching the vessel.
Congressman Duncan Hunter, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation provided the keynote address. “America’s maritime industry is critical not just for the economic benefits, but for national security purposes as well. With the launch of the world’s first natural gas-powered containership, NASSCO and TOTE prove that American shipbuilders and American ships can lead the industry in innovation, and it is my hope that American shipbuilders and operators can continue to build upon this success.”
General Paul Selva, Commander of the U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) also spoke. “This first Marlin class ship exemplifies the technology and innovation that the United States is known for. It also highlights the commitment of companies like TOTE to supporting the U.S. military and maritime sector that is vitally important to our national defense” he noted in his remarks.
“The launch of the Isla Bella signals a very significant milestone for the thousands of men and women at NASSCO. Not only does it commemorate NASSCO’s 100th ship launch, it validates NASSCO’s capability to break new ground in green ship technology and lead in the design, construction, and conversion of ships to take advantage of the economic and environmental benefits of LNG,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO.
The Isla Bella will enter service in the fourth quarter of 2015 between Jacksonville, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The second Marlin Class vessel will be launched in the third quarter of 2015 and will enter service in the first quarter of 2016.
Aloha Air Cargo lands atop the list of Hawaii’s largest women-owned businesses
April 17, 2015
Honolulu- Aloha Air Cargo was honored to have been named TOP Women Owned Business by Pacific Business News at the PBN Women Who Mean Business Event recently. Aloha Air Cargo, based on Saltchuk owners – Nicole Engle, Michele Seaver & Denise Tabbutt and Aloha 2014 revenue of $77 Million, was recognized along with 24 other notable local companies.
Foss Christens New Arctic Class Ocean Tug
April 14, 2015
Powerful Michele Foss designed for the most extreme conditions
The Michele Foss Arctic Class Tug
TACOMA- The first of three Arctic Class tugs being built at the Foss Rainier, Ore. Shipyard was christened Thursday, April 9, at the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, Wash. The vessel, the Michele Foss, will see its first assignment on an oil field sealift this summer from South Korea to the Alaskan Arctic.
Mike Magill, Vice President of Foss’ Technical Services, made opening remarks at the christening, praising the hardworking men and women who constructed the vessel.
“As we know, a construction project of this magnitude requires significant teamwork to accomplish,” Magill said. “Engineers, craftsmen, purchasing and logistics experts, to name a few, have gone beyond the call of duty to deliver this vessel safely, on time and on budget.”
Ken Hawkins, Executive Director of the Mission to Seafarers – Seattle, delivered the invocation to bless the vessel.
Michele Seaver, her son Aiden and husband Rick.
The vessel’s namesake is Michele Seaver, one of the three sisters who are primary shareholders of Saltchuk, the parent company of Foss Maritime. Seaver had the honor of breaking the ceremonial bottle of champagne across the hull of the Michele Foss.
Mike Garvey, Seaver’s father and one of the founding shareholders of Saltchuk, said he hoped the vessel would share some of his daughter’s finest qualities: an adventurous spirit, a commitment to working hard, and a passion for being the best at what she does.
The Michele Foss is ice class D0. This means the hulls are designed specifically for polar waters and are reinforced to maneuver in ice. The vessel complies with the requirements in the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Vessels Intended to Operate in Polar Waters, including ABS A1 standards, SOLAS and Green Passport.
The Michele Foss includes a Caterpillar C280-8 main engine, which complies with the highest federal environmental standards; a Nautican propulsion system; and Reintjes reduction gears. Markey Machinery supplied the tow winch. The tug has a bollard pull of 221,000 pounds.
The vessel incorporates several environmentally focused designs and structural and technological upgrades, including:
- Elimination of ballast tanks, so there is no chance of transporting invasive species;
- Holding tanks for black and gray water to permit operations in no-discharge zones (such as parts of Alaska and California);
- Hydraulic oil systems compatible with biodegradable oil;
- Energy efficient LED lighting; and
- High-energy absorption Schuyler fendering.
The Michele Foss has been designed to withstand the rigors of Arctic operations and is suited to work across the globe as Foss competes for opportunities in the oil and gas industry.