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National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Program Achieves Construction Milestone with Third Keel Laying

May 1, 2023

PHILADELPHIA – TOTE Services, LLC (“TOTE Services”), an affiliate of TOTE, LLC (“TOTE Group”), and Philly Shipyard, Inc. (“Philly Shipyard”), the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA (Oslo: PHLY), today marked a significant construction milestone at a keel laying ceremony for the third of five new purpose built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) new vessel program – known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) – was designed to provide world-class training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

The keel laying is a ceremonial recognition in which the first grand block of the vessel is loaded into the building dock. Keel laying traditions are said to bring good luck to the ship during construction and to the captain and crew that will sail on the vessel throughout her operating life. The third NSMV is scheduled to be delivered to Maine Maritime Academy in 2024.

“Today, we reached another great shipbuilding milestone for our shipyard and the NSMV program as a whole,” said Steinar Nerbovik, President & CEO of Philly Shipyard. “At the moment, we have three vessels taking shape in our docks and a fourth being fabricated in our production shops. We wish the Maine Maritime students good luck with final exam week and look forward to welcoming the cadets in a few weeks to see the progress on their new ship and to tour our yard. I want to thank everyone involved in this project as we continue on this exciting new build process.”

The NSMV program is an important investment in America’s shipbuilding industry, which supports nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs. Each NSMV will feature numerous instructional spaces, a full training bridge, and accommodations for up to 600 cadets to train in a first-rate maritime academic environment at sea. State maritime academies graduate more than half of all new officers each year—the merchant mariners who help keep cargoes and our economy moving. Many also support U.S. national security by crewing military sealift vessels.

“Today we celebrate the third keel laying of an NSMV vessel in 18 months, demonstrating the efficiency and success of this unique construction management program that is helping recapitalize our nation’s maritime training fleet at academies from coast to coast,” said TOTE Services President Jeff Dixon. “This exciting moment shows we are one giant step closer to providing the Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) a first-in-class vessel to produce the next generation of maritime officers, engineers, supply chain managers, and logisticians that will help lead our nation in the years ahead.”

MARAD selected TOTE Services to be the vessel construction manager (VCM) for the NSMV program in May 2019 to ensure the utilization of best practices in commercial ship construction. As an industry leader in vessel services, ship management and marine operations, TOTE Services is overseeing development of these new vessels, which will provide a strong U.S. maritime fleet, crewed by the world’s best trained merchant mariners. In April 2020, TOTE Services awarded Philly Shipyard a contract to construct up to five NSMVs. These ships will be owned and operated by MARAD.

“Today as we celebrate the Training Ship State of Maine V’s keel laying, we also recognize her future purpose for both the Academy and our Nation. I thank all who have worked and will work to bring her to completion, especially the team at TOTE and Philly Shipyard. Thank you in advance to those future cadets and crew who will stand watch over her. Today, would not be possible without the incredible support of our Congressional Delegation, especially Senator Susan Collins and Senator Angus King, who have championed this national asset for our Academy and the State,” said Jerry S. Paul, Maine Maritime Academy President.

Congress has appropriated funding to replace aging training vessels with NSMVs at SUNY Maritime College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Maine Maritime Academy, Texas A&M Maritime Academy and California State University Maritime, respectively.

About TOTE Services

TOTE Services, LLC (“TOTE Services”) is a leading U.S.-based ship management company that skillfully and expertly provides crewing and technical services to meet the needs of commercial, privately owned and U.S. Government vessels. Since 2015, TOTE Services has overseen construction and management of the world’s first LNG powered container ships, activated U.S. training ships to support disaster relief and managed many MARAD vessels. TOTE Services, along with TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC, comprise the TOTE group of companies. The TOTE group is part of the Saltchuk family of companies. www.toteservices.com

About Philly Shipyard

Philly Shipyard, Inc. (PSI) is a leading U.S. shipbuilder that is presently pursuing a mix of commercial and government work. It possesses a state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility and has earned a reputation as a preferred provider of oceangoing merchant vessels with a track record of delivering quality ships, having delivered around 50% of all large ocean-going Jones Act commercial ships since 2000. PSI is the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA. Philly Shipyard ASA is listed on the Euronext Expand Oslo (Oslo: PHLY) and is majority-owned by Aker Capital AS, which in turn is wholly-owned by Aker ASA (Aker). Aker is an industrial investment company that exercises active ownership to create value. Aker has ownership interests in oil and gas, renewable energy and green technologies, maritime assets, marine biotechnology and industrial software, and its portfolio includes companies like Aker BP, Aker Horizons, Aker BioMarine, Cognite, and Aker Solutions. For more information about Philly Shipyard, visit www.phillyshipyard.com.

About Maine Maritime Academy

Maine Maritime Academy is a co-educational, public college on the coast of Maine offering 22 programs of study in engineering, management, science, and transportation to promote the maritime interests of the United States. The college serves approximately 950 undergraduate and graduate students in career-oriented degree programs. The job placement rate for MMA graduates is approximately 90 percent within 90 days of graduation with very high paying jobs. The college is consistently recognized for providing a high-value education by organizations such as the Brookings Institution, U.S. News and World Report, and Money Magazine. The 2022 Report by Georgetown University ranked MMA #1 among all public colleges for return on investment for low-income students at public bachelor’s degree institutions. For more information, visit mainemaritime.edu.

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.

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.

Coast Guard adds Young Brother’s Jay Ana to Board of Trustees

February 15, 2023

Twelve new trustees have joined the board of the Coast Guard Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening the U.S. Coast Guard community and service by supporting members and families. The additions bring the total number of active trustees and directors to 80.

Jeremiah “Jay” Ana, Charles “Skip” Bowen, Christopher Chandor, Naresh Copeland, Steven Jowett, Christian Lee, Michael MacDonald, Augustine Rietsema, Luis Romero, Tim van Oppen, retired Navy Rear Adm. Jesse Wilson Jr. and Graciela Yokana will each serve three-year terms. The board is led by Chairman Thomas Allegretti.

The Coast Guard Foundation is governed by a voluntary board of trustees and directors whose members contribute their time and energy to the foundation. The board also promotes the foundation’s mission of support to the Coast Guard.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our latest inductions into our board of trustees and directors,” said Susan Ludwig, president, Coast Guard Foundation. “These accomplished individuals have established a lifetime of dedication to the Coast Guard and we are confident that their experience of public service will benefit the foundation in our mission to support the Coast Guard community.”

The new trustees:

• Jeremiah “Jay” Ana is president of Young Brothers, Hawaii’s leading inter-island freight handling and transportation company. Ana was born and raised in Mililani, Oahu, and is a graduate of the Shidler College of Business from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In addition to more than 13 years of public accounting, Ana’s experience spans private industry finance, human resources, sales, and operations management.

Read the full article in Professional Mariner

Seaside LNG Acquires LNG Bunker Barge Clean Jacksonville from TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico 

February 9, 2023

Polaris and TOTE Services Sign Additional Long-term Service Contracts

Jacksonville, Florida – Seaside LNG announced the acquisition of the liquefied natural gas fueling barge Clean Jacksonville from TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC, a subsidiary of TOTE Group, LLC.

Seaside LNG’s maritime transportation company, Polaris New Energy, has contracted to continue fueling TOTE’s Marlin Class LNG-powered container ships and other commercial customers with its fleet of LNG bunker barges. The Clean Jacksonville recently reached a significant milestone having successfully completed her 300th bunkering at the Port of Jacksonville.

Seaside now has the largest fleet of LNG barges operating in the United States. “Seaside continues to expand its ability to bring environmentally-friendly LNG to the shipping industry with our partnership in JAX LNG and our investments in growing the LNG barge fleet,” said Tim Casey, CEO of Seaside LNG. “Use of LNG as a maritime fuel delivers substantial environmental and public health benefits by dramatically lowering emissions of NOx, SOx, CO2 and particulate matter. By purchasing the Clean Jacksonville, our team gains not only a new customer and valuable operating partner, but also the opportunity to expand our fleet operations geographically.” 

In addition, Polaris entered a long-term contract with TOTE Services, LLC, a separate subsidiary of TOTE Group, to continue serving as the technical manager of the Clean Jacksonville. The Clean Jacksonville complements the bunkering services of Polaris’ 5,500 m3 Clean Canaveral that operates along the coast of the southeastern U.S. and is the largest bunker barge in the Jones Act market. Polaris also has a second 5,500 m3 barge, the Clean Everglades, under construction which is scheduled for delivery by end of 2023. 

“TOTE Services’ experience in bringing LNG to the maritime sector is the most extensive in the industry. By working across every aspect, from vessel construction to ship management and technical expertise, we help our customers achieve their business and environmental objectives,” added Jeff Dixon, President of TOTE Services. “We look forward to continuing to operate the Clean Jacksonville safely and reliably for years to come.” 

The LNG for Polaris’ vessels is loaded at the Jacksonville dock of JAX LNG, an LNG production facility and joint venture between Seaside LNG and Pivotal LNG.