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Foss Maritime Honored for Safety Performance 

March 3, 2016

ILWU Marine Clerks Local 52 present first ever safety award at the PMA ILWU Annual Safety Banquet 

SEATTLE, WA.-  Foss Maritime has been recognized by the ILWU Marine Clerks Local 52 for zero injuries at Terminal 5 between March 2015 and February 2016. The first-ever Safety Award given by ILWU was presented to Foss and partners Shell and Jones Stevedoring at the ILWU’s Annual Safety Banquet held in Sea-Tac, Wash. yesterday.

“We are extremely honored by this award,” said Paul Stevens, CEO and president of Foss. “It’s a real credit to the hard work of our dedicated Foss employees and also to our stevedore partner Jones Stevedoring, and to the trust of our customer, Shell.”

Terminal 5 is the second largest terminal in Seattle, Wash. and offers a variety of equipment and services to support intermodal, break bulk and project cargoes. It is a unique location as it can be accessed by deep sea vessels, by barge, by rail and by truck. By the close of 2015 Foss had accumulated about 168,000 people hours at Terminal 5, without an injury.

“I really can’t say enough about how great it was to work with the whole Foss group at the terminal. In my 20-year career at Jones I can’t think of another single customer that has had such a positive impact on our organization,” said Rob Bohlman, vice president of Jones Stevedoring. “From the first day at Terminal 5, Foss, Shell and Jones worked hard to establish a safety culture that went above and beyond the normal safety practices on the waterfront. And it goes without saying that without the efforts of the ILWU, and the support of Shell, none of this would have been possible.”

Max Vekich of the ILWU Local 52 Labor Relations Committee in a letter announcing the award said, “Local 52 members embrace being part of Foss’ Always Safe, Always Ready culture.”

“It says an awful lot when your efforts are appreciated by those who are impacted the most, and when they see positive results from those efforts. Well done Foss and your team,” said Dale Snyder, vice president of Alaska Operations for Shell.

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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.

Lam Nguyen-Bull of Foss Maritime Honored with 2016 Diversity Champion Award 

February 9, 2016

Nguyen-Bull Recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal 

SEATTLE, Wash.-  Foss Maritime’s Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer, Lam Nguyen-Bull, has been named 2016 Diversity Champion by the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2016 Corporate Counsel Awards committee. The award recognizes Nguyen-Bull for her efforts in supporting diversity in the community, in the legal profession, and in the maritime industry. 

PSBJ’s annual awards honor in-house attorneys who are helping drive business throughout the region. They highlight outstanding work and emphasize the value these professionals bring to their organizations.

“Lam’s dedication to inclusiveness and her involvement is impressive,” said Paul Stevens, President and Chief Executive Officer of Foss. “I’m glad to see her recognized for her tireless efforts and proud to have her on our executive team.” 

Nguyen-Bull serves on the board of PeaceTrees Vietnam, a humanitarian organization working in central Vietnam to assist those whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by the explosive remnants of war. In addition, she co-chaired the Joint Asian Judicial Evaluation Committee in 2015, and is the former President of the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Washington. Nguyen-Bull is a current board member of the Asian Bar Association of Washington, and interim chair on the Governing Council of the Washington Initiative for Diversity.

“I’m flattered by the recognition,” said Nguyen-Bull. “This is such an honor for me, but the real recognition should go to the extraordinary mentors and programs I’ve had the benefit of working with. Here at Foss, I’ve been really lucky to be involved in the Saltchuk Women’s Leadership Initiative, a program personally sponsored by the three sisters who are Saltchuk’s majority shareholders and championed by senior executives from all around the Saltchuk companies. I’ve had great support in my career and the work I do now is just my attempt to pay it forward.”

Based in Seattle, Washington, Nguyen-Bull leads Foss Maritime’s Legal and Risk Management Group, providing counsel on legal issues and business strategies and practices. She also heads the company’s ethics and compliance programs that work to safeguard Foss’ values and reputation. Nguyen-Bull came to Foss from parent company Saltchuk, where she served as Associate General Counsel and Compliance Officer. 

Interstate to receive fleet safety award

January 26, 2016

TCA awards Interstate for safety performance in Large Carrier Division

Tacoma, WA –  The Truckload Carrier Associate recognizes each year the top fleets in North America for safety performance based upon the least amount of DOT recordable accidents per million miles driven. TCA has announced that Interstate has received the 2^nd place award in the Large Carrier division that run 100 million miles a year. This award is based on overall  organization, training, supervision, accident investigation, inspection, equipment maintenance, outside activities and general highway safety. Scott Manthey, VP of Safety at Interstate, says “We received this award because a lot of people are doing things right.”

In the trucking industry, safety is priority, therefore being recognized for this program is our highest honor. “Striving toward becoming the Best Trucking Company in America requires being the safest fleet, first and foremost. I’m extremely proud of the effort of all our associates working together to accomplish this great performance in 2015,”  stated Interstate CEO Marc Rogers.

New Maritime Program Receives U.S. Department of Labor Grant 

January 20, 2016

Marine engineering apprenticeship program will create greater access to education and training in maritime and advanced manufacturing fields

SEATTLE, WA.-  Foss Maritime announced today a partnership to establish the curriculum for a new marine engineering apprenticeship program, and to sponsor several applicants each year.

Seattle Central College, Seattle Maritime Academy, the Maritime Institute of Technology & Graduate Studies-Pacific Maritime Institute and the Workboat Academy have received a $5 million American Apprenticeship Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help build a new apprenticeship program.   

Through the grant, more 150 engineers will be trained over the next five years, both in Seattle and Baltimore. The engineering program will mirror Workboat Academy’s deck apprenticeship, now in its 10th year. Engineering cadets will blend time in the classroom with simulation, and apply this knowledge to real work aboard vessels. The candidate’s license will depend on the type of partner company vessels and the routes where cadets gain seatime as an apprentice.   

“This partnership exists to respond to the growing need for more trained marine engineers,” says Scott Merritt, Senior Vice President, Harbor Services. “Working together, we aim to train hundreds, if not thousands, of new apprentices in the maritime and advanced manufacturing fields.” 

The American maritime industry is experiencing a lack of licensed marine engineers. A shortage that will soon be increased when new requirements requiring structured on-board training for all trainee engineers take effect on Jan. 1, 2017. The new requirements were created by the 2010 Manila Amendments to the International Maritime Organizations (IMO) guided STCW Convention. When they go into effect, says Merritt, the U.S. fleet will lack licensed engineers and the capacity to properly train and certify engineers to participate in global maritime trade.

“Foss knows we need to help build a pipeline to develop the engineers we will need in the years to come,” said Merritt. “We’re pleased to have this opportunity to develop the curriculum and training for the next generation of marine engineers.”

Foss officers will train and assess the apprentices according to the standards required by the United States Coast Guard for Tasks needed towards a USCG License. The program will be built on a proven Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch (OICNW) Apprenticeship Model. It is fully accredited, and applies to all Marine engineering levels.

TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico Successfully Performs First LNG Bunkering at Jacksonville Port

January 12, 2016

First LNG bunkering at Jacksonville Port a success 

Jacksonville, FL. – On Saturday, January 9, 2016, TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico successfully loaded LNG bunkers aboard the world’s first LNG powered containership, MV Isla Bella. Approximately 100,000 LNG gallons transported by 12 TOTE-owned LNG ISO containers were loaded on schedule. The bunkering was conducted under strict US Coast Guard oversight while Isla Bella was also undergoing cargo operations.

The LNG was transferred from the ISO tank containers using a specially developed transfer skid developed by TOTE’s partner Applied Cryogenics Technologies (ACT) of Houston, Texas.  The transfer skid is designed to allow four ISO tanks to be transferred to Isla Bella at once, dramatically reducing transfer time.

The LNG was sourced by TOTE’s partner, JAX LNG, LLC, from AGL Resources’ LNG production facility in Macon, Georgia.  Genox Transportation, a specialized LNG trucking partner of TOTE, transported the fuel to Jacksonville.  Pivotal LNG, a subsidiary of AGL Resources, also provided transfer expertise to TOTE Maritime with its highly trained LNG experts, ensured the operation was conducted safely and in accordance with best industry practices.

Oversight of the operation both at shipside and on shore was provided by TOTE Services, Inc. (TSI), TOTE Maritime’s sister company that manages the vessels.

“We are very pleased with the results of this initial LNG bunker event and know that the use of LNG in our Marlin Class vessels will provide unprecedented environmental benefits both here in Jacksonville and in Puerto Rico,” said Tim Nolan, President of TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico. “We are indebted to USCG Sector Jacksonville for their diligent oversight and assistance that was invaluable and helped make this event a success.  Our partners ACT, Pivotal LNG and Genox were also major components of our success.  Our sister company, TSI, has developed significant expertise in LNG as a Maritime fuel and ensures that our vessels operate safely and efficiently using this environmentally superior fuel.”

Applied Cryo Technologies, Inc. (ACT) is the premier equipment supplier for cryogenics in North America. ACT is proud to be the first to market with this type of bunkering equipment for the marine industry.  Leveraging ACT’s innovative style and unrivaled experience in LNG equipment is sure to bring success to any LNG fueling project.

Pivotal LNG brings liquefied natural gas to companies and industries throughout the United States through reliable, flexible and cost-effective solutions.

TOTE Maritime provides safe, reliable transportation at the fastest speed possible for the Puerto Rican and related Caribbean trades.