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Tropical Shipping and CDEMA Sign MOU

December 8, 2015

Tropical Shipping and the Caribbean Disaster Management Agency, CDEMA, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance disaster response in the region. The signing took place at the 9th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management at Melia Nassau Beach Resort, November 30 to December 4, 2015.

CDEMA and Tropical Shipping established a mutual agreement to coordinate activities to enhance disaster preparedness and response in the region

NASSAU, The Bahamas – A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Tropical Shipping and the Caribbean Disaster Management Agency, CDEMA, to enhance disaster response in the region.

The first of such agreement was entered into at the 9^th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort, November 30 to December 4, 2015.

“Tropical for the last 25 years has been committed to assisting the communities in our service area recover from disasters. The signing of the MOU with CEDEMA confirms Tropical Shipping’s continued commitment to building community resilience to disasters throughout the Caribbean,” said Rick Murrell, Chief Executive Officer.

Tropical Shipping and CDEMA have collaborated informally in disaster response for ensuring the transportation of relief supplies to affected countries.

On December 3, through the signing of this MOU, CDEMA and Tropical Shipping established a mutual agreement to coordinate activities wherever possible, to enhance disaster preparedness and response in the region.

“I am pleased that we have with us today Mr. Rick Murrell, Chief Executive Officer of Tropical Shipping for the signing ceremony of the first Memorandum of Understanding between CDEMA and Tropical Shipping,” said Ronald Jackson, Executive Director of CDEMA.

Tropical Shipping considers itself to be a Caribbean company, as it has been providing freighting services throughout The Bahamas and the region for many years. This company has shown its commitment to disaster management through its support for disaster preparedness and response.

“As we know, the Caribbean countries are vulnerable to a wide range of hazards, particularly those of hydro meteorological origin,” Mr. Jackson said.

He noted that CDEMA, though mandate was officially expanded in 2009 from disaster response to promoting loss reduction in the region, and is responsible for providing an immediate and coordinated response by means of emergency relief to any affected Participating State that requests such assistance after being affected by an emergency.

Tropical Shipping and CDEMA have collaborated informally in disaster response for ensuring the transportation of relief supplies to affected countries.

“CDEMA is pleased to formalize this relationship with Tropical Shipping and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership for the benefit of our region,” Mr. Jackson said.

By Lindsay Thompson

Bahamas Information Services

(BIS Photo/Lindsay Thompson)

TOTE Maritime Alaska Names Michael Noone to President of TOTE Maritime Alaska

December 8, 2015

Michael Noone steps up in role of TOTE Maritime Alaska President

Federal Way, WA. – TOTE Maritime Alaska is pleased to announce that Michael Noone will assume the role of President, January 1, 2016.

Noone joined TOTE Maritime Alaska as Chief Operating Officer in August 2013, bringing 28 years of experience in the shipping and logistics field. As COO, he has been responsible for creating strategic and operating plans for sales, pricing and operations.

Noone received his bachelor’s degree from Wagner College and is certified by some of the nation’s top executive programs in Logistics, including the SMEAL College of Business Administration at Penn State University and the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University. He also earned certifications in Advance Management from INSEAD, in Strategic Planning and Implementation from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and is a past Steering Committee Member at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).

Noone’s predecessor John Parrott, who has served as the company’s President since 2009, will join TOTE’s sister company, Foss Maritime as Chief Operating Officer, where he will be responsible for the oversight of Foss’s key operating divisions.

“We thank John Parrott for his many contributions, accomplishments and leadership for TOTE Maritime Alaska,” said TOTE President & CEO Anthony Chiarello. “We wish him well in his new role at Foss and look forward to TOTE’s continued success under Mike’s capable leadership.”

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About TOTE Maritime Alaska

Headquartered in Federal Way, WA, TOTE Maritime Alaska operates two custom-built cargo vessels between Tacoma and Anchorage with twice-weekly sailings year-round. TOTE Maritime Alaska, formerly Totem Ocean Trailer Express, is a TOTE company, part of the Saltchuk family of companies. For more information, visit www.totemaritime.com.

Foss Maritime Welcomes New Chief Operating Officer

December 8, 2015

Industry veteran John Parrott to oversee operating divisions, strategic planning and best practices

SEATTLE, WA.–  Foss Maritime is pleased to announce that John Parrott will be joining the Foss executive team as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Parrott comes to Foss from sister company, TOTE Maritime Alaska, where he has served as President for sixteen years. In his new role as Foss’ COO, Parrott will be responsible for overseeing key operating divisions, developing and delivering on strategic plans, and optimizing day-to-day operations through implementation of best practices throughout the organization.

“We are thrilled to have John join us in our corporate office after the first of the year,” said Paul Stevens, President and CEO of Foss Maritime. “John is a maritime industry veteran who is well known to us at Foss. We look forward to having his expertise and experience on board.”

After ten years sailing aboard a wide range of vessels in trade routes around the world, Parrott began at TOTE Maritime in 1992 as the Chief Mate of the SS Northern Lights. In 1994 he came ashore, and later became the General Manager for Sea Star Stevedore, which manages the loading, discharge and terminal operations for TOTE Maritime. In 2002, Parrott returned to TOTE Maritime as the Alaska General Manager, where he was soon promoted to Vice President/GM, then VP of Commercial before being named President of TOTE Maritime Alaska in 2009.

In 2011 U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood named Parrott a member of the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council. MTSNAC is a chartered, non-federal body whose purpose is to advise the Secretary of Transportation on MTS issues including the effective use and expansion of America’s Marine Highway, port development and development challenges.

Parrott sits on the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce board of directors and travels to Washington D.C. each year with the WA-to-WA delegation. He serves on the Seaman’s Services board of directors and is the treasurer for the Annie Wright Schools Board of Trustees. A strong believer in communities and education, Parrott is also active with The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound’s Great Futures scholarship program.

Born in Seattle, Parrott has a BS degree in Marine Transportation from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; Kings Point, New York, and an MBA from Seattle University. He is a licensed master in the U.S. Merchant Marines and holds a commission in the United States Naval Reserve. Parrott, his wife and three children live in Tacoma.

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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.

78 Foss Maritime Vessels Honored for Environmental Excellence

November 16, 2015

Bruce Fernie, CSA Chair; Susan Hayman, Foss; Read Admiral Paul Thomas; Kathy Metcalf, CSA President and CEO

Thirty-eight Vessels Boast 10-plus Years of Incident Free Operation

SEATTLE, WA. – The Arthur Foss, the Drew Foss, and the Wedell Foss are just a few of the many Foss Maritime vessels that have been free of environmental mishaps for more than 20 years. With a combined 858 years without an incident, 78 Foss Maritime and subsidiary companies’ tugs and tank barges have been recognized by a major maritime organization for their environmental safety records.

The Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) announced the 2015 Environmental Achievement Awards honoring the Seattle-based company’s work on Nov. 4, 2015, in Washington, D.C.. Foss and its sister companies have 38vessels with 10 or more years without an environmental incident, with 12 of those vessels achieving 20-plus years of environmental excellence.

“We’re honored by the award,” said Paul Stevens, president and CEO.”Our corporate culture at Foss is to have the highest safety standards and care for the environment. Our customers demand this care and vigilance. Having 78 vessels recognized for environmental merit truly underscores our dedication.”

The awards are open to all owners and operators of vessels that operate on oceans or inland waterways.

“Foss’ environmental values are a key element in all of our business strategies,” said Susan Hayman, vice president of HSQE and External Affairs at Foss. “We engineer and build our state-of-the-art vessels to exceed environmental and safety requirements. It’s this commitment that helps make Foss an industry leader.”

“These awards celebrate the dedication to environmental excellence of our seafarers and the company personnel shore-side who operate our vessels to the highest standards,” said Kathy J. Metcalf, president of CSA, praising the award recipients for their commitment to serving as stewards of the environment.

A list of the vessels receiving the 2015 Environmental Achievement Award is posted on CSA’s website www.knowships.org. Click on “Press Releases”.

Shidler College awards 290 scholarships totaling $1.2 million for 2015-2016

November 5, 2015

From left: Au, Cook, Roley, Hong, Schaberg, Lim, Buakarnthong and NakatThe Shidler College of Business at UH Mānoa celebrated its successful scholarship program this week with the recognition of business students and scholarship donors at the Waialae Country Club. For the 2015-2016 academic year, the college awarded nearly $1.2 million in scholarships to more than 290 business students.

Saltchuk’s Young Brothers Ltd. and Hawaiian Tug and Barge supports island college

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa – The Shidler College of Business at UH Mānoa celebrated its successful scholarship program this week with the recognition of business students and scholarship donors at the Waialae Country Club. For the 2015-2016 academic year, the college awarded nearly $1.2 million in scholarships to more than 290 business students.

For the second year, Enterprise Rent-A-Car was the title sponsor. Enterprise is one of the college’s most steadfast scholarship and Business Night award donors, having renewed its annual scholarship for over 10 years. Said Dan Schaberg, general manager/VP of Hawai‘i, “We are thrilled to be a partner with the Shidler College of Business, because the college is in line with one of Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s core values of strengthening the communities in which we serve.”

The Shidler College of Business has the most robust scholarship program in the entire UH System. Since 2005, the number of scholarship awards increased from 161 to 290, a growth of 80%. On average, 17% of Shidler students receive merit scholarship support.

This year’s scholarship luncheon featured scholarship donor Glenn Hong, president of Hawaiian Tug and Barge and Young Brothers Ltd., which is part of the Hawai‘i-based companies of Saltchuk Resources based in Seattle, Washington. Its other Hawai‘i-based companies are Maui Petroleum, Hawaii Petroleum and Aloha Air Cargo.

Through its Hawai‘i-based companies, Saltchuk has supported the college’s neighbor island MBA program with $530,000 in scholarships to four cohorts of MBA students. “Saltchuk is proud to support Hawai‘i’s future by emphasizing education and leadership development initiatives. The Shidler College of Business Distance Learning Executive MBA program provides opportunities to neighbor island students with a quality program. Saltchuk is pleased to be able to provide funding to help further the education of Hawai‘i’s future leaders,” said Hong.

“For me, this scholarship relieves the burden of being deeply in debt. I am better able to manage financially, allowing me to keep balance in my life as a businessperson, parent, partner and student,” says A. Eunny Cook, recipient of the Saltchuk Hawaii Companies Scholarship. “Most importantly, my scholarship award has allowed me to be part of the transformational experience of self-discovery, compassion and insight.”

“We are extremely grateful to our alumni, the business community, and friends of the college for establishing scholarships for our students,” said Vance Roley, dean of the Shidler College of Business. “With the cost of tuition and books, academic scholarships enable our students to graduate on time and without debt, all the while taking full advantage of our academic and extracurricular programs.”

(Full caption)  From left are Maile Au, director of alumni relations, Shidler College of Business; A. Eunny Cook, graduate scholarship representative; Vance Roley, dean, Shidler College of Business; Glenn Hong, president, Young Brothers Ltd.; Dan Schaberg, general manager/VP of Hawai‘i, Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Dee Lim, group HR-talent acquisition and training & development manager for Hawai‘i, Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Punilani-Sky Buakarnthong, undergraduate scholarship representative; and Unyong Nakata, senior director of development, Shidler College of Business.

For more information, visit: http://shidler.hawaii.edu/