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At Saltchuk we’re proud of the positive impact our companies are making in their respective industries and communities. Regular updates will be posted here. Media Inquiries? Contact Emily Reiter at .Saltchuk’s Alaska-Washington companies contribute more than 45,400 meals to local food banks during 2-week food drive in April
May 15, 2015
Saltchuk and its companies Carlile Transportation, Delta Western/Inlet Petroleum, Foss Maritime, Interstate Distributor, Northern Air Cargo/Northern Air Maintenance & TOTE joined forces April 15-May 1 to raise funds and food donations for Emergency Food Network, Northwest Harvest and Food Bank of Alaska.
Five locations in Alaska and seven locations in Washington, representing more than 1,000 employees in Washington and more than 700 in Alaska, collected foods and funds to support their local food banks.
In just two weeks, Saltchuk companies raised $8,906 and donated 2,220 pounds of food, equaling more than 45,400 meals for families in need!
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 honored with Paw of Approval Award for its innovative work in reducing carbon emissions
April 28, 2015
Metro Parks Commission President Tim Reid presents honor to Totem Ocean Trailer Express
TACOMA, Wash. – Totem Ocean Trailer Express is the winner of the third annual Polar Bear Paw of Approval Award presented by Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Sustainable Tacoma Commission and the Arctic Action Teams.
The Paw of Approval recognizes outstanding achievement by a Pierce County business in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Park Board President Tim Reid presented the award, which was accepted by Hartleigh Caine, senior operations manager for Totem Ocean Trailer Express. She also is a Zoo Society board member. The Paw of Approval spotlights work being done to combat climate change, a key to maintaining habitat for polar bears and other Arctic animals.
“We are fortunate to have a corporate neighbor like Totem Ocean Trailer Express, with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, operating out of Tacoma,” said John Garner, a passionate conservation specialist who instituted the award during his tenure as the zoo’s education curator. “It’s a pleasure to recognize a company that is leading the nation in addressing global climate change.”
Totem Ocean, which supplies more than one-third of all goods to the state of Alaska, installed shoreside power for its ships in 2010, according to its nomination for the Paw of Approval Award. Shoreside power allows ships to recharge through the electrical grid as they load and unload, instead of burning fuel oil while docked. The shipping company said this allowed it to reduce its greenhouse emissions by 2,600 tons per year.
The company also is working to convert its fleet to liquefied natural gas (LNG), reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 35 percent and other air emissions and particulate matter by at least 90 percent. It expects to begin conversion of one ship this year and another in 2016. “We are honored to receive this award and proud of the work that we are doing to reduce our impact on the environment,” noted John Parrott, President of Totem Ocean Trailer Express. “We care deeply about the communities we serve, and converting our ships to LNG will further reduce our carbon dioxide emissions and improve air quality.”
The Paw of Approval award signifies the power of polar bears, some of the most magnificent mammals on earth, and emphasizes the link between the animals’ health and climate change.
Polar bears rely on sea ice to launch their hunts for the seals that sustain their lives. Unchecked destruction of hunting grounds due to climate change endangers their existence.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium long has aided polar bear research and conservation efforts. The zoo parking lots and drives are “idle free” zones, in which motorists are asked to turn their engines off while they’re waiting for someone, thus reducing tailpipe emissions.
“The race to save polar bears will not be run in the Arctic, but instead in the cities that produce emissions tied to global warming,” said Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Education Curator Karen Povey, who made a presentation about the Paw of Approval award before parks commissioners on Monday evening. “We’re proud to acknowledge that Totem Ocean shares the values of the zoo and Metro Parks Tacoma in providing leadership in environmental stewardship within our community,” she added. The zoo is home to three polar bears, Boris, Blizzard and Glacier.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Northwest’s only combined zoo and aquarium, promotes responsible stewardship of the world’s resources through education, conservation, research and recreational opportunities. The zoo, a division of Metro Parks Tacoma, is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA).
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.