Marine Resources Group News

Largest US tug and barge holding company unites family of companies under single powerful brand. America's largest coastal tug and barge operator is taking a new - but widely recognized - name: Foss Marine Holdings, Inc. Company officials announced today that Marine Resources Group (MRG) is becoming Foss Marine Holdings. The Foss name - which celebrates a rich maritime tradition that includes century-long service and a record of innovation - will now represent a family of independent subsidiary companies that spans North America and the globe.

Marine Resources Group (MRG), a family of companies that operate tug and barge fleets throughout the United States, is expanding into the Alaska harbor services business. MRG announced that it is acquiring the assets of Cook Inlet Tug & Barge, based in Anchorage, which it will operate as an independent subsidiary, effective Jan. 1, 2011. The family-owned Alaska company, which traces its history to 1923, has 10 employees and operates three tugs and one barge. “Cook Inlet Tug & Barge is a perfect fit for our group,” said Paul Stevens, MRG chief executive officer. Steve Scalzo, MRG chief operating officer, said Capt. Carl Anderson, current owner, will remain at Cook Inlet Tug & Barge in a consulting capacity to support the business during the transition.

Marine Resources Group (MRG), a family of companies that operate tug and barge fleets throughout the United States, is expanding into the Alaska harbor services business. MRG announced today that it is acquiring the assets of Cook Inlet Tug & Barge, based in Anchorage, which it will operate as an independent subsidiary, effective Jan. 1, 2011. The family-owned Alaska company, which traces its history to 1923, has 10 employees and operates three tugs and one barge. “Cook Inlet Tug & Barge is a perfect fit for our group,” said Paul Stevens, MRG chief executive officer. Steve Scalzo, MRG chief operating officer, said Capt. Carl Anderson, current owner, will remain at Cook Inlet Tug & Barge in a consulting capacity to support the business during the transition.

At the recent ABS Council meeting, 31 prominent members of the shipping and offshore industries were elected as new members of the prominent international classification society. The ABS Council also elected seven new members to the society’s Technical Committee. “Our strength as a classification society is the breadth of experience and depth of wisdom of our membership,” said ABS Chairman & CEO Robert D. Somerville. Zamil A. Thomas J. Angiolino, Senior Vice President, Willis of New York, Inc. Commodore R. Balasubrmaniam, IN (Retd.), Director, Rajapur Shipyard Pvt. Ltd. Dong-Su Choi, President & CEO, SLS Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Robert G. George A. Cupstid, Senior Vice President and General Manager, LeTourneau Technologies, Inc. Tim E. Steven Durrell, President, Irving Shipbuilding Inc.

The Foss Maritime Company has created three new management positions aimed at strengthening its safety, compliance and environmental programs. Frank Williamson has been promoted to vice president, safety, quality and general counsel. Formerly Foss’ general counsel, Williamson will take on new responsibilities in health, safety, compliance and quality assurance. He will oversee the team responsible for developing and implementing safety and environmental programs. Susan Hayman, who spearheaded the development of Foss’ hybrid-powered, low-emissions tug due to enter service this fall, will become vice president for environmental and corporate development.

In a commitment to significantly enhance services to its customers, and to expand its ship-assist capabilities at California’s largest ports, AMNAV Maritime Services will construct four new tugs that will be among the most powerful in the marketplace. The multi-million dollar fleet expansion was announced by Milton Merritt, president of the company that is already a major provider of ship-docking services on San Francisco Bay and at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. “Through this investment, we will be both growing and improving our presence in the ship-assist sector,” said Merritt. AMNAV, part of Seattle-based Marine Resources Group (MRG), will build the new tugs at an MRG-owned shipyard in Rainier, Oregon.

Boston’s newest and most powerful harbor tug has been christened, crewed up and has started serving customers of Constellation Maritime Co. The tug Leo is a 78-foot, 5,000 horsepower Dolphin-Class vessel built at Foss Rainier Shipyard in Oregon. The brand new ASD-powered tug arrived in Boston on March 7 along with the Orion, a 3,000 horsepower, 95 foot Voith-powered tractor formerly in service for Foss Maritime on the Columbia River. Together, the two high-powered tugs give Constellation, a Foss subsidiary, a one-two punch that amounts to a significant competitive edge in handling ship assists, harbor work, and future tanker escorts.

Marine Resources Group announced that Kirstin Sandaas has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer and Kevin Orstad has joined the company in the position of Group Controller. Sandaas joined MRG in the spring of 2004, and since that time has worked closely with the financial and operating divisions at the MRG group of companies. Her contributions include assisting in two corporate acquisitions, implementing an MRG-wide 401(k) program and assessing enterprise-wide systems solutions. Prior to joining MRG she held the position of Director of Finance at Sea Coast Towing. She served as Finance Manager at Optiva, makers of the sonicare toothbrush, working as an integral part of the team that helped sell the company to Philips Electronics.

K-Sea Transportation Partners L.P. has agreed to acquire Sea Coast Towing, Inc. of Seattle, Wash. from Marine Resources Group, Inc., also of Seattle, for approximately $81 million. Sea Coast operates 15 tank barges and 15 tugboats, representing 694,000 barrels of capacity, of which 316,000 barrels are double-hulled. Of the remaining single hulled capacity, approximately 80 percent is eligible to operate in the Jones Act trades until January 2015, with the remaining capacity (one vessel) eligible until January 2008. The addition of these tank barges will represent a 27.1% increase in the barrel-carrying capacity of the K-Sea fleet to over 3.2 million barrels…