Rainier News

Fort Worth, Texas based Pilot Thomas Logistics’ (PTL) said it will unify its family of marine companies including Economy Boat Store, General Petroleum, Radcliff/Economy Marine Services, Rainier Petroleum and Maxum Petroleum under one brand, PTL Marine, to simplify commercial, operational and administrative aspects of the business.“Recognizing the 85th Anniversary of our oldest company this year, we are excited to honor our legacy while moving forward as one,” said Dennis Cassidy, President and CEO of PTL. “PTL Marine will be led by David Reynolds and our experienced management team, which we believe the market has come to know as reliable and trusted partners.”Headquartered in Memphis…

Elcome International said it has completed a satellite communications retrofit program for a major fleet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers providing broadband data and voice services. “Our team decommissioned the existing VSAT systems and installed new SAILOR 900 antennas and below-deck systems on 40 ships within four months. Most of the installations were performed at sea, and the others were made at ports in eight different countries,” said Jimmy Grewal, executive director of Dubai-based Elcome International.

Marine News showcases the best of North America’s 2017 workboat deliveries. There is something for everyone. Notwithstanding the lingering offshore energy downturn, there were plenty of bright spots for North American shipyards in 2017. If a hull was delivered in 2017, we took a look at it, with several areas as a focus for inclusion into this edition. For starters, it is always exciting when a domestic yard delivers a vessel – or multiple vessels, for that matter – to foreign buyers. We can compete in a foreign arena; on price, quality and on-time delivery. This year was no different. No less important is the environmental footprint of a vessel, and there was plenty to report on from that angle in the past 12 months. The domestic waterfront is indeed getting greener and cleaner.

Foss Maritime and Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to produce and market the Damen ASD 2813 tug. The tug design has been modified to meet the unique demands of the U.S. tug assist and escort market. The first four of a series of at least 10 tugs will be constructed at the Foss Rainier, Ore., Shipyard, with delivery planned for 2019. While Foss will construct the tugs to supplement and enhance their fleet, tugs of this build series will be available for purchase by other U.S. tug operators.

Nicole Foss, the final of Foss’ three new state-of-the-art Arctic Class tugs designed to operate in the extreme conditions of the far north, was christened last week at the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, Wash. The vessel was built at the Foss Rainier, Ore. shipyard and will enter service this summer. Foss president and CEO John Parrott made opening remarks, praising the hard work and dedication of the people, designers, and customers that made the project possible. Scott Merritt, chief operating officer of Foss also spoke, praising the team at the Rainier Shipyard.

Foss Maritime said its third of three new Arctic Class tugs being built at the Rainier, Ore. shipyard is nearing completion and expected to enter service later this year. The tug Nicole Foss is ice class D0, meaning the hulls are designed specifically for polar waters and are reinforced to maneuver in ice. Like her sister Arctic Class vessels, it complies with the requirements in the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Vessels Intended to Operate in Polar Waters, including ABS A1 standards, SOLAS and Green Passport. Two short videos show construction from April of 2016 to January 2017.

John Parrott assumed the role of President and CEO of Foss Maritime on January 1, 2017, after completing a four-month transition announced last July. Parrott joined Foss in January 2016 as Chief Operating Officer; in August 2016 he assumed the role of President from retiring President and CEO Paul Stevens. Parrott completed a "listening tour" in early 2016, which included visiting Foss employees at work throughout the company. He visited with mariners on workboats in the Gulf of Alaska…

As the oil industry awaits a much-needed rebound, Foss Maritime’s robust presence in the Arctic region underscores its commitment to the region, the environment, and a business plan that looks ahead to the next chapter. Reports of the death of commercial Arctic activities have been greatly exaggerated. While Arctic energy projects have, by and large, been put on the back burner – like most things related to energy in other places – there are still many projects ongoing; and still others being planned.

All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), together with Argosy Cruises of Seattle, Wash., has signed a contract for the construction of a 125-foot aluminum monohull tour boat for operation in Puget Sound’s Elliott Bay. This project will mark the first keel laid at All American Marine’s new shipyard currently under construction in Squalicum Harbor at the north edge of Bellingham Bay. AAM will to open the new state-of-the-art 57,000-sq. ft. boat building facility in January 2017. The Port…

The second of three new state-of-the-art Arctic Class tugs, the Denise Foss, was christened June 1, 2016 at the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, Wash. Built at the Foss Rainier, Ore. Shipyard, the Denise is designed to operate in the extreme conditions of the far north, and will enter service this summer. Foss COO John Parrott conducted opening remarks. Parrott applauded the hard work and dedication of the people, designers, and customers that made this project possible. He also introduced Denise Tabbutt…

Harley Marine Services announced the construction of two new ship handling vessels to be built at Diversified Marine in Portland, Ore. The two tugs are sister class vessels to the previously built Michelle Sloan and Lela Franco, and will add to the company's fleet presence on the West Coast. The vessels will each have a length of 80', a beam of 36' and a depth of 16'-8" and are capable of producing 70 short tons of bollard pull. Each vessel is equipped with two CAT 3516, Tier 3 propulsion engines, for a total of approximately 5,200 horsepower, and two Caterpillar C7.1, Tier 3 generators. These engines reduce NOx and particulate matter, from Tier 2 models by 74 percent. The vessels are each equipped with a Markey bow winch, a barge handling stern winch, and Shibata fendering.

The John C. Stennis Strike Group (JCSSG) is conducting routine operations in the South China Sea. The ships transited the Luzon Strait March 1 and have maintained a location in the eastern half of these international waters for four days. USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) all conducted a replenishment-at-sea today receiving advanced biofuel, aviation fuel and supplies from USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7). Flight operations have occurred daily with Carrier Airwing (CVW) 9 conducting 266 sorties. Numerous People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA(N)) vessels have remained in JCSSG's vicinity during this time period. "We have Chinese ships around us that we normally didn't see in my past experience," said Capt.

Willard Marine informs it was awarded a contract to provide the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with three aluminum hydrographic survey launch ships (HSLs). The three 28-foot HSLs will be used to conduct oceanographic surveys with hull-mounted and towed sonar units in U.S. coastal waters. A Cummins QSC8.3 engine capable of 510 HP with a ZF Marine 305-2 transmission will be used to power the boats. Outfitted to support traditional manned survey operations, the HSLs will offer additional flexibility to add unmanned autonomous capability.

Foss Maritime Company is wholly owned by Saltchuk Resources, a privately owned family investment company formed in 1982 and based in the Pacific Northwest. Saltchuk has over $2 billion of assets invested in numerous operating companies in several different business groups, including deep water shipping logistics, ship management, tug and barge operations, fuel distribution and trucking. Foss regularly partners with its sister companies in the Saltchuk portfolio to offer a diverse range of maritime transportation services.

NOAA announced the official launch of its 2015 Arctic hydrographic survey season took place this morning, in Kodiak, Alaska, in a World Ocean Day ceremony which showcased the deployment of the NOAA ships Rainier and Fairweather. “Most Arctic waters that are charted were surveyed with obsolete technology, with some of the information dating back to Captain Cook's voyages, long before the region was part of the United States,” said NOAA deputy under secretary for operations Vice Admiral Michael S. Devany in remarks directed to the crews of NOAA ships.

The Port of Seattle’s 2015 cruise season began May 1 at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal with the arrival of the Holland America Line Westerdam. The port expects 192 cruise ship calls this season, bringing an estimated 895,055 revenue passengers. “Each of these cruise ships contribute $2.5 million to the local economy, which comes out to over $400 million for this cruise season,” said Port Commissioner Stephanie Bowman. “We also want passengers to stay in the area an extra few days to spend more time and money in Washington state.

The first of three Arctic Class tugs being built at the Foss Rainier, Ore. Shipyard was christened Thursday, April 9, at the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, Wash. The vessel, the Michele Foss, will see its first assignment on an oil field sealift this summer from South Korea to the Alaskan Arctic. Mike Magill, Vice President of Foss' Technical Services, made opening remarks at the christening, praising the hardworking men and women who constructed the vessel. "As we know, a construction project of this magnitude requires significant teamwork to accomplish," Magill said.

NOAA plans increased 2015 Arctic nautical charting operations, coordinating with U.S. As commercial shipping traffic increases in the Arctic, NOAA informs it is taking steps to update nautical charts in the region. NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey will use data collected by two of its own ships, Rainier and Fairweather, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Healy and a private sector hydrographic contractor to cover nearly 12,000 nautical miles in the Arctic for use in updating its navigational charts.

Foss Maritime announced that Carl Smith has recently joined the company as the Director of Sales and Marketing for its Fleet Services Division based out of Seattle. He will be reporting to Mike Magill, Vice President of Fleet Services. Previously employed by Alaska Ship and Dry Dock (ASD), Smith was part of the ASD Management Team for 18 years. Early in his career, his responsibilities at ASD included Management of Production and Operations and, prior to joining Foss, he served as Director of Marketing.

Seattle's Foss Maritime, a company that has evolved from a single rowboat into one of the world's leading marine transportation and harbor services companies, informs that it celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. The company was founded in Tacoma, Washington by Thea Foss in 1889, and now serves customers around the world, operating over 130 vessels and employing 1,500 people. "We have great and strong traditions here at Foss, and the hard work and creative thinking of our employees has propelled us to where we are today," said Paul Stevens, Foss president and CEO. Over the past 125 years, Foss Maritime has grown out of its humble beginnings into a global company that offers a wide range of marine services.

NOAA today announced that Lake Assault Boats of Superior, Wisconsin, will build two small vessels for the Office of Coast Survey's navigation response program, part of a plan to eventually replace all six of the program's small survey boats. The combined cost of both 28-foot vessels is $538,200. "All of the navigation response team survey boats are nearing or have exceeded their designed service life," said Russ Proctor, division chief of Coast Survey's Navigation Services Division.

Oil and gas—and also mining—are the drivers today propelling Arctic maritime operations and the construction of new vessels able to operate in extreme latitudes. While the gas and oil resources can be recovered in the Arctic or far north and shipped to markets by sea or pipeline, the cost of doing must be balanced upon the global market price for those commodities. Ships and marine structures able to operate in the harsh conditions of the extreme latitudes require special designs and construction techniques.

New data will update nautical charts around the country. As sure as spring arrives, NOAA vessels and independent contractors are hitting the seas for the nation's 180th hydrographic surveying season, collecting data for over two thousand square nautical miles in high-traffic U.S. coastal waters. "Nautical charts are the foundation for the nation's maritime economy, and NOAA hydrographers spend months at sea, surveying critical areas to ensure safe navigation for the shipping, fishing, and boating communities," said Rear Admiral Gerd Glang, director of the Office of Coast Survey.