Thea Foss News

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.

Foss Maritime, founded by the matriarch of the Foss family in 1889, is as much a cultural icon on the U.S. West Coast as McAllister or Moran are on the East Coast. Norwegian immigrant Thea Foss began the business when she bought her first row boat in Tacoma, Wash. and painted it the signature green and white. The Foss family grew the business into a launch  service ferrying crew and supplies in the 1910s, then shifted into towing work in the 1940s. Thea Foss is considered the inspiration for Tug Boat Annie…

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has placed the final piece in the funding puzzle for Tacoma's D Street Overpass, announcing it will provide a $4 million grant for the $28 million project. The economic impact the overpass – including increased rail and truck freight capacity through the Port of Tacoma – served as the key reasons the EDA selected the FAST Corridor (Freight Action Strategy for the Seattle-Tacoma Corridor) project for federal funding. East D Street is a major corridor for rail and truck freight and for people wanting to access the revitalized Thea Foss Waterway. Once completed, the D Street overpass will separate train and motor vehicle traffic by raising the roadway over the railroad tracks.

The Ocean Sea Award will be presented to Raymond P. President of American Roll-on Roll-off Carriers (ARC), and Robert P. Chairman and CEO of The American Shipping Group. Towers, New York City, on November 5, 2004. Association, AFL-CIO, made the announcements. represent the finest in American spirit," said Mr. Bowers. "Mr. Mr. government officials. services abroad for the U.S. countries. seafarers who will be honored for specific acts of bravery at sea. Mr. Ebeling has been President and Chairman of ARC, a U.S. service ocean carrier, since 1990. ro-ro ships between the United States and Northern Europe, and two U.S. ro-ro ships between the U.S. most of the U.S. military vehicles in those trades. Department of Defense. He also has been President of Wallenius Lines Holding Inc. 1990.

Motor yacht Kensington on the ways at Jensen Motor Boat Company, circa 1929. For more than a hundred years, the Pacific Northwest has ranked as a center for vessel design, construction and preservation. Beginning with the advent of the Pacific cod fishery in the 1880s, utilizing the raw material afforded by the vast Northwest forests, Seattle-area boat builders began creating one of the world’s great fishing fleets. Soon, they would craft sailing ships to support the lumber and cargo trades, and work boats that sustained Pacific commerce.

At a special action Port of Tacoma Commission, eight non-profit environmental groups received funding, and the Commission passed a resolution in support of the Shared Strategy for Puget Sound. The Port of Tacoma, Pierce County and the City of Tacoma jointly announced a total of $41,888 to environmental groups that are working to improve the environment of Commencement Bay and the lower Puyallup River watershed. Ranging from $3,000 to $7,000 per group, the source of the one-time awards are excess dollars funded but not spent on earlier, successfully completed Port, County and City environmental projects. According to R. Ted Bottiger, Port of Tacoma Commission President…