Interocean American Shipping News

On January 1, 2012 American Shipping Group underwent a dramatic transformation. The company, formerly known as ASG, became TOTE, Inc., and experienced a makeover in logo, look and structure. Seeing opportunity for market growth, TOTE, Inc. organized its five independently managed businesses in to three groups: Maritime, Logistics and Ship Management. For now, each company will retain their name, logo and independent branding. The strengths of the individual companies will be enhanced by marketing and sales efforts for the overall portfolio by all TOTE, Inc, affiliated companies.

Interocean American Shipping Corp., Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $28,189,899 firm-fixed-price contract for the operation and maintenance of the Sea-Based X-Band Radar platform (SBX-1). SBX-1 will be deployed to the Pacific Ocean to provide ballistic missile-tracking information to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System (GMD). SBX-1 will also provide advanced target and countermeasures discrimination capability for the GMD interceptor missiles. This contract includes four one-year option periods, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $165,204,573. Work will be performed at sea, and is expected to be completed by September 2012. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

On May 23rd at the National Press Club in Washington DC, the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA)  and IHS Fairplay will be hosting a dinner to commemorate National Maritime Day, which is held on May 22nd to honor merchant mariners. At this dinner, the 2010 AMVER (Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System) Award recipients will receive recognition for their service from Congressman Frank LoBiondo, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, and Coast Guard Commandant Robert Papp. The evening begins at 6:00PM with a reception. The genesis of the Amver system ultimately finds its roots in the RMS TITANIC disaster in 1912.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced contracts totaling $77 million for three U.S. maritime firms to operate 10 National Defense Reserve Fleet ships through July 27, 2015. “This money will help make sure these important Defense Reserve Fleet ships are manned with skilled mariners and are ready when our Nation calls,” said Secretary LaHood. The contracts were awarded to Ocean Duchess Inc. of Houston, Texas for $16,618,430; Keystone Ocean Shipping of Bala Cynwyd, Pa. for $30,212,588; and Interocean American Shipping Corporation of Moorestown, N.J. for $30,533,710. These companies are responsible for maintaining the ships in good mechanical condition and ensuring crews are available for their operation when needed.

Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) alumna, Sandra Bendixen (MMA, ’05) of Linwood, Wash., was the honored guest at the regular morning formation of the college’s Regiment of Midshipmen on Weds., Dec. 13, 2006. Bendixen received a surprise commendation and plaque from her employer, Interocean American Shipping (IAS),Voorhees, N.J., for her outstanding efforts to render medical assistance to two critically injured longshoremen. Bendixen was cited for her immediate action, skill, and calm and assured manner during the recent shipboard crisis. Mitchell Walker, MMA Class of 1971, vice president and general manager of IAS, traveled to Castine to make the special presentation in the presence of Maine Maritime Academy students.

The Training Ship Empire State left New Orleans on Friday, March 3, marking the end of an unprecedented six-month mission for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MarAd). Ten of the agency’s ships were activated to aid in recovery and relief efforts in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This marked the first time the ships of MARAD’s Ready Reserve Force were activated at the request of the Secretary of Transportation to deal with a domestic emergency, and the first time training ships provided by MARAD to State maritime academies were pressed into service to provide food and shelter. Six ships of the Ready Reserve Force: Cape Kennedy…