Centerline Logistics Acquires Saltchuk Marine Services’ California Ship Refueling Ops

Centerline Logistics acquired Saltchuk Marine Services’ California ship refueling business, currently operated by subsidiary Foss Maritime Company. 

According to a press release from Centerline, this "major acquisition" brings together the combined capabilities of two of the nation’s leaders in petroleum transportation, strengthening Centerline’s position as a provider of around the clock bunkering (ship refueling) services.

Through this expansion, Centerline will "substantially grow" its existing California bunkering  operations with the acquisition of Foss’s six bunker barges as well as its established customer contracts  in the California market. Centerline currently operates eight bunker barges in the ports of Los Angeles  and San Francisco, part of a national fleet of marine transportation vessels serving customers along the  West Coast, Gulf Coast and East Coast.

“Safe and versatile ship refueling is essential to keeping vessels and trade moving through American  ports," said Matt Godden, President and CEO of Centerline Logistics. "As one of the largest bunkering operators in the United States, we are excited about the synergies this acquisition will deliver to our customers."

Centerline Logistics was founded in 1987 as an oil transportation business focused primarily on  providing ship refueling and general petroleum transportation. Today, the company’s petroleum services fleet includes double hull barges equipped with vapor recovery equipment, tank monitoring, alarm and inert gas systems. Over the  course of 2020, Centerline has made the decision to pursue a strategy focused on strengthening its  premier service offering – safe petroleum transportation.

Centerline was represented by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP on the transaction and Saltchuk Marine was represented by Foster Garvey PC.