MN 100: Crowley

9487 Regency Square Boulevard
Jacksonville, FL 32225
Tel: (800) 276-9539
Email: [email protected] 
Website: www.crowley.com
Chairman & CEO: Thomas B. Crowley

The Company:
Crowley Maritime Corporation is a U.S.-owned and operated marine solutions, transportation and logistics company providing services in domestic and international markets through six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean liner services; Latin America liner services; logistics; marine contract solutions; deep sea petroleum transportation; and petroleum transportation, distribution and sales in Alaska. The primary services offered by these six business lines include Shipping and Logistics, Alaska Fuel Sales and Distribution, Petroleum and Chemical Transportation, Harbor Ship Assist and Tanker Escort, Vessel Management, Marine Salvage, Wreck Removal and Emergency Response, OPA 90 Compliance, Project Management, Heavy Lift Barge Transportation, Ocean Towing, Engineering, Naval Architecture, Vessel Design and Construction Management, Project Logistics and Global Freight Management, and liquid natural gas, just to name a few. Crowley supports all six of its primary business segments with centralized corporate operations, including purchasing, human resources, information technology, public relations and advertising, training, travel and facilities development. Additionally, Crowley often provides vessel design, construction management and vessel management services for company-owned vessels that are chartered for use in their operating lines of business. Founded in 1892, when founder Thomas Crowley, the grandfather of current chairman and CEO Thomas B. Crowley Jr., purchased an 18-foot Whitehall boat to provide transportation of personnel and supplies to ships anchored on San Francisco Bay, the present structure, in which Crowley Maritime Corporation serves as a holding company for business lines and all subsidiaries, was put in place in 1992. The company remains today wholly and privately owned by the Crowley family and Crowley employees. Crowley-owned subsidiaries include TITAN Salvage, Jensen Maritime Consultants and Customized Brokers.

The Case:
Today, Tom Crowley Jr. and his leadership team direct a company with more than $1.6 billion in annual revenues and approximately 5,300 employees. The firm, one of the largest employers of U.S. mariners, maintains a fleet of 200 vessels, consisting of RO/RO (roll-on-roll-off) vessels, LO/LO (lift-on-lift-off) vessels, articulated tug-barges (ATBs), tugs and barges. Its land-based facilities and equipment, which supports a complete supply chain solution, include terminals, warehouses, tank farms, office buildings, trucks, trailers, containers, chassis, cranes and other specialized vehicles. For more than a century, Crowley has set the standard for dependability and innovation. And, the company has grown from a one-man operation into a worldwide marine, transportation and logistics services provider by consistently delivering for its myriad customers. In terms of leadership, the firm has few rivals, evidenced by its bold, early move into the ATB space, eventually building out a fleet of 17 vessels. In May of last year, Crowley entered the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market by acquiring Carib Energy LLC. Also that month, Crowley’s liner services group added more than 3,000 pieces of equipment. The additional resources allowed the company to better meet increasing customer demand throughout Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and Latin America regions. Not done yet, Crowley announced in August 2013 that it would expand its fleet of petroleum vessels by building eight product tankers. Delivery of those vessels is slated between 2015 and the end of 2017. And, Crowley subsidiary TITAN Salvage, has been closely involved in the salvage of the Costa Concordia cruise ship. In short, there isn’t much on the waterfront that Crowley hasn’t looked into or is actively involved.
Take, for example, Crowley subsidiary Jensen Maritime, whose client base is wide and includes all sizes and types of tonnage. Ongoing in-house projects include an LNG bunker barge, the LNG-powered tug, LNG powered ATB designs and of course, the design work with the larger, faster and environmentally-friendly liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered, combination container – Roll-On/Roll-Off (ConRo) ships. Already in the thick of LNG, Jensen will provide construction management and supervision in the shipyard throughout the building phase of the ConRo’s.
Today’s Crowley Maritime Corporation would be hardly recognizable to its founder, but in the many years that have passed since its inception, the firm can still be summed up today remembering that it remains all about “people and safety – the Crowley way.” The rest is just details.

(As published in the August 2014 edition of Marine News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeNews)