Harbor Breeze Cruises News

Forrest Lucas is a proverbial ‘rags-to-riches’ story, emerging from rural Indiana to build a corporate empire. From truck driver to truck fleet owner to oil and media magnate – including naming rights to an NFL stadium – Lucas is the ‘every man’ tycoon with eyes on the commercial maritime market. Talk to Forrest Lucas for five minutes and it is easy to see that his claims to be a ‘regular guy’ – placing honesty and integrity at the forefront of all dealings – is earnest. Rising from modest means, early on Lucas combined an entrepreneurial spirit, a hard work ethic and an inventive mind.

Lucas Marine is partnering with Harbor Breeze Corporation to help reduce the yacht charter and cruise company's fuel costs, maintenance and environmental impact in Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors. Harbor Breeze is one of the largest yacht charter and cruise companies operating within the two busiest ports in the United States. Lucas Marine is a division of Lucas Oil Products, Inc. - leader in the development of high performance lubricants and problem solving additives. Harbor Breeze CEO Dan Salas, has been operating his fleet of marine vessels for more than 20 years.

All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), together with Harbor Breeze Cruises, has announced the completion and delivery of an aluminum catamaran passenger vessel to operate in the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors. The new vessel, M/V La Espada, is a multi-purpose vessel and will provide harbor tours, whale watch cruises, dinner cruises, and charter ferry service to Catalina Island. La Espada, whose name means ‘the sword’, is 83’ x 29.5’ and is certified to carry 250 passengers. Harbor Breeze Cruises previously contracted with All American Marine to build a similar catamaran, the M/V Triumphant, in 2013. The success of the design with both customer appeal and fuel-efficient operations brought Dan Salas…

Building for the possibility of shortsea shipping involves many variables. The novel concept of rebirthing short sea shipping into what it once was or could be, may remain just that, a novelty. It would be paramount to overcome the “my way, on my terms” philosophy that so heavily drives traffic away from the seas and inland waterways and onto asphalt freeways that cannibalize natural resources. The plight of road warriors may even further drive coastal commuting straight into Davy’s Locker with the rapidly expanding development of non-marine-use shore side infrastructure.

Passenger ferry and tour boat market segment has suddenly been revitalized and is on the verge of becoming hot. It is no secret: new vessel construction for the passenger vessel industry came to a virtual standstill in conjunction with the troubled economy. For many operators, just keeping the shingle hung, skilled crew at hand and something afloat at the other end of the mooring line has required the most scrupulous cost controls and strategy. With the results of the past election now set and several years of waiting and seeing under their belts…