decemberZ[Y[cX[h(&&,%lebkc['/_iik[* 2010 / volume 23 issue 4
Sheila Newman
A HOLIDAY MESSAGE: By Gary Faber -ORE THAN ANY MONTHS IN THE RECENT HISTORY OF OUR COM W^eb_ZWo]h[[j_d]0President and Chief Operating Officer HARD WORK AND PANY WAS A YEAR IN WHICH &OSS -ARITIME MOVED FORWARD STRATEGICALLY IN ALL AREAS OF OUR BUSINESS SACRIFICE4USBUFHJD.PWFTJO KEPT With the holiday season upon us, I believe the time is right to recognize our employees, customers and vendors for their part in furthering a number of 7E BELIEVE THAT NEW COURSES CHARTED IN OUR HARBOR SERVICES "MJHO6TXJUI5IJT.JTTJPOpositive developments at Foss Maritime in 2010. FOSS IN THE GAME MARINE TRANSPORTATIONLOGISTICS AND SHIPYARD LINES OF BUSINESS 1SPWJEF$VTUPNFSTXJUI4FSWJDFTIn 2010, we continued to implement cultures of safety and environmental WHILE NOT WITHOUT RISK WILL FURTHER THE GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF UIBUBSF8JUIPVU&RVBMawareness, believing this effort is both the right thing for us to do as corporate citizens and that it is criticalTHE COMPANY FOR DECADES TO COME to our future success as a business.#ONTINUED INSIDE Our industry continues to struggle under the pressure of the flat economy, but we stayed in the game as a result of hard work and sacrifice by everyone at Foss. Continued on page 4
WbmWoih[WZoalways safe Constellation, Gulf Caribe and ACTC To Operate Under Foss Brand
Foss subsidiaries Constellation United Launch Alliance and formerly Maritime, based in Boston, and Gulf was operated by Gulf Caribe. Along Hybrid Greener than Expected Caribe Maritime, based in Mobile, are with former Foss Global activities, The test results are in, and the hybrid- powered tug Carolyn Dorothy’s emissions being rebranded as Foss Maritime, Foss International’s aim is to are lower than Foss expected when the tug a change that will be reflected on develop the international activities was introduced in January 2009. The tests stationery, business cards, building and presence of Foss. were conducted on behalf of the California signs and other branded materials. Megan Aukema, a marketing Air Resources Board by the University of Foss also has announced that its consultant who has been working with California, Riverside, Center for Environmen- tal Research and Technology. global cargo-carrying Foss since 2006, said the goal Page 3 subsidiary, America Cargo in establishing a brand is to Transport Corp. (ACTC), identify what sets a company Heavy Weather Rescue will be rebranded as Foss apart from its competitors and Heading north for a refit at Foss Rainier International. how a company can talk about Shipyard, the Edith Foss was in the right place at the right time when a 30-foot fishing President and Chief that in a way that engages boat lost power south of Point Sur on the Operating Officer Gary customers and prospects. central California coast. The tug delivered Faber said the rebrandings “Building a strong brand the boat and its two-man crew safely to are the culmination of the is really about delivering Monterey Bay. full integration of the operations, a promise of value to customers,” Page 5 formerly run separately as subsidiar- Aukema said. “You will notice that Big Job on the River ies, into Foss, including their adop- there are certain themes you hear Foss In a job expected to last about a year, Foss is tion of the Foss cultures of safety and repeat all the time: themes of safety, making about 40 tows up the Columbia and operational excellence. environmental commitment, respect Snake Rivers, delivering oil production mod- “We will henceforth be one Foss,” for customers and employees and ules from Vancouver, Wash., to Lewiston, Idaho. The modules are to be carried over Faber said. “The rebrandings will responsive customer service.” the road to the Kearl Oil Sands development reinforce the message to our custom- “With the current rebranding of project in Alberta, Canada. ers that they will see the same culture subsidiaries,” she added, “we will Page 6 and the same management practices work to be consistent in our Haiti Salvage Job wherever we do business.” communications to customers and Foss was on the team that salvaged a ship- Foss purchased Constellation in prospects across the entire company.” to-shore crane that toppled from a marine 2006 and formed Gulf Caribe as a While printed materials, signs and terminal during the earthquake in Haiti in separate entity in 1988. They will oper- most other branded materials used by January 2010. Then the Foss barge used for ate as the Atlantic Division of Foss. Constellation, Gulf Caribe and ACTC the job was secured to become a temporary ACTC was acquired in 2007. Going will be converted soon, Foss will marine terminal in Port au Prince. Page 9 forward, Foss International also will repaint and add its logo to tugs and encompass the Delta Mariner, which barges as schedules permit. Corporate Group Moving carries rocket-related cargo for the The Foss corporate group is moving to Seattle’s south Lake Union neighborhood,
next door to a building occupied by parent On the Cover company MRG. The current office building Artist Sheila Newman’s painting, “Ready in All Weathers” was selected for reproduction on the on West Ewing Street, a former warehouse 2010 Foss Holiday card. It was among 26 paintings submitted in this year’s competition for built in 1903, will be torn down. placement on the card and the 2011 Foss calendar. The calendar paintings and an article about Page 17 double-winner Charles Fawcett are on Pages 12 and 13. Tough Guy’s Soft Side Don’t let Ship Repair Superintendent Mike Port’s tough outward demeanor fool you. He has a soft side, which he demonstrates To submit articles for Tow Bitts, please contact Bruce Sherman, as a volunteer, teaching English as a Second editor, [email protected], or Earl Clark, coordinator of Language classes and working in the Emer- production, [email protected]. The Tow Bitts graphic designer is gency Room at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Barbara Hoberecht. Tow Bitts is published quarterly by Foss Maritime for employees, customers and friends. Changes to the Tow Bitts mailing list should be referred to the Marine Personnel Page 18 office in Seattle, (206) 281-3821/3958.
2 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 The Carolyn Dorothy is the world’s first hybrid-powered tug. Foss will convert another tug to hybrid power in 2011. World’s First Hybrid Tug Even Greener Than Expected; Tests by California Air Agency Endorse New Technology
Foss Maritime’s hybrid tug is in San Pedro Bay by a second hybrid benefits of using a hybrid system on a performing even better than originally in mid-2011 that will represent another tug included the following steps: hoped, beating expectations on step forward in the evolution of hybrid Power from the engines and batter- emissions and bringing cleaner air technology,” said Bob Fletcher, Deputy ies, and vessel location was recorded to southern California communities Executive Officer, California Air while the tug boats worked typical and the ports of Long Beach and Resources Board. assignments. These data were ana- Los Angeles. A side-by-side comparison of two lyzed to produce activity profiles of the That’s a finding of Evaluating Foss Maritime dolphin-class tugs—the fraction of the time that the tugs spent Emission Benefits of a Hybrid Tug Boat, Carolyn Dorothy and the conventional in each operating mode. a report released by the California Air tug Alta June — showed significant In-use emission measurements Resources Board (CARB). It details emissions reductions: were made on the propulsion and third-party testing of the Carolyn • 73 percent reduction for particulate auxiliary engines to determine the gas- Dorothy, the world’s first hybrid tug. matter (PM) eous (CO, CO2 and NOx) and particu- Among the reports conclusions: • 51 percent reduction for nitrogen late matter (PM) emissions across that “Tug boats are a good application oxide (NOx) engine’s entire operating range. for the hybrid technology.” • 27 percent for carbon dioxide (CO2) Activity data coupled with emis- “The CARB study is better than The testing was performed by a sions data were used to determine the we had hoped,” said Susan Hayman, team at the Center for Environmental total in-use emissions in grams per Foss Maritime’s Vice President of Research and Technology at the hour from each tug. Environmental and Governmental University of California, Riverside The total in-use emissions for each Affairs. “We anticipated that the (UCR). The testing program was con- tug were compared and allowed UCR Carolyn Dorothy would show sig- ducted in the Ports of Los Angeles and to calculate the percentage reduction nificant reductions in emissions Long Beach over a seven-month period of the gaseous and particulate matter compared to a conventional tug. The from January to July, 2010. emissions and benefits of the hybrid report confirms it and then some.” “Developing a suitable protocol technology. Hayman pointed to Foss’ partner- to accurately establish the benefits The conventional dolphin tug, Foss’ ship with the ports of Los Angeles of a hybrid technology was challeng- Alta June, was powered by two diesel and Long Beach as an example of how ing,” said Dr. Wayne Miller, Adjunct engines and two auxiliary generators, innovation can work for the benefit of Professor and Associate Director of while the hybrid tug, Foss’ Carolyn both the private and public sectors. CERT at University of California, Dorothy, operated on two smaller main “This intensive testing has demon- Riverside. “UCR was helped with a diesel engines, two auxiliary genera- strated that hybrid technology holds broad team of many interested part- tors and 126 batteries. All engines in great promise for tug boats and poten- ners, including local, state and federal both vessels met the EPA Tier 2 tially other vessels operating in our regulatory agencies; the developer marine emission standards. ports. Based on what we’ve seen and user of the technology and others The Carolyn Dorothy was introduced so far, we’re very pleased that the listed in the report.” in the ports of Long Beach and Carolyn Dorothy is going to be joined Testing to determine the emission Los Angeles in January of 2009.
December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 3 HOLIDAY MESSAGE (Continued from the cover)
As for operational positives in 2010, of Port-au-Prince. (See article, page 9.) a Pacific Division, an Atlantic Division we reached a multi-year agreement to This fall, we began barging oil field and a Global Services Division in extend the contract under which we production modules up the Columbia addition to Shipyards and Technical have been lightering ore to bulk carri- River to Lewiston, Idaho, for over-the- Services. ers at Alaska’s Red Dog Mine for the road transport to the Kearl Oil Sands Thanks again to our loyal custom- last 20 years. In another multi-year development project in Alberta. (See ers, top-rate vendors and, most impor- agreement, we are basing an emergen- article, page 6.) tantly, our world-class employees. We cy-response tug year-round in Neah And our Atlantic Division com- are still pushing a big bow wave of Bay, Wash., to assist disabled vessels in pleted 14 tows from Maine and economic difficulty, but we are well- Puget Sound and off the coast. South Carolina, barging construction positioned and have proven that we Our Global Services Division’s busi- modules to the Motiva Port Arthur have staying power. ness showed some life, with our big- Refinery, which will be the largest Next year will be better, but we are gest tugs, the Lauren Foss and Corbin refinery in the United States. not on the downhill pull yet. Foss, working on offshore construction Early this year, we implemented a Stay focused, stay eager, stay safe. last winter for PEMEX in Mexico. divisional structure that focuses the Global Services also barged thousands company on the geographic regions of tons of food aid to Haiti following where we operate and puts us in a the January 2010 earthquake and has better position to grow when the Gary Faber assisted with reconstruction of the port economy turns around. Foss now has President and Chief Operating Officer.
Photo courtesy of Jan’s Marine Photography HEADED FOR HER NEW HOME Foss has bare-boat chartered the brand new tug Delta Lindsey from Bay & Delta Towing of San Francisco. The 100-foot, 6,850-horse- power ASD assist/escort tug was built by Nichols Bros. Boat Builders on Whidbey Island, north of Seattle. Foss Pacific Division Vice President David Hill said the tug will help handle new business on the West Coast and provide back-up support for the Kearl Oil Sands module towing project on the Columbia River. In the photo, the Foss tug Pacific Star, background, moved the new tug on Sept. 18 southward on Puget Sound near Shilshole Bay to Foss Shipyard, where it was painted in Foss colors before being crewed and dispatched to its first job.
4 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 Edith Foss Rescues Fishing Boat off California Coast
A quirk of fate turned out to be a stroke of luck for three sport fisher- men, whose disabled 30-foot boat was rescued in the face of a building storm by the tug Edith Foss on Sept. 4, 12 miles south of Point Sur on the central California Coast. The Edith, normally based in Southern California, happened to be on its way to the Foss Rainier Shipyard on the Columbia River when the Coast Guard put out a call for emergency assistance for the vessel Extasea, which lost engine power when a wave washed over its transom and flooded its engine compartments. “We plotted their position, set our course, and we were on the scene in about 30 minutes,” said Edith Foss Capt. Joe Cotton. “The weather was getting progressively worse, with gale force winds forecast, and it became apparent that their lives were in jeopardy.” Conditions at the time included a 25- to 30-knot northwesterly wind with Crewmembers on the Edith Foss were, from left, Engineer Rocky Rinehart, Mate John Nickels, Capt. Joe an 8- to 12-foot swell that was build- Cotton and Able Seaman Greg Kuglis. ing. Cotton called it “snotty, with real steep waves.” “The current was so strong it was So the captain and his crew had a pulling our lines off the spot too fast,” safety meeting to develop a plan for he said. “And then this wave came the rescue. They then had the fisher- over the stern, went through the men rig a bridle on the bow of their exhaust vents and right on the carbs boat before attaching the Edith’s tow and flooded them out.” line. The Edith towed the boat for They were drifting toward shore ten hours, about 38 miles north to and were close enough to the beach to Monterey Bay, where they passed it to see the waves breaking, he said, add- a Vessel Assist craft, before resuming ing he and Parisek were relieved when their trip to the Columbia River. they saw the Edith approaching from a “Everything was safe and sound, distance, nothing broken, end of story,” Cotton He said the work of the captain and said. He commended his crew for crew was “outstanding.” dealing with the situation “calmly and “I was really impressed with flawlessly” and added, “I’m just glad the way the whole thing went,” we were there to help.” Rotondo said. Fisherman Thomas Rotondo The tug Edith Foss, seen through the windshield said he and his friend Matt Parisek, of the Extasea. the boat owner, had been fishing in always safe Monterey Bay but decided to go out- side to a black cod hole they could find with their GPS.
December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 5 KEARL OIL SANDS Foss Towing 155 Oil-Production Modules to Lewiston, Idaho; Complex Project Showcases Work in Petroleum Industry
Foss this fall started work on a contract that will involve up to 40 tows of oil production modules up the Columbia and Snake Rivers to Lewiston, Idaho, and which will once again showcase Foss’s ability to handle big, complex projects for major petroleum companies. The 155 pieces of production equip- ment, some about the size of a truck ranging to modules as big as a house, are being built in Korea for the Kearl Oil Sands development project near Fort McMurray, Alberta. Exxon Mobil Canada and Imperial Oil are the developers. Ships are carrying the modules to the Port of Vancouver, Wash., where they are being loaded on Foss barges for the 65-hour, tandem tow to The first module is loaded on the Foss barge 286-3 at the Port of Vancouver, Wash., on Oct. 8. Lewiston. From Lewiston, the mod- ules are to be trucked over the road that Advanced American Construction through Idaho and Montana and assisted with the work. “It was a drop- into Canada. dead schedule of less than a month for The tugs Betsy L and PJ Brix are work that under normal circumstances assigned to the project and were mak- would take about two months to ing about one round trip a week this complete.” fall until December 14, when river Foss Pacific Division Vice President traffic was shut down until March David Hill gave credit to Foss person- to repair and maintain locks at seven nel for “their expertise and the team dams on the Columbia-Snake River effort leading up to this project...It system. really has been a complex project to The tow winch on the Betsy L was bid and kick off.” re-built for the project, and Foss cus- He said the module-towing job tomized two barges to handle the could last through next October and modules. They are the Sitka, a former could lead to more work after that. ocean-going chip barge, and the “It’s a big project for us, and it posi- former Maukana, now the 286-3. tions us well not only for future oil Mark Troutman, Portland port sands projects in Canada, but for engineer, said major work on the Sitka petroleum development elsewhere in included removing a 22-foot-high other geographies. ” perimeter fence and wooden wear The Kearl Oil Sands effort comes deck and engineering and installing on the heels of another year-long effort a ballasting system. The ballasting for the petroleum industry, in which system on the 286-3 was rebuilt, and a Foss towed production modules from 60-foot-high house was removed. Both Maine and South Carolina to Texas for Drew Arenth barges were sandblasted and painted. construction of the Motiva Port Arthur The Pacific Escort stands by as two big Liebherr “The schedule made this work very Refinery, the largest refinery in the cranes lift the first module onto the specialized challenging,” Troutman said, noting United States. (Continued on page 8.) barge Foss 286-3.
6 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 Foss Towing 155 Oil-Production Modules to Lewiston, Idaho; Complex Project Showcases Work in Petroleum Industry
David Dumont A longshoreman fixes a shackle to a module before it is lifted onto a Foss Project Manager Steve Gormiak of Foss watches as a module is loaded barge at the Port of Vancouver. onto a Foss Barge at the Port of Vancouver.
Drew Arenth The Betsy L is in the lead and the PJ Brix is pushing the tandem barges upriver near Lewiston in the first tow of the project. December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 7 KEARL OIL SANDS
Drew Arenth An employee of heavy-lift company Mammoet is controlling a self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT) to offload modules at the Port of Lewiston.
KEARL OIL SANDS (Continued from page 6.)
Previously, Foss spent three seasons haul trucks to scoop up the oil sand well orchestrated.” delivering modules from Korea to an and take it to an on-site facility where Other key Foss personnel on the Exxon Neftegas oilfield development it will be converted to a slurry for project have included: Capt. Steve site on Sakhalin Island, Russia. transport to a plant for extraction of Gorniak, project manager; Dan The Kearl Oil Sands project will be the oil, called “bitumen.” Brechtel, safety manager; Drew one of Canada’s largest open-pit min- Kearl will be connected to a sub- Arenth, manager of project services; ing operations and could eventually stantial North American pipeline Gaylord Newbry, barge superinten- produce up to 245,000 barrels a day. system, which will carry the bitumen dent, Lewiston; Capt. Dan Mullican, Start-up for the initial phase of the to refineries. port captain; and Don Collar, quality project is scheduled for late 2012. David Dumont of Foss Subsidiary assurance supervisor in Lewiston. Oil sands like those being devel- Harbor Marine Group is preparing the Also: John Brown, barge superin- oped in the Kearl Oil Sands project are barge loading and ballasting plans for tendent; Randy Kotka, CSR shop fore- a naturally occurring mixture of heavy the Kearl Oil Sands project. man; and the maintenance crew of oil, water and sand. The consistency of “The individual modules are not Mitch Wilson and Alex Agustus. Legal, oil sands is similar to peanut butter. that big, but the sheer number of health-and-safety, and other shoreside The mining process consists of them makes this project challenging,” personnel also have contributed. using high-capacity shovels and heavy- Dumont said. “Everything has to be
8 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 Foss Tug and Barge Join Salvage Team in Port au Prince; Mobile Harbor Crane Fell into Harbor During Earthquake
Foss and its subsidiary America food aid or U.S. military equipment. point mooring system. William Roy Cargo Transport Corp. (ACTC) joined After the crane was salvaged and with Foss Global assembled the 4600 forces with T&T Bisso in early T&T Bisso confirmed that the berth Manitowoc crane used in the salvage September to salvage a partially sub- and surrounding area was clear of and pile driving operations. merged ship-to-shore harbor crane in debris, the Columbia Boston was The ACTC team included Project Haiti. The crane toppled into the water moved into position as a temporary Manager Robert Wagoner, Barge during the earthquake that struck Port replacement for the cargo pier that Master Dick Bibeau, Crane Operator au Prince on Jan. 12, 2010. collapsed at the site. William Roy, and pile driving lead and The Foss tug Caribe Pioneer and the Foss Global Business Development welder Steve Imhoff. T&T Bisso pro- crane-equipped barge Columbia Boston Manager Mike Lauer said retrieving vided a salvage master, five divers and worked with ACTC personnel and sal- the crane, as is the case with many a tender. vage experts from T&T Bisso to extract salvage jobs, was challenging and Foss Vice President for Global the Gottwald crane from the water in potentially dangerous. Towing and Transportation Vince pieces and carry it to shore. The heavi- “You have to assess its stability and Godfrey and Wagoner handled the est piece lifted from the water was structural strength,” he said. “It can business side of the job. 117 short tons. shift, or it can break while you’re Caribe Pioneer crewmembers were: The trip to Port au Prince for the lifting it. ” Capts. Ronald Hopwood and Sonny salvage job was one of 27 voyages to Foss Director of Operations for Nguyen, Mate J. Trupiano, Engineer Haiti for ACTC (soon to be known as Projects Doug Pearson, and John Jeremy Abel, and Able Seamen Eugene Foss International) since the earth- Bates of the Atlantic Division outfit- Thetford, Ann Hopwood, W. White, quake. Most of the voyages carried ted the Columbia Boston with a four- B. Barnes and Ron Gibbs.
Drew Arenth
The Caribe Pioneer stands by as a lower section A large section of the Gottwald crane is lifted from A cargo ship is alongside the newly-placed barge of the crane is hoisted onto the barge Port au Prince harbor. Columbia Boston, serving as a temporary pier in Columbia Boston. Port au Prince. FOSS AND BISSO HAVE AGREEMENT TO TEAM UP ON SALVAGE RESPONSES
In addition to teaming up on the players in the salvage industry. Its require tanker operators to have stand- recent harbor crane salvage in Port- main bases are in Houston and in ing response plans and contracts with au-Prince, Foss and T&T Bisso have Singapore, and the company has marine firefighting and salvage service a cooperative agreement to share salvage equipment in both locations. providers. resources in handling responses to “Our agreement with Bisso extends Bisso and Foss had a joint display vessel groundings, sinkings, fire dam- their reach,” Loch said. “Under new at the Prevention First 2010 confer- age and other salvage operations. Coast Guard Regulations, they are ence in Long Beach in mid-October. Under the agreement, Foss will offering their services to major tanker Sponsored by the California State provide tug and barge services when companies as a salvage operator and Lands Commission, the conference required by Bisso, according to Capt. emergency response firefighting pro- was a symposium on onshore and Igor Loch, Foss operations director. vider, and we are part of their team.” offshore pollution prevention and a Bisso is one of the world’s major The new Coast Guard regulations technology exhibition.
December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 9 ON SAFETY Cochran Wins State Forklift Driving Championship
Ron Cochran of Foss Shipyard in Seattle put his hand-eye coordination skills and 25 years of experience to good use on Sept. 29 to outperform 14 others and win the Washington state forklift driving championship at the Spokane Convention Center. It was Cochran’s third trip to the state finals, where he finished 7th in 2009. He qualified for the finals at the Spokane Regional competition, one of three in the state, which drew 68 of the state’s best forklift drivers. Finishing second was a Boeing driv- er who was a previous state champion and won the Seattle regional competi- tion with a perfect score. Cochran, right, displays the winner’s plaque. With him is Director of Health and Safety Al Rainsberger. The Materials Handling panel of the Washington State Governor’s number of tasks in the competition to “You could have a guy out there Industrial Safety and Health demonstrate their skills. They include driving slow as molasses, but he’s Conference sponsors the contest. lifting and setting loads, tilting a bas- never going to get a job anyplace,” Al Rainsberger, Foss director of ketball through a hoop, and steering he joked. health and safety, is chairman of the a load of pipe through a pair of offset Cochran has been working at Foss Materials Handling group. stanchions. for three years and previously worked “I always have my right hand on “That one was easy for me, because for Associated Grocers, now part of the controls and steer with my left,” I’m always grabbing pipe at Foss,” Los Angeles-based Unified Grocers. Cochran said of his successful driving Cochran said. “You’ve got 15 of the best drivers in technique. “And I always watch the Rainsberger explained that competi- the state at the finals, and competing load, so if it shifts, I can save it.” tors are required to perform the tasks against them was a great experience,” Drivers are required to perform a at a “safe but productive speed.” he said.
BOSTON GROUP MEETS TO FORM REGIONAL SAFETY COMMITTEE
Foss Boston-based personnel had formerly Constellation Maritime bolstering requirements and estab- their first Regional Safety Committee purchased by Foss in 2006, already lishing training for entering confined meeting on Oct. 26, continuing a has made great strides in safety spaces on vessels. They also addressed process underway around the country performance. equipment issues specific to their through which Foss is integrating all “They haven’t had a lost-time injury region and established plans and goals divisions and formerly autonomous this year or in 2009,” he said. “Back leading to their next meeting. subsidiaries into its safety systems three years ago, they were having six to Attending were Engineer/Mechanic and procedures. seven recordable injuries and three or Jeff Nichols, Deckhand Jim Coluntino, “We’re getting the basics of the four of those were lost-time injuries. Mate Chris DeModena, Mechanic program together there, and we will They’ve definitely gained ground.” D. J. Ross, Welder Orlando Carias, be going into the Shipmate Plus pro- Among topics discussed at the Deckhand Josh Fogg, Able Seaman gram in 2011,” said Al Rainsberger, safety meeting were ensuring Fred Fox, Mate Paul Vitale, Port Foss director of health and safety. improved access to vessels by using Engineer Andy Mathieson, Operations (Shipmate Plus is a behavior-based gangways or ramps, rather than, as Director Bob Manning, Rainsberger, safety program designed specifically Rainsberger describes it, “jumping Capt. Rick Villa and Engineer Jason for marine operations.) from dock to boat.” Yereance. Rainsberger noted that the group, The group also discussed
10 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 ATLANTIC DIVISION TUGS PASS ISM AUDITS
The crews of the Boston-based tugs Orion and Leo recently passed the first vessel-specific ISM audits for the Atlantic Division. The audits were conducted by ABS over the course of two days at the home dock in Charlestown, Mass. Quality Assurance Manager Jim Peschel said, “The successful completion of this audit not only demonstrates that these vessels comply with international safety standards, but more importantly they demonstrate that the East Coast operations are fully integrated into Foss’s Safety Management System. Congratulations to the crews and to the shoreside staff that made this so successful.” Crewmembers on the tugs were: Orion, Capt. Doug Richmond, Mate Chris DeModena, Chief Engineer Jason Yereance and Deckhand Max Vinal; and Leo, Capt. Rick Villa, Mate Marco Lograsso, Chief Engineer Mal Morrill and Deckhand Jim Coluntino. In the photo above, Morrill, left, and Villa display the ISM certification sticker awarded to the Leo.
BAY AREA GROUP REACHES 1,000-DAY SAFETY MILESTONE
The Foss San Francisco Bay “One thousand days without a have made this cultural shift possible Area division in late October lost-time injury was seen as an by embodying our motto of ‘Always passed 1,000 days without a lost time insurmountable goal only a few years Safe, Always Ready.’” injury, prompting applause and ago, but now a zero-incident culture is congratulations from Regional close to reality,” Gregory said. Operations Manager Bob Gregory, “Your individual efforts and your who called on his personnel to commitment to the safety of your pursue continued improvement. co-workers, customers and vendors
December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 11 Twenty-six paintings in Contest; Fawcett is Big Winner
Charles Fawcett, a retired master Foss Seattle Shipyard and a second of contest. Winners receive a $500 repro- mariner and yachtsman who lives in a Foss tug accompanying a container- duction fee and retain the right to sell Bellevue, Wash., was the big winner in ship into the Port of Seattle. their paintings. the contest to select paintings for the The 11 winning paintings were Fawcett is a native of England and 2011 Foss calendar and 2010 holiday selected from 26 submitted by artists the son of an artist. He lived aboard a card. He was the only one of 20 artists from the Northwest and California, sailing barge on the River Thames as who entered the contest to have two according to Foss Executive Assistant a child and went to sea as a cadet at winning paintings, one depicting the Colleen Liman, who coordinated the the age of 16 in the British Merchant
January, Keegan Foss Assisting Pearl Ace, James R. Williamson February, Green Assist, Robert Naf
March, Carolyn Dorothy at Long Beach, Clarence Miller April, Justine Foss – Errand of Mercy, Byron Birdsall
May, Ballard Shipyard, Charles Fawcett June, The Arthur Foss Asssisting a Tanker on San Francisco Bay, Ron Snowden
12 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 Twenty-six paintings in Contest; Fawcett is Big Winner Marine, working on cargo, munitions Seattle in 1999. He retired as manager and passenger vessels and obtaining of a liner service for FESCO in 2005. an unlimited master’s license. In addition to his travels as a mariner, He came ashore at the age of 24 Fawcett has raced and cruised yachts of and worked his way up the manage- all sizes on most of the world’s oceans. ment ladder in the shipping industry, “Not unnaturally, my knowledge and continuing to paint in his spare time. affection for the sea is reflected in my In 1984 he was transferred with art,” he said. his family to New York, then later to Painter Charles Fawcett is a double San Francisco, before settling in winner in the calendar art contest.
July, Evening Arrival, Charles Fawcett August, Eagle Cliff Passage, Marshall Johnson
September, The Tacoma Boys, Michael Corcoran October, Awaiting Assignment – Fidalgo Bay, Julie Creighton
November, Towing Alaska, Robert Tandecki December, Jeffrey Foss – On Station, Eugene Erickson
December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 13 Laura Rosenberg New hire Max Starnitzky throws a line over a cleat under the watchful eye of Chief Engineer and assistant instructor Tony O’Neill (blue shirt), during a training session for entry-level employees at Bay Area headquarters in Richmond. Bay Area Training Program for New Marine Employees
In order to enhance the skills and engineer, and tankerman was given questions, and general safety attitude. knowledge of entry-level employees an eight-hour course on basic line The intent of this program is to dispatched to Foss by labor union handling, tug etiquette, able seaman ensure that the individuals new to the hiring halls, Foss Richmond recently duties, barge movements, coastal towing industry coming to work on held a Basic Deckhand Training towing, and ocean towing. Completion Foss vessels, or those from other areas Class led by Port Capt. John Butcher, of such a course would be mandatory of the industry and new to Foss, will Deckhand Carl Turner, and Chief prior to being allowed to work on a be familiar with the basics of the Engineer Tony O’Neill. Foss San Francisco Bay Tug. vessels they will be working on and The class followed a modified ver- The San Francisco Bay region will also have a good initial under- sion of the Deck Department Training will continue testing the program by standing of overall job expectations Guide developed by Director of Marine extending the training period from the and basic skills. Operations and Assurance Capt. Igor eight-hour day to two additional days Loch, Capt. Mark Grosshans and of shadowing an experienced deck- Southern California Port Capt. Jim hand, engineer, or tankerman on Russell. The class also served as a beta ship-assist and barge-move jobs. The always ready test before releasing the program to all candidate will then be evaluated on of Foss. their learning ability, ability to retain Each prospective deckhand, lessons learned, willingness to ask
14 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 NEW WIRE FOR THE DREW
Foss Shipyard worker Jim Foxx, foreground, is at the controls, unwinding a new port tow wire onto the ocean-going tug Drew Foss. The two-inch cable is 2,200 feet long. During the Drew’s recent brief layup, the yard also inspected, but did not replace, the starboard tow wire, and performed some electrical work and other maintenance tasks.
HIGH LIFT FOR Bay Area Training Program for New Marine Employees THE FOSS 300
Rigger Foreman Johnny Warnes, foreground, stood by as the Foss 300 derrick lifted deck gear from the stern trawler Northwest Explorer on Wednesday, Oct. 27, at Foss Shipyard in Seattle. Foss prepped and painted the main deck of the vessel, operated by B & N Fisheries of Seattle. The yard also painted the underbody and upper deck, performed Kort nozzle steel repairs, replaced some steel at the bow, inspected the steering and replaced zinc anodes. Ship Repair Superintendent Mike Port supervised the work.
December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 15 DRYDOCK DRIVING MADE EASIER, SAFER
A welder recently worked on a new system for adjusting the position of wooden blocks that support vessels in the Seattle shipyard’s largest drydock, which has improved safety and ease of operation for wheeled equipment. The new system provides flatter guides, through which the blocks are pulled with chains, enabling yard vehicles to pass over the guides more easily. “We had manlifts fall over and wheels come off equipment, most of which doesn’t have any suspension,” said shipyard Production Manager Hap Richards, who designed the new system.
IMO CHIEF IN SEATTLE
Efthimios Mitropoulos, in the foreground, secretary general of the International Maritime Organization, addressed the Propeller Club of Seattle on Sept. 14. He discussed IMO initiatives including cooperative efforts to reduce piracy, reducing emissions for vessels and world shipping. Mitropoulos is a native of Piraeus, Greece, and has been head of the IMO since 2004. Behind Mitropoulos, from left, are Marc Warner (president of the Seattle Propeller Club), Chris Koch (president of the World Shipping Council), Foss Director of Oil Field Services Paul Gallagher (vice president of the Seattle Propeller Club) and Bill Bryant (Port of Seattle Commission).
16 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 Director of Human Resources Lisa Sulock, with the new Foss corporate building behind her, says the move to the South Lake Union district will “give us more of a professional feel.” Parent company MRG’s building, is on the far left with the curved balcony. Foss Corporate Group Moving to South Lake Union District; Current Ewing St. Headquarters Building to be Demolished
The 85 employees of the Foss Early options were rebuilding on corporate group will be moving to a “Separating from marine operations Ewing Street or moving to downtown two-story office building on the south Seattle. Foss early this year became shore of Seattle’s Lake Union some- and the shipyard, will enable them aware of the availability of the building time in the first quarter of 2011, put- next to MRG. ting them next door to parent to function more independently as The current tenants are expected to company Marine Resources Group. be out of the building by the first of “Moving to South Lake Union a regional entity and use us as a the year, when Foss will start a remod- will definitely give us more of a eling project that will take about eight professional feel,” said Human resource, as our other regions do.” to ten weeks. Resources Director Lisa Sulock, who On the first floor will be Foss is orchestrating the move. “Also, – Lisa Sulock, Human Resources Director Human Resources, MRG Payroll, separating from marine operations MRG Accounts Payable/Accounts and the shipyard, will enable them Receivable and MRG Finance. On the to function more independently as Ship Canal. second floor will be the Executive staff, a regional entity and use us as a The Northwest Marine Operations Engineering, Health, Safety, Quality, resource, as our other regions do.” staff also currently occupies the build- Legal, Risk, Marine Assurance, IT and She said the move to 1151 Fairview ing, but will move to other quarters at Foss Global, which will move from its Ave. N. also would make it easier Ewing Street. The old administration current quarters in Tukwila, Wash. for the corporate group to work with building will be demolished, and the Sulock said the entire project is people at MRG. site could be left as open space, used expected to be completed by the The corporate staff makes up the for storage or for expansion of the middle of 2011. bulk of the occupants of the 107-year- shipyard. Mike Skalley traces Foss HQ history, old Foss administration building, Sulock said consolidating the page 22. formerly a warehouse, on West Ewing corporate staff has been under Street on the Lake Washington consideration for several years. December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 17 Shipyard Superintendent’s Tough Exterior Hides Soft Side; Mike Port’s Volunteer Work Proves He has a Good Heart
Mike Port would be the first to concede that as a ship repair superin- tendent at Foss Shipyard in Seattle, he is known for a tough and uncompro- mising approach to getting things done. So it might surprise some who work with him that the stocky, bald and white-bearded Port also has a soft side. Two nights a week, after super- vising rough-and-tumble shipyard workers and overseeing some of the shipyard’s most challenging proj- ects, Port works as a volunteer. On Monday nights, he helps teach English as a Second Language at Edmonds Community College, and on Thursday nights, he works in the emergency room at Seattle Children’s Hospital. It all started a couple of years ago, when Port, now 61, and his wife were discussing retirement plans. “I said I’d like to do some volunteer work and go back to college and probably work part time,” Port recalled. And then one thing led to another. His wife, Hiroko, is a native of Japan who spoke no English when he Mike Port, shown outside the Seattle Children’s Hospital emergency department, where he volunteers met her. So when Port saw a poster every Thursday night. seeking assistant instructors for ESL classes, it seemed like a no-brainer. Hospital, where he transports patients, describes as “truly top notch.” “I had a lot of experience in the area,” assists nurses when needed, makes He also is a regular whole blood he said. coffee, replenishes gowns and gets and platelet donor, noting, “It doesn’t His current class includes adults intravenous pumps from Central take much time, but it can save lives.” of many nationalities, including Supply. Port is a 21-year Foss veteran who Cambodians, Vietnamese, Gambians “It’s just about anything that started out as a chief engineer in the and Latinos. doesn’t require medical training,” he ocean fleet, and then came ashore “English is an incredibly hard said. “There are some nights when it’s to work as a machinist and language to learn for someone who is heartbreaking, and it sticks with you a engineer (including 11 years in the not a native speaker,” he said. “These long time, but on the whole it’s really San Francisco Bay Area) before people come to class after work— It’s gratifying and there are a lot of fun becoming a superintendent. really a commitment on their part and moments too.” The only son of a career U.S. its enjoyable for me to see their devel- Like when he got a hug from a Marine officer, it’s not difficult opment and to feel that I’m helping mom after comforting her son while to identify the source of Port’s someone make their life easier in their a doctor set his broken leg, or when tough side. newly adopted country.” he hands out stickers to the kids, or “But where does the soft side come No less rewarding is Port’s when he’s getting to know the nurses, from?” he asked. “I couldn’t tell you.” Thursday night job at Children’s technicians and doctors whom he
18 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 Shipyard Superintendent’s Tough Exterior Hides Soft Side; Mike Port’s Volunteer Work Proves He has a Good Heart
NTSB CHIEF TOURS PACIFIC STAR
The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) new chairman, Deborah Hersman, third from right, got a tour of the Foss tug Pacific Star, right, at Seattle’s Pier 90 during a recent industry familiarization trip to the Northwest. In the photo, from left, are NTSB Member Mark Rosekind, Pacific Star Chief Engineer Tim Melton, Deckhand Ken Kovatch, Capt. Doug Hajek, Hersman, Capt. Doug Bezona and Foss Director of Oil Field Services Paul Gallagher. While in Seattle, the NTSB chairman and her staff also visited a Glacier Seafoods factory trawler, the simulator at the Pacific Maritime Institute, the office of Holland America Line and the crisis communications center at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound at Pier 36.
CARING FOR GRACE COLE PARK Six Foss employees went to work with rakes, shears, shovels and other tools on Friday Sept. 24, helping to clear invasive species from hilly terrain at Grace Cole Park in Lake Forest Park, Wash. The volunteer effort was organized in conjunction with United Way of King County’s annual Day of Caring, which encompasses numerous projects and volunteers from many companies in the Seattle area. In the photo, from left, at the park entrance, are Angie Upchurch, Ross McDonald, Cassie Gamm and Amy Kaeser (both from Friends of Cedar River Watershed, which coordinated the work at the park), Jamie Littlejohn, Tina Wissmar and Shawna McLean.
December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 19 FOSS BIKERS RIDE FOR MS
Team Foss raised more than $9,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Sept. 11 and 12 in a two-day cycling event based in Mount Vernon, Wash. Participants followed loops from 22 to 92 miles on courses ranging from La Conner and Whidbey Island north to Bellingham and battled steady rain and a strong southerly wind on the second day. “We all persevered, and a few of us even enjoyed it,” said team captain Rick McKenna. It was the second year Foss has participated in the event. In the photo are, front row from left, Alex Hill (Dave’s son), Dave Hill, Mike Lauer and Steve Kimmel, and, back row from left, Anna Hill (Dave’s daughter), Dan Larson (a friend of Rick McKenna), Nancy Hill (Dave’s wife), Tina Wissmar, Shawna McLean, Mary Chalker (Rick Chalker’s wife) and Rick Chalker. Rick McKenna and Pat Fulnecky were on the team but are not in the photo.
BAY AREA GROUP IS FIRST TO PASS VOLUNTARY COAST GUARD EXAMS
The commander of the 11th Manager Bob Gregory, Rear Adm. will become mandatory for all Coast Guard District, covering the J.R. Castillo, 11th District commander, towing vessels. San Francisco Bay Area, has con- said the company’s Bay Area success Loch said the recognition by the gratulated the Foss northern California “is due in no small part to the invest- Coast Guard was the result of “efforts group for successfully completing ment Foss Maritime has made in and hard work” by the Bay Area group. voluntary safety exams, noting, “With safety management.” “This is a notable achievement to great initiative, you have shown Foss He continued: “The teamwork receive such recognition,” he added. Maritime to be an industry leader in between management and crew is safety and compliance.” clearly evident to my towing vessel The Richmond-based group was examiners. Foss Maritime’s willing- SATISFACTION the first at Foss to complete the volun- ness to work closely with the Coast tary exams of all its vessels. Capt. Igor Guard has made it a pleasure for our GUARANTEED Loch, Foss director of operations, said personnel to visit your vessels and Happy customers tell few. all Foss regions are participating in the interact with your professional crews.” program. Thirty-six tugs around the Foss boats are undergoing the Unhappy customers country have passed, and completion voluntary safety examinations as part tell many. is pending for two others. of a “bridging” program to new In a letter to Regional Operations regulations under which inspections — From Satisfaction Guaranteed By Byrd Baggett
20 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 PRACTICING SPILL CONTAINMENT
During a drill on Nov. 8, the tug Henry Foss, right, moved the Marine Spill Response Corporation tankbarge Ibis south on Tacoma’s Commencement Bay at less than a knot as a Ballard Diving workboat, in the foreground, towed oil containment boom through the water. The drill was a practice session for Foss and Ballard Diving, both MSRC contractors that could be called to action to battle a real spill. The Ibis was formerly owned by Foss, when it was named the Foss 111. MSRC Regional Response Supervisor Chris Stadiem coordinated the drill, and the Henry Foss was under the command of Capt. Henry “Scooter” Rochon.
SCOUTS TOUR ARTHUR FOSS IN LONG BEACH
The Foss Long Beach division recently hosted a group of boy scouts from Troop 824 in Yorba Linda, Calif., giving the boys a safety orientation and a tour of the tug Arthur Foss. Hosting the scouts on the tug were Capt. Gary Smith, Engineer Victor Hupp and Able Seaman Nunzio D’Orio. In the photo above on the tug are, from left, Boy Scouts Reeder Loveland, Dakota Campbell, Adam Worden, Justin Thorp, Jared Bogler, Graeson Garrett, Nolan Voge, and Tommy Martin.
December, 2010 • ALWAYS SAFE • Foss Tow Bitts • 21 THE LOOK AFT Foss HQ: Tacoma Boathouse to a Seattle Office Building
By Mike Skalley Foss corporate headquarters has moved five times since the company was founded in Tacoma in 1889. The move to the south Lake Union district in Seattle will be the sixth move. What follows is a summary of Foss corporate moves necessitated by growth and other circumstances over the last 121 years. Original float house located at Twelfth and Dock Street in Tacoma in 1889. This was the first home of the Foss family after their arrival from Minneapolis. Their house was slab- sided, with a tarpaper roof and meager furnishings with no running water or conveniences. In 1891 the Foss family moved along the waterway to the foot of the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge. There they The “Foss Boathouse” in 1891, located at the south side of the Eleventh Street Bridge in Tacoma. Andrew began construction of a larger resi- and Thea Foss are standing at the top of the stairway with daughter Lillian. Their two sons, Arthur and dence with three family rooms above Wedell are in the second rowboat from the left. and a storage room below for the row- boats. The original floathouse was also work space became necessary. A third Wedell and Henry. Anyone working for moved and it became the workshop. move was made in July, 1906 to provide the Company soon considered them- Andrew Foss’s first business was incor- tie-ups for the launches, storage for selves as part of the family, and the end porated as the “Foss Boathouse” located the rowboats, and housing for a store, result was a solidarity of purpose. at the “South side of the Eleventh office, shop and living quarters. The Shortly after the move to 400 Dock Street Bridge.” boat-house (later a dormitory and store) Street an all out effort was made in Their first business card, advertised ended up on piling next to the bulk- developing the towing business, prin- Sail and Rowboats for rent. The first head and the floating workshop was cipally log towing. Tacoma was dotted Foss shipyard opened by Andrew Foss moved and joined to the end of the new with lumber mills, cutting up tremen- and his brothers Iver and Peter in 1892 floating pier. All facilities were grouped dous quantities of logs and the con- consisted of saw-horses, beachcombed together and a more unified operation sumption was so great the logs had to and salvaged lumber and a tool chest. was now possible at the new address, be towed in from distant areas of Puget However the yard was able to produce 400 Dock Street. At this time the cor- Sound. The need for tugs was certain. oars and rowboats. With increasing rev- porate name changed to Foss Launch The larger launches were put to work enue the family was able to buy a two Company. The Foss store furnished all towing logs instead of transporting pas- horsepower naphtha powered launch, supplies for the launches, and later on sengers, but they were under-powered. named Hope. This first launch was the tugs—from food to towing gear. The Foss family realized it was neces- used to deliver mail and supplies to the The crews from the boats and the yard sary to have “real” tugboats. An imme- sailing ships anchored in Tacoma har- were furnished all their needs from the diate quick-fix, in 1916 was to purchase bor. This became a lucrative venture, so store. With most necessities provided three steam powered tugs from the Andrew and his brothers began build- for the crews there were few regular Olson Tugboat Company. These three ing launches in their rustic shipyard. paydays but money was available when tugs became the backbone of the Foss He enlarged the shipbuilding site and needed. Otherwise, payment for work tug fleet while Andrew was designing bought second-hand woodworking came at termination and it was always and building a new fleet of tugs at his machinery. By 1905 the Foss fleet con- generous. Thea and Andrew looked Tacoma shipyard. With numerous tugs sisted of numerous rowboats and ten after their men as if they were family. and launches in the fleet, the corporate naphtha powered launches. This caring for their employees was name of the company was changed to With the increased business, more passed on to their three sons, Arthur, Foss Launch & Tug Company in 1919.
22 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS READY • December, 2010 The growth of company Foss HQ: Tacoma Boathouse to a Seattle Office Building operations in 1920 spread northward when Wedell and Arthur relocated to Seattle, buying the assets of Rouse Towing Company located at the Bolcom Dock in Ballard. In 1922 the Seattle division was incorporated under the name “Foss Company” with Arthur Foss as its president and Wedell Foss as Vice-President. Andrew Foss retained the role of president of Foss Launch & Tug Company in Tacoma with Henry Foss as Vice-President. With the rapid growth in the Puget Sound Towing market the Seattle division expanded by buying numerous surplus tugs and A 1949 photo of the current Foss property on Ewing St. The carpenter shop and other repair facilities are barges. The company required more located in the buildings to the left of the white administration building. The area where the current shipyard space for their marine facilities and in and terminal are located was used as moorage for war surplus vessels purchased by the Foss family, as 1933 purchased an old rubber factory on well as barge storage and public marinas. The building currently housing the Purchasing and Billing several acres of property located at 660 Department is also visible in its current location, just to the right of the back of the administration building. West Ewing Street on the North slope of Queen Anne Hill. This marked the at the end of World War II. Tacoma remained the largest of the entry of Foss at its current location with By the late 1960’s it was apparent “outports” with concentration on ship the offices being in the same building the Foss family would, in the near assist and wood products (chips and for well over 75 years. future face a serious problem of family logs). Seattle had concentration on ship A year after the acquisition of the personnel to perpetuate the business. assist, petroleum barging, sand and assets of Wagner Tugboat Company in The company had competent person- gravel and chemical towing, as well as 1939, the Foss brothers made the deci- nel at the management and operations the headquarters for the ocean towing sion to merge Foss Company of Seattle level but very little succession at the fleet. Other outport locations, all with and Foss Launch & Tug Company of active stockholder level. In 1969, the emphasis on wood products were Port Tacoma into one company, Foss Launch stockholders, Henry, and the family Angeles, Everett, and Bellingham. and Tug Company, with the corporate heirs of Arthur and Wedell decided In 1987, Foss Launch & Tug headquarters remaining in Tacoma. to insure the Company’s long term Company was purchased by Totem Branch offices remained in Seattle and future position by joining in a stock Resources Inc. and the corporate Port Angeles. exchange with an established and suc- name was changed to Foss Maritime The Tacoma operations continued cessful company with maritime inter- Company, but the address remained to expand rapidly, with the family pur- ests. The Dillingham Corporation of unchanged as it had since 1933: 660 chasing several more surplus tugs and Honolulu was selected as the corpora- West Ewing St. This year, 2010, marks barges for use in gravel, chip, oil and tion of choice. Foss became a part of the 78th year of occupancy by Foss at chemical towing. A larger facility was Dillingham’s maritime group in July the well known 660 West Ewing Street. needed for the expanding operations, of 1969. The “official” headquarters of Editor’s Note: Mike Skalley is the Foss so another move was necessary— this Foss Launch & Tug Company changed company historian and the author of time in 1944 to 225 East F Street on from Tacoma to Seattle very shortly “Foss, 90 Years of Towboating.” Tacoma’s Middle Waterway. This was after the acquisition by Dillingham. the final location change in Tacoma, although the facilities have been upgraded over the years. The head- PEOPLE NEWS quarters included management offices, PASSINGS RETIREMENT accounting, payroll, operations, and dispatch. For the vessels, a complete Ron Freeman Bob Wingle store, shoreside repair facility, paint fac- Retired PNW Captain Deckhand, Marine Transportation tory, a marine ways and a drydock able to handle the largest of the ocean going Alex Taylor tugs which had been added to the fleet Deckhand, SOCAL
December, 20102009 •• ALWAYSALWAYS SAFESAFE •• FossFoss TowTow BittsBitts •• 2323 PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 15551 660 W. Ewing St. Seattle, WA 98119
Drew Arenth HEADED UP RIVER The Betsy L led the way, above, with the PJ Brix bringing up the rear, as Foss moved the first eight of about 155 Korean-built oil production modules up the Snake River near Lewiston, Idaho, on the morning of Oct. 14. The modules are to be carried over the road to the Kearl Oil Sands development project in Alberta, Canada. Article on Page 6.