decemberAugust 2016 2006 / / volume volume 29 19 issue issue 4 4
FOUR NEW TUGS HEADED FOR HAWAII Young Brothers, Ltd., a Honolulu-based inter-island freight carrier, will be getting a major fleet upgrade beginning in the first quarter of 2018 with the delivery of the first of four new ocean-going tugs. The high-powered, 123-foot-long vessels will be built by Conrad Shipyard in Louisiana. Young Brothers is a wholly-owned subsidiaryMore of Foss than Maritime. any 12Details months on page in 5. the recent history of our com- a holiday greeting: pany, 2006 was a year in which Foss Maritime moved forward strategically in all areas of our business. JOHN PARROTTStrategic Moves in 2006Foss Maritime Company Chief until the end of 2016, when he Operating Officer John Parrott took will move to Foss’ parent company, We believe that new courses charted in our harbor services, NOW AT AlignTHE UsHELM with This Mission:over the role of president of Foss Saltchuk, and serve as senior vice marine transportation/logistics and shipyard lines of business, Provide Customers withMaritime Services on August 1, assuming president and managing director, OF FOSS MARITIME while not without risk, will further the growth and success of that are Without Equalresponsibility for the day-to-day working on special projects. operations of the company.the company for decadesParrott, to come. who Continued came to insideFoss as COO Former President, Paul Stevens, in January of this year from sister will retain the title of CEO of Foss company TOTE Maritime Alaska, (Continued on page 4)
always alwayssafe • always ready ready Looking Back: Successfully Sailing through Challenges, Opportunities Fleet Infusion in Hawaii Young Brothers Ltd., Foss’ freight-carrying By Paul Stevens assist tugs, two of subsidiary in Hawaii, has ordered four Chief Executive which are hybrid- new ocean-going tugs. It’s an investment Officer electric powered, the of just over $80 million that will improve Since this will first of their kind in the company’s ability to provide regular be my final Lines the industry. cargo service to island communities. contribution, I will Rainier is now Cover and Page 5 use it as a time to building the third reflect on the last of three Arctic Class Cyber Security at Foss 13 years leading ocean-going tugs, Are Foss and its computers vulnerable to Saltchuk’s tug and 132-foot-long, ice- hackers, ransomware perpetrators and other barge investments. strengthened vessels designed to help cyber criminals? Information Technology There is no doubt we have had us continue our growth in serving the Director Bob Hoover and his staff are our challenges, from a severe global oil and gas industry, particularly in increasing their efforts to protect the recession to a significant West Coast remote areas like eastern Russia and company from online attacks. Also, General port disruption. In spite of this, Foss the Alaskan Arctic. Counsel Lam Nguyen-Bull writes about and its sister companies successfully At U.S. Barge in Portland, we an attempt to bilk Foss out of more than navigated through these challenges built four new cargo barges for $400,000 using phony emails. and were able to adapt and change Young Brothers, Ltd., our Hawaiian Pages 6 and 7 to remain both profitable and freight carrier. And just recently, we Clip-and-Stick Chart Corrections competitive. We grew our business, announced plans to build four new A Maryland-based businessman, now expanding to Alaska, and through tugs for Young Brothers to support the a Foss vendor, found a niche in the maritime our projects business, expanding company’s on-time service, reliability industry by making clip-and-stick patches internationally. and efficiency. (See article on page 5.) for charts to reflect weekly government Through a series of evolutions So many changes. And now, one corrections on buoys, lights and other aids culminating three years ago, all of our at the top. to navigation. towing operations were consolidated Our succession planning also was Page 9 under the Foss brand. The efficiencies underway amidst all of this activity. Rowers in the Ocean gained through this consolidation Now I hand the reins of the company California Maritime Academy graduates made operations smoother and, to John Parrott. While officially Todd Bliss and Rick Leach, in a Foss- I believe, more competitive. retiring at the end of the year, in the sponsored rowboat, recently completed a Our Operational Excellence new year I will be working on special 2,400-mile race from California to Hawaii. Program, fully embraced by our projects for Saltchuk. Their 54-day journey gave them a third-in- employees, has made our workforce The toughest part of any succession class finish in the Great Pacific Race. safer and is a key element of our is leaving the people you care about, Page 11 corporate culture. and I will miss the wonderful So many changes. And while our employees of the Foss Family. I’m corporate structure was evolving, we confident John has the experience were building new boats and barges, and talent to take the company to the To submit articles for Tow Bitts, expanding our project business, and next level, and I wish him continued please contact Bruce Sherman, editor, upgrading and modernizing our success at the helm of Foss. [email protected], or Sonja business systems. With support from I want to thank our owners, Baron, coordinator of production, our owners, we invested well over employees, customers and vendors for [email protected]. The Tow Bitts graphic $300 million. all their support. designer is Barbara Hoberecht. Tow Bitts Our Rainer Shipyard, formerly For me, it’s been quite a ride. is published six times a year by Foss Maritime for employees, customers and a sleepy little repair yard, built friends. Changes to the Tow Bitts mailing 10 Dolphin Class vessels, highly list should be referred to Rebekah Lay, maneuverable and very powerful ship (206) 381-5805 or [email protected].
2 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016 Foss Connects with Industry ‘Rock Stars’ Looking Back: Successfully Sailing At Huge Shipping Conference in Athens through Challenges, Opportunities Be there or be square. new generation That’s the rule for the world’s of owners.” largest shipping industry conference, Foss is represented called Posidonia, held every other in Greece by year in Greece. This year the Navigator Shipping conference was held in early June at Consultants in the Metropolitan Exhibition Center in Athens. Danae Athens and was attended by 33,500 Bezantakou is people from 1,825 companies. managing director Foss Maritime was represented by of the company and Commercial Director Jeff Horst and her father, Dimitris Senior Sales Manager Conti Coluntino. Bezantakou, is From left at the conference in Athens were Conti Coluntino of Foss, Horst noted that Greek ship owners the founder and Danae Bezantakou of Navigator Shipping, Jeff Horst of Foss and Dimitris control 60 percent of the global president and a Bezantakou of Navigator Shipping. shipping tonnage and are the rock former ship captain. stars of the conference and financial “They know all of the ship and provides steamship and travel superstars in their country, where owners; they are so well connected agency services. most sectors of the economy are in in that country,” Horst said. “Foss Horst said that Navigator holds its the tank. and Navigator have a successful own conference in Greece every year, “We want to protect our customer partnership for strong representation.” which Foss attends on the Posidonia base, and we want to maintain our In addition to representing Foss off years. relationship with these shipping for U.S. West Coast harbor services, “It’s important for us to keep companies,” Horst said. “Most are Navigator represents Moran Towing expanding our relationships,” family-owned and will be passing for the East and Gulf coasts. The Horst said. the baton to their kids. It’s important company also represents firms that we stay in touch with the throughout Europe and South America
TRADE GROUP RECOGNIZES 73 FOSS VESSELS FOR SAFETY PERFORMANCE
The Chamber of Shipping of the equivalent of 562 years of incident- America (CSA) has recognized free operation. Sixty-one vessels had 73 vessels of Foss and its subsidiary five or more years, and eighteen companies with the 2015 Jones F. vessels boasted 10 to 22 years without Devlin award for outstanding a lost-time injury. safety records. “This year, awards were conferred The Jones F. Devlin Award is one on 1,522 vessels that operated 10,084 of two award programs CSA has years without a lost-time incident,”
sponsored since 1968. The award is said Kathy Metcalf, CSA President. The crew of the Southern California tug Carolyn Dorothy given to self-propelled merchant “This extraordinary record is directly recently received their Devlin Award for operating six vessels that have operated for two full attributable to the professionalism of years without a lost-time injury. From left are years or more without a crew member our seafarers and the dedication of Engineer Bobby Davis, Capt. Ryan SanJose, Port involved in a lost-time incident. It shore-based company personnel to Capt. Guy Beckwith and Able Seaman Larry Alva. publicly recognizes the skill and dedi- safe operation. These mariners are cation of the men and women who are the front line in ensuring the safe and this is evident in everything we do. responsible for safe vessel operations. environmentally responsible operation We’re constantly improving and add- The 73 Foss vessels were recognized of the vessels on which they serve.” ing to our safety programs, training, at the CSA Annual Safety Awards “Foss does not take safety lightly,” resources and operations. We want Luncheon held this year on June 8 in said Paul Stevens, Foss CEO. “We every one of our valuable people to New Orleans. Altogether, the Foss and carry a deep obligation to the safety of return home safely, and we do all that subsidiary company vessels achieved our people and the environment, and we can to make sure that happens.”
August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 3
JOHN PARROTT NOW AT THE HELM OF FOSS MARITIME (Continued from the cover)
takes the helm with ahead. I’m honored to be part of this “Paul has led Foss through an over 28 years of iconic company.” incredible period of growth and has maritime experi- Stevens has had a distinguished served as an adept leader within our ence, both at sea maritime career of more than company for more than 13 years,” said and ashore. 40 years. Tim Engle, President of Saltchuk. “Foss is an “I’m happy to turn over the “We are grateful that we will continue incredibly dynamic company to someone with an to have Paul’s leadership and expertise company,” said extensive maritime background and serving the entire Saltchuk family John Parrott Parrott. “We are who has earned the respect of our of companies.” building on more owner group at Saltchuk through his In his new role at Saltchuk, than 125 years of safe, innovative contributions at TOTE Maritime,” Stevens will support various service, and we have an exciting road said Stevens. strategic initiatives and will help support Saltchuk’s growth activities.
SUCCESSION PLANNING IS A HIGH PRIORITY AT FOSS; EMPLOYEES SHOW ‘HUNGER FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT’ Identifying and developing the next “The prospects for promoting great identify the bright stars,” Crowder generation of corporate leaders from people into higher-level management said. inside a company, a process known positions is very good, and there Once identified, potential leaders as “succession planning,” is a high is clearly a hunger here for career are asked to fill out career profiles and priority at Foss Maritime and other development,” Crowder said. “We have career development plans that include Saltchuk companies. a lot of good and talented people.” a list of possible activities to pursue to While the current succession focus A new succession planning improve leadership depth. at Foss is on the recent promotion of protocol was developed last year by Depending on the individual, those John Parrott to president, identifying a committee of human resources activities could include such things as others for leadership positions is an specialists representing all Saltchuk a “360 review” (obtaining performance ongoing process upon which human companies. Their goal was to identify feedback from superiors, peers and resources specialists are placing competencies that would be desirable subordinates), job shadowing and increased emphasis. Succession for senior leadership and next- rotating through other Saltchuk planning is a common strategy to level positions and to conduct this companies, and taking formal classes. mitigate the risk associated with identification and review process “Each person in the program vacant key leadership roles. But more annually. has been invited to work with their than that, it’s widely recognized as Among those competencies are manager and Human Resources to “just good business.” good communications skills, an ability identify development activities Over the past few months, to handle difficult issues, effective that will grow new skill sets and according to Foss Human Resources process management and good sharpen their existing competencies,” Vice President Darlene Crowder, interpersonal skills. The leaders also Crowder said. approximately 30 individuals at would be expected to be good team “People were so humbled to be a Foss have been identified as having builders, be good at managing vision part of this, to be identified and to be potential to move into the first and and purpose, and to have a high level valued,” She added, “and I think that second levels of management at of integrity. reflects well on these individuals.” the company. “We had several meetings to
“The prospects for promoting great people into higher level
management positions is very good, and there is clearly a hunger here
for career development,” – DARLENE CROWDER
4 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016
Foss’ Hawaii Subsidiary Orders Four New Tugs from Louisiana Shipyard
Foss’ Honolulu-based subsidiary decades into the future,” said Young Through this collaboration, Young Brothers, Ltd., Hawaii’s largest Brothers President Glenn Hong. according to Hong, Young Brothers inter-island freight carrier, and Conrad The 6,000 horsepower, 123-foot-by- was able to ensure that the latest Shipyard of Louisiana, have signed a 36.5-foot vessels are designed to match advances in safety, environmental contract to construct four new ocean- with Young Brothers’ fleet of modern protection and crew habitability were going tugs. high capacity barges (delivered from incorporated into the tug design. The investment of just over 2007 to 2010). The Damen designed vessels $80 million will support Young “The new contract is a tribute to the will be powered by General Electric, Brothers’on-time service, reliability, extraordinary skills and coordination 8L250MDC, state-of-the-art EPA and efficiency. The tugs will be of the parties as well as our joint Tier IV emissions compliant exhaust delivered in 2018 and 2019. commitment to quality, craftsmanship gas recirculation engines. The new tugs will improve Young and developing a vessel suited to the “The Kapena Class, or captain class, Brothers’ ability to provide regular needs and demands of the Hawaii celebrates the incredible seamanship cargo service to island communities service,” said Conrad Shipyard of Hawaiian navigators.” said Hong. and enhance service through lower President and CEO Johnny Conrad. “Young Brothers will honor their skills maintenance, less down time, The four new “Kapena Class” and innovations by naming each of the better tow speeds, greater operating tugs will constitute the core of the four new tugs after former captains.” efficiencies, and lower environmental company’s towing capacity for their The tugs will be ‘homeported’ impacts. 35-year life expectancy. Young Brothers on the neighbor island ports, “Our investment in these new tugs worked in conjunction with Foss and underscoring the company’s will directly support and further our its naval architects to research various service commitments to Hawaii’s commitment to frequent, reliable, tug hull designs, engines, and towing communities. affordable and universal service for equipment options.
NEW PORTLAND CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATION OPENS TO SUPPORT FOSS AND TWO OTHER SALTCHUK COMPANIES
Foss Maritime has consolidated its awareness of maritime fleets operating “The Foss Maritime Center allows customer service and dispatch around the globe. operations in Portland and now While a vessel’s master remains the us to standardize and enhance supports vessels operated by two other final authority on all operational Saltchuk companies in addition to its decisions, the FMC staff will use support for the Saltchuk family of own fleet of tugs and barges. multiple information sources to pro- The Portland facility, known as the vide mariners and those who support companies.” – Paul Stevens Foss Maritime Center (FMC), is in them with actionable information the company’s regional headquarters about potential hazards to support building on the Willamette River. The decision making. extension of Foss’ promise of ‘Always building is currently undergoing an Emergency calls to the FMC will Safe, Always Ready.’” extensive remodel. be forwarded to designated points of The staff of the center will have The Foss Maritime Center contact within the companies’ the ability to see a vessel’s location, operation includes a 24/7 call center respective shoreside operations. its route, and the prevailing weather operation as well as fleet monitoring “The Foss Maritime Center allows conditions. Fleet monitoring will be and weather service capabilities. It us to standardize and enhance support enhanced through automated situ- opened on June 1, supporting Foss’ for the Saltchuk family of companies,” ational alerting and staff observations. fleet as well as the vessels of TOTE said Foss CEO Paul Stevens. “We’re The FMC also will have enhanced Services and Tropical Shipping. taking state of the art technology and weather tools for effective fleet The FMC staff has been trained pairing it with our own experienced monitoring and rerouting support. to enhance safety and situational and dedicated staff — this is a natural
August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 5 Bob Hoover, Foss director of Information Technology Cyber Security is ‘Everybody’s Business’; Here’s What Foss is Doing to Beef up Protections
Meet Bob Hoover, the director of in the last year.” Hoover said. “We’ve against viruses and malware and information technology at Foss and always been concerned, and now we’re has otherwise taken a number of the company’s chief cyber-cop. pushing that concern to the top of our measures to tighten security. Among Hoover and his team are placing priority list.” those measures is to establish a an ever-increasing emphasis on Key measures being taken to guest wireless network for non-Foss protecting the company from online combat cyber attacks include employee users, which helps protect the main attacks that occur many times awareness training utilizing content company network from intrusions. In each day. Those attacks range from from Wombat Security, a vendor who addition, security patches are being “phishes,” emails with links which if specializes in cybersecurity training. automatically installed as they clicked could let a virus or malware One focus of that training is teaching become available. into the company network, to full- employees to recognize fraudulent In one form of fraud that has blown fraud attempts. emails and to avoid opening become increasingly common, cyber- A recent attempt to bilk Foss out attachments in emails from people criminals send emails purporting of more than $400,000 was thwarted they don’t know. “We can implement to be from high-level executives, just in time by the Accounts Payable all the right technology controls we authorizing payment for services never Department. (See article on page 7.) want, but in the end, it is people who performed. In one recent email, the And ransomware, which cyber are one of the biggest exposure areas criminal represented him or herself criminals use to lock up networks we have,” Hoover said. as the president of Foss, but the email and demand ransom payments to free Also, employees are being was identified as phony because the them up, is also a growing problem encouraged to make passwords more fraudster spelled the domain name in for companies. (See article on page 7.) complex and change them frequently their email address as Ffoss.com, with Pressure to step up cyber-security and to watch out for intrusions that two Fs instead of one. is coming from the U.S. Government, might open the network to malware “It’s everybody’s business to think a major customer for Foss, from non- or viruses. about cyber-security and how to be government customers who want their Hoover and his team also circulate safe,” Hoover said. “When training information protected and from risk alerts from the Department of comes, it’s everybody’s responsibility managers at Foss and Saltchuk. Homeland Security, warning of the to take that training and to take that “With everything that’s happening latest cyber-scams. training seriously.” in the world, cyber security has The company has introduced become one of our primary initiatives several new programs to protect
6 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016 A Story of Fraud: How Foss was Almost Taken for More Than $400,000
By Lam Nguyen-Bull Because of the tight operational Michael Osara. He said he was General Counsel timeline, Foss’s Accounts Payable performing an invoice audit and and Supply Chain departments were requested a copy of all outstanding In March of this year, Foss tasked with setting up the new vendor, unpaid invoices. Even though this was discovered that it had paid a creating a purchase order, and issuing an individual unknown to the vendor, fraudulently-altered invoice for over payments almost in parallel. No fewer it didn’t seem unusual because the $400,000. Due to quick action, great than nine Foss employees across vendor had been contacted by multiple teamwork, and a fair amount of luck, different departments were involved Foss employees. The vendor provided Foss was able to recover the money with trying to facilitate the setup and the invoice as requested. before it was deposited into the payment for this particular vendor. It Meanwhile, the vendor’s real perpetrator’s bank account. may be true that many hands make invoice had been transmitted to Foss, It all started in early February, light work, but it is also true that many but not in compliance with Foss’s when a Foss vendor for a large and hands can create a lot of confusion. instructions and so was not put in the complicated project and an important Foss had many channels of Accounts Payable (AP) queue to be customer issued a press release communication open with the vendor, paid. Michael Osara, this time posing celebrating its role in the project and some relating to invoices, others as a vendor employee, emailed Foss its relationship with Foss. We now relating to vendor set-up, and others AP and a specific AP clerk with a believe that this press release is what related to operations. In the midst of doctored copy of the invoice, noting caused the perpetrators to target Foss, all of this activity, the perpetrator of that the banking information had been using the vendor’s invoices as the the fraud contacted the vendor changed, and requesting payment. method to begin the scam. posing as a Foss employee named (Continued on page 8)
These viruses can lock up your computer. Ransomware: But don’t panic and don’t pay! The Department of Homeland Security those shown below: malware infection itself has been removed. & United States Computer Emergency • “Your computer has been infected How to avoid Ransomware? Readiness Team (US-CERT) has issued a with a virus. Click here to resolve • Don’t trust unsolicited email. If you Ransomware Awareness Note to inform the the issue.” haven’t requested information and/or don’t public of the dangers surrounding this type • “All files on your computer have been know the source, the best action is to of virus. encrypted. You must pay this ransom within “right-click” the email and mark as “junk.” This is a very timely alert since Foss has 72 hours to regain access to your data.” • Treat email attachments with caution. recently experienced several incidents, and Typically, these alerts state that the When receiving files from outside the everyone needs to be aware how to best user’s systems have been locked or that the company, always first save that file to your protect the safety of our company. user’s files have been encrypted. local disk and run a virus scan against it. If Ransomware is a type of malicious Ransomware attacks can lead to loss the file is clean, go ahead and use it. software that infects a computer and of business revenue, negative customer • Don’t click links in email messages. restricts the users’ access to all the files service experience, temporary or permanent This may actually download a virus. So if and information it contains, until a ransom loss of sensitive or proprietary information, you are not sure about the source, you can is paid to unlock the kidnapped computer. disruption to regular business operations contact the Help Desk for assistance. Ransomware is often spread through and potential harm to an organization’s • When in doubt, give the IT Helpdesk phishing emails that contain malicious reputation. a shout! attachments or when a user unknowingly Paying the ransom does not guarantee What to do if you are infected with visits an infected website and the malware the encrypted files will be released; it only Ransomware? is downloaded and installed without the guarantees that the malicious actors receive • Don’t panic user’s knowledge. the victim’s money, and in some cases, • Don’t pay Ransomware displays intimidating banking or other sensitive information. • Report the incident to the IT messages in on-screen alerts similar to Also, decrypting files does not mean the Helpdesk immediately.
August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 7 (Continued from page 7)
The next day, Foss’s project controls opportunity. Interestingly, while this manager emailed the real invoice appears to be an Internet scam on the to AP and the same specific AP surface, the situation did not result clerk, requesting that the invoice be from a computer system vulnerability. processed “at your earliest.” Michael FRAUD In the aftermath of this close call, Osara reached out the same day to some of the business process and the same clerk with a new invoice control changes we have initiated are: attachment and payment request. Confirming vendor wire The flurry of communications information through the use of a $5 continued over the next few days, with test wire for new or changed account no fewer than four different versions information. of the “same” invoice being received project controls manager discovered Providing Foss-wide computer at Foss, each of them with different the mismatched banking information. training in our tool, Halogen, about banking information, all in parallel Foss immediately contacted our bank, email and Internet scams. with several different instances of requesting a funds recall. Sixteen Protecting our own customers internal requests to get the invoice days later the bank remitted Foss the through implementing controls to paid as quickly as possible. When the recovered money. ensure that we only provide customer payment was finally processed, it was Our investigation of this incident invoices to known, valid customer processed using payment information uncovered many failures. Most representatives. from one of the fraudulently-altered importantly, the rush to pay the vendor Most importantly, instituting a invoices. resulted in manual interventions stop-work obligation similar to our The mistake was not discovered throughout the normal system safety processes, so that if unusual until the vendor’s CFO reached out processes, which then didn’t allow or concerning events occur, each to Foss’s project controls manager for usual processes or for a measured individual involved in the process has to request the payment date and approach to payment processing, the authority to stop and ask about banking confirmation. In gathering and opened the door for the vendor the situation. the information to respond, Foss’s imposter to take advantage of that
FOSS MARITIME’S ONLINE COMMUNITY
Foss’ social media community is If you are on social media, growing at a tremendous rate. We please consider being part of are connecting with more and more our online community by of you, hearing from our partners, liking us, commenting customers, employees and local and sharing your photos community members, while getting and events. You can a chance to showcase the interesting find us on Facebook, projects and great work Foss does Twitter, Instagram every day. and LinkedIn as We’ve received some amazing @fossmaritime, or with photography over the past few the hashtags #iamfoss months. If you have photos or ideas or #fossmaritime. to share you can email them to [email protected].
8 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016 VENDOR PROFILE Chart Correction Service Saves ‘Ton of Time’ For Foss Deck Officers
Like many small businesses, entrepreneur John Danly started Ocean Charting Services as a low- budget operation in the garage of his Maryland home. Previously, in the early 1990s, he had been in on the ground floor of the technological revolution in the marine industry. He was working for a company that produced digital charts, scanned from paper ones, mainly for recreational boaters. And he saw an opportunity to branch out into the commercial area. Starting with an ore carrier on the Great Lakes, Danly began installing electronic chart systems on commercial vessels to supplement the paper charts they were required to carry. Then he branched out into helping his customers make the transition from LORAN systems to the much more accurate GPS. John Danly, left, is the founder and president of Ocean Charting Services. With him at the company’s Easton, Leaving his employer, he started Maryland, office were his manager, Russell Stone, and Foss Quality Assurance Manager Jim Peschel. his own company, devoted entirely to the commercial maritime industry, inventory of every vessel it serves. NOAA data and execute the changes and developed customers on the Great They download the NOAA charts that themselves. Lakes as well as on both coasts. need correcting every week, compare “For example, an ocean-going tug But servicing hardware in distant those to the database and produce like the Sandra Foss might have 200 ports became cumbersome. So when a sheet that identifies every vessel charts and 12 that need correcting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric carrying one of the corrected charts. each week.” Danly said. “Every week Administration (NOAA) in 2000 “We bring up the old and the they get a package of peel-and-stick started issuing electronic charts weekly corrected charts on a screen parallel to corrections tailored just to the charts with corrections on things like light each other, and we can see how they they carry.” and buoy locations, Danly came up compare,” Danly said. “We highlight Foss Quality Assurance Manager with an efficient way to get those the corrected area of the chart, print Jim Peschel, who visited Ocean corrections to his customers. out peel-and-stick changes, and the Charting Services’ offices recently, said Today, Ocean Charting Services printouts get grouped together for a the chart correction system has proved operates out of an office in Easton, particular boat.” invaluable for Foss. Maryland, with seven employees there The printouts are mailed directly “This saves a ton of man hours and one in Traverse City Michigan. to vessels or to the companies that typically for a deck officer on each Foss They provide weekly chart updates for operate them. Then mates or others vessel,” he said. 400 commercial vessels, including 67 responsible for chart corrections apply Ocean Charting Services also operated by Foss. Crowley Maritime, the stickers directly to the affected makes weekly corrections for the a major competitor of Foss, also is charts. Light List and regional Coastal Pilot a customer, as are Kirby Offshore Ocean Charting Services correction guides in the form of replacement Marine and Sause Bros. system saves an enormous amount of pages for binders. They also produce Here’s how their system works: time for crewmembers who otherwise weekly DVDs and flash drives with the Danly’s company maintains a would have to plow through the updated publications. database that includes the chart August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 9 SAFETY CORNER | Incident Prevention Can Keep Your Life Goals from Going up in Smoke
By Al Rainsberger Director of Health and Safety
Why is it so important to prevent more than a means towards a goal that incident prevention programs are incidents? Do you view incident you have set for yourself. That goal designed to protect you so that you can prevention as simply a way to avoid may be the education of your children. reach your personal goals. If an unsafe getting hurt? Do you work safely just You may plan to buy a home or a car. act is pointed out to you, it is done to because you want to? Maybe you just Maybe your goal for now is just to eliminate obstacles or job hindrances do it because you have been told to. make it to Friday night and go out on and to insure that you go home safely Of course there are many reasons the town. Whatever your goals may be, each day. that Foss wants all employees to work they all generally tie back in some way Every time you approach a project, safely. But everyone must have a more to what you do for a living. And what every time you pick up a tool, every important reason to work safely than you do for a living could be seriously time you start a piece of equipment or just because you were told to do so. derailed by an incident. All your goals machinery, think about safety. Look for They must have a personal reason. can go up in smoke if you are injured what can go wrong and eliminate that Your reason may be your family. What and disabled. possibility before your goals come to would they do if you were to get hurt? Our safety programs are designed an abrupt end. How about your hobbies? Would to help you reach your goals. They Take safety seriously. Make it a part you still be able to enjoy them with a are not there just to make you work of your life goals. serious disability? harder, or slower, or to meet some What you do for a living is nothing regulatory guidelines. Safety and
POLAR TANKERS SAFETY FORUM Foss safety specialists gave a presentation on the company’s safety programs and initiatives and reviewed Foss safety statistics in mid-July at the eighth annual Polar Tankers Safety Forum in Bellingham, Wash. In the photo, from left, are Vance Webb and Lauren Moore of Polar Tankers, and Foss representatives, Fleet Assurance Manager Beth Smith, Health and Safety Director Al Rainsberger and Commercial Director Jeff Horst.
10 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016 Rick Wilson ICEBREAKER IN THE TROPICS The Foss tugs Piilani, foreground, and Mikioi assisted the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy into its berth in Honolulu in June as the ship visited the port prior to a four-month Arctic deployment. The Seattle- based ship is focusing during the deployment on the biology, chemistry and physics of the Arctic Ocean and its ecosystems, as well as performing multi-beam sonar mapping of the Extended Continental Shelf. Forty-six researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Alaska were on board, in addition to the 420-foot ship’s permanent crew. The ship was open for public tours during its Hawaii port visit.
FOSS-SPONSORED ROWBOAT FINISHES TRANS-PAC RACE Rod Mayer A Foss-sponsored rowboat crewed by two Cal Maritime Academy graduates competed this summer in one of the world’s leading human endurance challenges, the 2,400-mile Great Pacific Race from Monterey, Calif., to Honolulu, Hawaii. Todd Bliss and Rick Leach, friends since attending Cal Maritime in the Todd Bliss and Rick Leach underway on Row Aloha shortly after the start of the Great Pacific Race. 1980s, completed the race in their 23-foot boat, Row Aloha, on July 29, in Honolulu. The sponsorship is “good contained no sails or engines and were in 54 days, 22 hours and 17 minutes. advertising for us,” he said. 100 percent human powered. They were the fifth boat overall to Bliss and Leach both took up Row Aloha, fully laden, weighed finish, and third in the pairs class. rowing at Cal Maritime. One of 1,650 pounds. Equipment included Bliss, who is port engineer for Foss their hopes is that through their solar panels for energy, two customer Matson in Honolulu, is the participation in the race, they will watermakers, GPS, VHF radios Foss connection. raise awareness of ocean pollution. and a satellite phone with internet Foss Hawaii Director of Marine Six crews of two people and three access and parachute anchors. Operations Michael “Mac” Macdonald, crews of four people, representing Safety equipment included a liferaft, said crossing the Pacific in a rowboat 11 countries, were entered in the race. lifejackets, EPIRBS and is an “impressive feat” that got a lot of Their custom-built ocean boats spare oars. media coverage when the race finished August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 11
PIPE FOR A FIREBOAT Welder Edward Hawthorne of subcontractor Greenberry Industrial works on a piece of piping for the second of two fireboats under construction at Foss Seattle Shipyard for the Port of Long Beach.
HEADED FOR THE PHILIPPINES The 195-foot, twin-hulled ferry Susitna was in drydock and dockside at Foss Shipyard in Seattle during the last few months as part of a repowering project prior to its transfer to the Philippines, where it will be used by the Red Cross as a mobile clinic-hospital ship serving some of the most isolated of the 7,107 Philippine islands. Originally built as an experimental craft for the U.S. Navy, the ferry is being sold to the Philippine Red Cross by Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Plans to use the vessel in ferry service between Point MacKenzine and Anchorage fell through, and the borough has had the vessel for sale for several years.
12 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016
Jereme Ruhl
STRONG ENOUGH FOR ICE Workers at Foss Rainier Shipyard, above, work on the ice-strengthened bow section of the Nicole Foss, the third of three Arctic Class tugs under construction at the yard. At right is the forward section to which the bow will be attached. The twin-screw, 132-foot-long tugs are designed for operation in remote areas like eastern Russia and the Alaskan Arctic. The Nicole is due for completion next spring.
August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 13 Machinery Expert, Native of Germany, Finds ‘Unlimited Possibilities’ in his Adopted Country
Tonya Todd By Hilary Reeves my father and grandfathers made sure In 1979, 18-year-old Hans Kruck I played it safe and they laid certain bought a one-way ticket to the United ground rules.” States and never looked back. Kruck left the country prior to full Born in the Federal Republic of graduation for what he describes as Germany — West Germany, as it’s personal reasons — among them “The greatest influences during more commonly known — Kruck a culture of all work and no play. grew up in a rural community located His father, a civil engineer who my childhood were both of my between the north-coast town of constructed commercial high rises and Bremerhaven and the larger cities bridges, had difficulty separating work grandfathers, my father and of Hamburg and Hanover to the from family. east and south. After finishing high “The greatest influences during mother, and my high school school outside of Hanover, he began my childhood were both of my a machinist apprenticeship with grandfathers, my father and mother, history teacher, who opened my concurrent schooling equivalent to a and my high school history teacher, community college program in who opened my eyes to the rest of eyes to the rest of the world — the States. the world — specifically the United “My major was mechanical States,” he said. specifically the United States.” engineering with a minor in Kruck landed in New York City industrial electrics and electronics,” and spent a week in a downtown – HANS KRUCK he said. “Growing up, I knew Manhattan hotel, sightseeing and — that my destiny would be in the most importantly — car-shopping. He mechanical or electrical field. Being found a 1969 Ford Mustang for sale in proficient with power tools and arc the Bronx. After a brief visit to Niagara welding equipment at age 12 was not Falls, he left New York, driving west, something my parents had looked zigzagging from north to south. forward to, but they tolerated it, and “In Wyoming, the car needed some
14 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016
mechanical work, and one thing led retirement.” here,” he said in jest. to another.” The following year, Kruck began After his father’s early retirement Between 1979 and 1982, Kruck work as a marine/mechanical due to work stress and related health made his living as a ranch hand, consultant and manufacturers issues, he and Kruck’s mother enjoyed cowboy, machinist, mud logger, and representative. During his five-year long annual camping vacations to snow machine guide in Wyoming, consultancy stint, he spent more than the United States, mostly traveling Texas, and plenty of places in between. two years at the GE Diesel Engine and the West and Alaska, fishing and He spent several years as a volunteer Locomotive plants in Grove City and sightseeing. He died in 2011. Kruck’s EMT in rural Wyoming. Erie, Penn. on behalf of Deutz/MWM mother, a homemaker and the best “Eighty miles to a hospital in during the prototype and production cook he knows, is enjoying her senior either direction is a long time in an work on GE’s new locomotive and years living with his little sister in ambulance, but it was very rewarding,” current new marine engines. In 2000, Germany and visiting Kruck every he said. “Honestly, I was just trying to he joined a tug company in Valdez, few years. figure it all out.” Alaska, where he worked as a senior “She’ll be 80 in March, and it will In the year that followed, Kruck port engineer and then as engineering be my turn to visit Germany,” he said. landed a job at MSHS, Inc. in Fort manager. Kruck said he is most proud of Tonya Todd Lauderdale, Florida, his entrance into “We maintained the Valdez Tanker leaving Germany when he did. He the marine vessel industry. He was Escort and Response Fleet — 10-plus never married, but instead is looking the small, growing service company’s tugs and eight-plus unmanned forward to his own retirement spent eighth employee. response barges,” he said. traveling the parts of he world he’s not “I started servicing European In 2010, he joined Foss in the yet been, fishing, hunting and boating, propulsion engines and equipment on company’s Rainier, Ore., shipyard. and inventing new ways to accomplish ocean-going vessels,” he said. “It was Among the shipyard’s most mechanical and electrical feats. mostly very old equipment.” memorable achievements in the year “I’ve visited all 50 states and most Kruck worked in Florida for more that followed was the new construction U.S. territories,” he concluded. “I than a decade, advancing from the of the Capt. Frank Moody, a shallow guess I’m always just waiting for that position of service technician to service draft tug for Delta Western in Alaska. next interesting project.” engineer, and finally service manager. Kruck managed the machinery When asked why he chose the He traveled most of South America, installations, commissioning, and United States as his destination all the Caribbean, and the eastern and sea trials. He spent the six months those years ago, Kruck smiled. western coasts of the United States between October 2011 and April 2012 “When I was still in school (in to attend to everything from major in Chimbote, Peru, on a contract Germany), there was a certain mention marine casualties to routine overhauls. to help build three high-speed made of the USA that stuck with me: He also received advanced factory crew boats, as well as firefighting ‘America, das Land der unbegrenzten training from several European engine equipment and a generator for two Moeglichkeiten.’ Translated: ‘USA, builders and equipment suppliers, newly built Panama Canal tugs. the country of unlimited possibilities.’ and advanced training in in-place Kruck has been back at Foss I have found this to be very true.” machining and line-boring of engine since August of 2012, helping to blocks and reduction gears, and re-power the Tidewater Captain Bob, the mechanical, optical, and laser and managing all the machinery alignment of all equipment. installation on the brand-new state “By 1994, I needed a break,” ferry, the Sanpoil, and the Foss Arctic he said. “I didn’t want to follow Class tugs. my father’s footsteps into early “We really do build boats down
August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 15
Fifteen Young People Join Foss for the Summer As Part of Company’s Enhanced Internship Program
Eleven interns, eight college • Camille Mora students and three who are still in is entering her high school, are working with the senior year at Holy staff at Foss headquarters in Seattle Names Academy in and the Seattle Shipyard this summer. Seattle. She is work- Four interns, two college students ing in the Marine and two seamanship cadets are Assurance Group at working in Southern California Foss Headquarters Marine Operations. in Seattle and lives The Human Resources Department in Renton, Wash. has enhanced the company’s She is the cousin of summer internship program as part Ina Burke, a claims of its stepped-up recruitment effort, in adjuster at Foss hopes that some of the young people headquarters. Interns who met recently with Foss President and Chief Operating Officer might eventually seek full-time jobs • Erin Demaree John Parrott, right, are, from left, Jeremy Rogers, Matthew Williamson, at Foss. is entering her Chris Schasteen, Owen Tabbutt, Camille Mora (front), Erin Demaree and The Seattle Interns in the photo: junior year at Jackson Foley. • Jeremy Rogers is entering his Raisbeck Aviation senior year at the online Western High School in Seattle. She is working in Spokane, Wash., where he is Governors University and is studying in the Engineering Department at Foss studying engineering. He is working information technology management. Headquarters in Seattle and lives in the Engineering Department at Foss He is working in the Engineering in Seattle. Headquarters in Seattle and lives in Department at Foss headquarters in • Jackson Foley is entering his Sammamish, Wash. Seattle and lives in Edmonds, Wash. junior year at the University of Oregon • Harrison Lee is entering his He is the brother of Zachary Rogers, in Eugene, where he is studying senior year at Syracuse University staff naval architect. business. He is working in the in New York, where he is major- • Matthew Williamson is entering Finance Department at Foss headquar- ing in geography and public affairs. his junior year at Kenyon College in ters in Seattle and lives in Eugene. He is working in the Legal/Claims Gambier, Ohio, where he is studying Not present for the photograph: Department at Foss headquarters in law and society. He is working in the • Adam Crowder is entering his Seattle and lives in Seattle. Legal Department in Seattle and lives sophomore year at Bellevue College in The Southern California in Bothell, Wash. He is the son of Bellevue, Wash., where he is pursuing Interns: Frank Williamson, associate general general studies. He is working in the • Danielle Bonsky is the daughter counsel. Information Technology Department of Todd Bonsky. She is attending • Chris Schasteen is entering his at Foss headquarters in Seattle and El Camino College in California and sophomore year at the University lives in Issaquah, Wash. He is the son is in her third year studying business of Arizona in Tucson, where he is of Human Resources Vice President administration. She is an office intern studying business. He is working for Darlene Crowder. in Southern California. the Marine Transportation Division • Lydia Harris is entering her • Megan Gregory, daughter of Bob at Terminal 5 in Seattle and lives in junior year at the University of Gregory, regional operations manager Sammamish, Wash. He is the son of Washington in Seattle where she is in San Francisco. She is in her Midea Schasteen, senior HRIS analyst. pursuing a degree in neurobiology. second year at William and Mary • Owen Tabbutt is entering his She is working in the Estimating College studying anthropology and junior year at Seattle Preparatory Department at Foss Headquarters in government. School in Seattle. He is working in Seattle and lives in Seattle. She is • Erick Villalobos and Shane the Human Resources Department at the daughter of George Harris, Arbogast, are cadets at Tongue Point Foss Headquarters in Seattle and lives estimator project manager in the Seamanship Academy in Astoria, in West Seattle. He is the son of Mark Seattle Shipyard. Ore., and are working in Southern Tabbutt, chairman of Foss parent • Thomas Kourtis is entering his California marine operations. company Saltchuk. sophomore year at Gonzaga University
16 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016
Foss Scholarship Winners Named for 2016
Seven young men and women from she played varsity soccer for three is pursuing a degree in the science four states have been named winners years. She plans to attend Whitworth of environmental engineering at the of the annual Foss Scholarships for University in Spokane where she University of California, San Diego, children of company employees. expects to major in secondary educa- and hopes to work in a job that The winners come from tion and English and pursue studies in focuses on helping the environment Massachusetts, Washington, Hawaii Christian leadership. and the world’s needy people. Like her and California and plan on careers • Jace Nakama is the son of Dean sister, she is a graduate of Benicia ranging from law to teaching and Nakama, senior account representative High School, where she ran track and nursing. Their parents include two at Young Brothers, Ltd., in Hawaii. was president of the Soroptimist Club. tankermen, a captain, two salesmen He is a recent graduate of Mililani • Alison Tynan is the daughter of and an information technology High School, where he played San Francisco Tankerman Tom Tynan. manager. varsity baseball and played in the She is a recent graduate of Windsor The winners are: marching band. He plans to attend High School where she was a student • Ralph Coluntino is the son of the University of Hawaii at Manoa to body representative and played Boston-based Senior Sales Manager study business. After college, he soccer and softball. She plans to attend Conti Coluntino. The young Coluntino plans to become an information Dominican University in San Rafael, is a pre-law honors student at St. technology consultant or an informa- Calif., where she will enter a four- Michael’s College in Burlington, tion systems manager. year nursing program. Eventually, she Vermont, with a double major in • Eliza Partika is the daughter hopes to earn a master’s and PhD in history and political science. He works of Eric Partika, a recently retired neonatal nursing. as a transportation research intern for San Francisco tankerman. A recent • Violet Walsh is the daughter of Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton graduate of Benicia High School, she Richard Walsh, a senior solution and former Massachusetts Govs. reads, writes for her local paper, plays architect at Foss headquarters in William Weld and Michael Dukakis. the violin and sings and was involved Seattle. She is entering her junior year He also is a Babe Ruth League umpire. in high school theater. She will attend at Boston University studying elemen- • Megthan Lassko is the daughter the University of California, Irvine, tary and special education with a focus of Pacific Northwest Capt. Bradley where she plans to major in literary on math education. After graduation Lassko. She is a resident of Gig journalism. she hopes to teach first grade in a Harbor, Wash., and a recent gradu- • Enid Partika is also the daughter special-ed integrated classroom and ate of Peninsula High School, where of retired Tankerman Erik Partika. She pursue a master’s in education.
Ralph Coluntino Megthan Lassko Jace Nakama Eliza Partika
Enid Partika Alison Tynan Violet Walsh
August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 17
GOLFING FOR CHARITY The Towboat Invitational golf tournament at the Golf Club at Newcastle near Seattle raised $343,250 for Virginia Mason Medical Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Southwestern Oregon on July 11. Foss employees at the event included, from left, John Marcantonio, John Parrott, Colette Lowe, Conti Coluntino, Kirstin Sandaas, Jeanne Louie, Rebekah Lay and Jeff Horst. Foss, Sause Bros. and Harley Marine Services were co-sponsors of the event
GREAT YEAR FOR TUG SLUGGERS The Foss Tug Sluggers softball team finished its Ballard (Seattle) Co-ed League season July 20 with a 7-4 record, losing out in the post- season tournament semi-final game to the Lab Rats by a 13-11 score. “Foss softball saw a lot of new faces on the field this year and put together a great year,” said team captain Jeanne Louie. Team members in the photograph are, kneeling from left, Mindy del Toro, Jim Peschel, Amber Thomas and Jeanne Nguyen, and, standing, Tina Wissmar, Rebekah Lay, Shelly Rieger, Martin del Toro, Jim Daley, Henry Palmer, Jeremy Ellison, Louie and Sergio Munoz. Not present for the photo were Pete Roney, Jamie Littlejohn, Debra Cobain, Kai Wood, Justin Borland and Shawna McLean.
18 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • August, 2016 Ray Barkly Retired as Captain of the Arthur Foss
Capt. Ray Barkly, a 30-year Foss according to his widow, Carol, who career on the Arthur Foss. mariner who retired in 1995 as master said he benefitted in the service from “He loved his job. He was of the tractor tug Arthur Foss, died having food, shelter and discipline he determined to become a captain, and July 20 at his home in Marysville, hadn’t experienced previously. After when he sat for his license he had the Wash. He was 82 years old and serving on the aircraft carrier USS second highest score,” his widow said. suffered from cancer. Antietam in the Korean War, Barkly “He didn’t have much education, so he Born in Chicago, Capt. Barkly left was discharged at the Whidbey Island had to be pretty sharp to get home and was on his own from the Naval Air Station. that license.” age of 14, working his way across the Two weeks after his discharge, he Following his retirement, Capt. country to California with jobs in the got a job at Bellingham Tug and Barge Barkly and his wife owned pleasure oilfields, cleaning out air ducts and and then joined Foss as a deckhand on boats and spent time cruising, elevator shafts. the Sandra Foss in 1966. He worked including making two trips to Alaska. He joined the Navy at age 17, his way up to captain, finishing his
VIGOR AT SAFECO Ken Swingle, corporate dock master and facilities director for Vigor Industrial in Portland, took his son and a couple of friends to the Seattle Mariners game on Wednesday, July 20, courtesy of Foss. With Swingle, behind, are, from left, Ken Swingle Jr., Rebecca Wadekamper and Tyler WadeKamper. The elder Swingle said “thank you” to Foss with this photo. The Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 6-5 with a walk-off homer by Leonys Martin in the 11th inning.
PEOPLE NEWS
NEW EMPLOYEES Nathan Christensen Jenny Wright SATISFACTION Buyer Accounting Manager GUARANTEED Seattle Corporate Office Seattle Corporate Office Remember, Brittney Crawford Angela Zou Naval Architect Accountant customers Seattle Corporate Office Seattle Corporate Office talk.
Hung Le PASSINGS –FROM SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Financial Analyst BY BYRD BAGGETT Seattle Shipyard Ray Barkly Captain Todd Mickelson PNW Engineering Scheduler-Assistant Project Manager Seattle Corporate Office August, 2016 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 19 PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 15551 1151 Fairview Avenue North Seattle, WA 98109
ANDREW UNDOCKING Foss Shipyard Drydock No. 3 was moved into the Lake Washington Ship Canal recently, enabling the tractor tug Andrew Foss to float out following two weeks of maintenance. The tug, in its first drydocking in five years, got a new paint job, some new piping, and underwent other routine work. Drydocks are sometimes moved into the deeper water of the canal so they can be submerged farther to accommodate deeper-draft vessels.