December 2017 / volume 31 issue 6 Robert Tandecki DENISE IN THE ICE A Robert Tandecki watercolor of the Denise Foss towing a barge through Arctic ice floes was selected to be reproduced on the Foss holiday card and on the cover of this holiday issue of Tow Bitts. Tandecki’s painting was one of 21 submitted in the annual Foss art competition for slots on the holiday card and company calendar. The other winning paintings are reproduced on pages 10 and 11. A HOLIDAY MESSAGE: By John Parrott books, Foss and its sister companies President and Chief Executive Officer can look back on a challenging and LOOKING BACK ON A ever-changing year. Sometimes in CHALLENGING AND Welcome to the last edition for 2017 focusing on what is right in front of of Tow Bitts, and thank you for being us, running the business and taking EVER-CHANGING YEAR part of this amazing adventure. care of our customers, it’s easy to As we put another one into the forget the special way in which we (Continued on page 4) always safe • always ready Foss and Damen Plan Series of 10 New Tugs to be Built at Foss The Next Generation of Tugs Rainier Shipyard In a new-build program not unlike construction of the Dolphin Class tugs Foss Maritime is working with to market its innovative tug designs in beginning in 2003, Foss and Netherlands- Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards the U.S.” based Damen Shipyards are collaborating to build and market a next-generation “Working with Foss will enable us on design and construction of a new breed escort-and-assist tug that will meet the to strengthen our relationship while of assist and escort tugs. Construction unique environmental and operational serving the North American market is expected to begin in 2018 at Foss requirements of the U.S. market. with state-of-the-art, cost-effective Rainier Shipyard. This Page The plan is to build a series of at and dependable vessels,” said Jan van The Cornerstone of Safe Operations least 10 tugs at the Foss Rainier, Ore., Hogerwou, Damen’s vice president of Every Foss employee is vested with the Shipyard. Damen is the world’s largest new construction for North America. authority to stop work if he or she sees designer and builder of towing vessels. “We’re excited about this collaboration something they believe to be unsafe, and The partnership with Foss will bring and look forward to working closely willingness to use that authority is taking together the Dutch company’s long with Foss.” hold in the company. The crew of the Henry history of design and construction Damen Shipyards Group was Foss invoked their stop-work responsibility experience with Foss’ operational and established in 1927 and operates recently while handling a barge in Tacoma. shipbuilding expertise. 35 shipbuilding and repair yards, Page 7 Foss and Damen will be refining employing 9,000 people worldwide. the design of the vessel during the first Damen has delivered more than 6,000 Soccer Star Represents Foss in Norway part of 2018, with construction starting vessels in more than 100 countries His stardom as a professional soccer player later in the year to deliver the first tug and delivers some 180 vessels annually helped propel Ola Dybwad-Olsen into a to Foss in 2019. to customers worldwide. maritime career, representing shipping “This partnership supports our The Rainier yard has deep industry companies in his home country shared goals,” said John Parrott, Foss experience in towing vessel of Norway. Today, Foss is among the com- President and CEO. “It means, we can construction, having built 10 Dolphin panies he represents, and Dybwad-Olsen strengthen our fleet while meeting the Class tugs for Foss and its sister says the fact that Norwegian immigrants demands of our customers, and at the companies and, more recently, three founded Foss is a good marketing point. same time Damen has the opportunity (Continued on page 3) Page 8 Always Safe, Ready, a Century Ago Below are Damen Shipyards Chairman Kommer Damen, left and Foss President and CEO John Parrott at the signing of the agreement. Foss Historian Mike Skalley finds evidence in a tide book published in 1919 that the core values of the company have changed little. Safety and customer service were at the forefront for Foss, then as now. Pages 17 To submit articles for Tow Bitts, please contact Bruce Sherman, editor, [email protected], or Sonja Baron, coordinator of production, [email protected]. The Tow Bitts graphic designer is Barbara Hoberecht. Tow Bitts is published six times a year by Foss Maritime for employees, customers and friends. Changes to the Tow Bitts mailing list should be referred to Matt Brown, (206) 381-3799 or [email protected]. 2 • Foss Tow Bitts • ALWAYS SAFE • December, 2017 (Continued from page 2) Arctic Class tugs. Foss Chief Operating Officer Scott Merritt said the aim is to set up a program similar to what Foss achieved with the Dolphin Class. “We want to build a tug that has sufficient bollard pull for larger ships in a small enough platform to be able to assist in the tight waters of Los Angeles and Long Beach, or in Tacoma’s Blair Waterway or in the tight confines of the Oakland estuary,” Merritt said. “The platform is 92-by-43 feet. Damen has designed the hull to perform well in the assist mode with high maneuverability, and also with direct and indirect steering capabilities.” Merritt said the four new ocean The Damen ASD 2813 escort/assist vessel, above, is rated at 6,800 horsepower with more than 90 tons of tugs Foss is currently having built bollard pull for the U.S. market. in Louisiana for its Young Brothers subsidiary are Damen designs, “and that started the conversation for the challenge of building these new tugs upcoming project.” is a problem we love to have.” He said This is great news,” said Rainier the project would provide jobs for Shipyard Director Don Nugent. “The about 25 craftsmen. FOSS SPONSORS AWARDS BANQUET IN GREECE; HORST ADDRESSES ‘SUSTAINABILITY’ (Continued on page 3) AT SHIPPING CONFERENCE Foss reached out to key shipping Also at the meeting, the industry industry customers in early November, honored the U.S. ambassador to sponsoring a maritime awards dinner Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, and U.S. Coast in Piraeus, Greece, and joining a panel Guard Deputy Commandant Linda discussion at “The Shipping Decision Fagan. Makers Forum” in that port city the During the panel discussion, next day. Horst gave a brief talk on sister Commercial Director Jeff Horst company TOTE Maritime’s LNG ship and Sales Manager Conti Coluntino construction and repowering project represented Foss at both events, and and addressed the skills professional Horst was part of the panel with mariners will need as the importance the discussion topic, “Sustainable of sustainability grows. Innovation: Challenging Tradition to “Everyone on the commercial Jeff Horst, left, meeting with U.S. ambassador to Create New Opportunities.” and operational side of the maritime Greece Geoffrey Pyatt in Piraeus. At the Foss-sponsored Amber industry must have a deep knowledge Award dinner, the Propeller Club of of how energy is trading and trending The forum that included the panel the United States recognized Greek in light of the recent fact that the discussion was organized by Navigator shipping companies whose vessels had United States is now the largest energy Shipping Consultants, which been diverted to aid mariners producer in the world,” Horst said. represents Foss in Greece. in distress. “Markets can change quickly.” December, 2017 • ALWAYS READY • Foss Tow Bitts • 3 A HOLIDAY MESSAGE: LOOKING BACK ON A CHALLENGING AND EVER-CHANGING YEAR (Continued from the cover) really serve those we touch. providing shelter and meals as a working to take care of our customers, We serve them safely. Sixty-five small part of the huge relief efforts each other and the communities Foss vessels were recognized recently underway. we serve. for operating for two or more years Our safety record, our rescues and So for all of you, customers, without having a crewmember the Caribbean relief effort were special colleagues and friends alike, I thank involved in a lost-time accident. accomplishments, the ones that you for your support, and a special Our vessels rescue others in make the pages of Tow Bitts, and they holiday cheer for all of those that have distress, and we also aim to help overshadow smaller more frequent in some way over the year done a little people in distress. How comforting and equally impactful examples, extra to help and to safely serve those was it for the hurricane-ravaged town where the desire to serve comes first. that have needed our help the most. of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, to have the From dispatch to drydocks, midnight Ocean Constructor and Ocean Carrier emails to those underway, all tirelessly HONG RETIRES FROM YOUNG BROTHERS, TAKES NEW POSITION IN HAWAII FOR SALTCHUK Glenn Hong, president of organization in 1999, when the commenced construction of four new Honolulu-based Foss subsidiary Young company acquired Young Brothers 6,000 horsepower American-built Brothers, Ltd., will retire at the end and Hawaiian Tug & Barge from tugs that are slated to begin service in of the year and take a Hawaiian Electric the middle of 2018. new position focusing Industries. Over the Saltchuk President Tim Engle on Hawaii business next decade, Saltchuk said Hong “is not only well-regarded initiatives with Foss added Hawaii within our organization, he is a parent company Petroleum, Minit valued and respected member of the Saltchuk.