VOYAGES US OCEAN NEWSLETTER I SS U E # 0 0 0 2
A NOTE FROM WILL When we all watched the ball drop in celebration of 2020 none of us could have anticipated the curveball we would all be thrown a few short months later. The ability to pivot and operate in an unnormalized COVID-19 environment has shown the true flexibility of our crews, fleet and team – both ashore and at sea. Working with our customers to meet their needs in the dynamic environment arising from the pandemic elevated collaboration and tested problem-solving abilities. While the very nature of safely transporting customer cargo to remote locations around the globe requires an ability to quickly respond to unexpected developments, COVID-19 introduced a new set of variables. Making matters even more complex, the majority of the US Ocean fleet had to complete periodic dry-docks and main class renewals over the course of 2020. Meeting these challenges involved the collective efforts of customers, crews, employees and others connected with our business and operations. We recognize that this year has required many to be away for periods far longer than a typical rotation; to work in unconventional ways; and experience loss in some form or manner. We likewise truly appreciate the innovation, dedication, and support that has been exhibited during this unparalleled and ultimately temporary period. As we enter the final stretch of this year, all our US Flag vessels are busy carrying cargoes for customers and we have completed all of our 2020 dry-dockings for the fleet. We recognize and appreciate the support of our customers, the work and dedication of the crews, and contributions of others in connection with this year unlike any other. This edition of Voyages highlights some of our 2020 experiences, our people, and projects. We certainly will not be sad to leave 2020 behind and we look forward to a more normalized 2021. Our team welcomes the opportunity to have our exceptionally crewed, modern, dry-docked vessels engaged and ready for 2021. Thanks again to everyone for your support and work. Until we are all able to meet in person again, stay safe. Will Terrill President and CEO, US Ocean, LLC
TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING DURING A PANDEMIC…................................................3 JUSTIN MILLER: 40 UNDER 40 WINNER…....................................5 MEET THE STAFF……...................................................................9
LEADING DURING A PANDEMIC
CAPTAIN PROFILE: Capt. Jeffrey L. Sutton, USMMA Kings Point 1975 – Dual License; Unlimited Oceans Masters License and Third Assistant Engineer Steam and Diesel The African proverb - smooth seas do not make for skilled sailors has taken on a new meaning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Without any frame of reference to call on, vessel Captains are adapting and finding new ways to lead during this unprecedented crisis. At the onset of the pandemic, Master of the M/V Ocean Grand, Capt. Jeffrey L. Sutton found himself in this predicament.
said Sutton. “There was and still is an increased concern as to the mental and physical well-being of our crew members; I tried to find a happy medium with the crew by helping them to understand that as dire as the situation was, we could manage it if everyone was willing to follow the recommendations necessary to mitigate the chances of contracting COVID-19.”
In late March, Capt. Sutton arrived in Singapore for a Among the various challenges they faced, Sutton scheduled 30-day dry dock. Approximately 85 days and his crew found themselves confined to the later, the dry dock was completed, and the crew of Grand in a port that is generally very welcoming to the Grand were released to sail back to the States. A seamen. Numerous new precautions and procedures near shutdown of the shipyard itself primarily due to were adopted to protect the crew and their vendors. a lack of workers, resulted in the extended duration Pilots, vendors and other visitors were required to of their dry dock. It is an understatement to say that review instructions and complete forms prior to their things did not go to plan, but a strong leader learns arrival to the vessel. Capt. Sutton noted how tireto adapt. Throughout his 18 years of heavylift expe- some wearing masks in the heat was – especially in rience, 15 of those aboard US Ocean vessels, Capt. the engine room. Sutton had never experienced anything like navigat“We wear masks around non crew members and we ing his team through this voyage and dry dock. only allow contractors or visitors with a definite need “I spent a lot of time trying to keep to enter the accommodations,” said Sutton. “We do the crew updated on developments a lot of cleaning and disinfecting before and after we encounter visitors; and we clean and disinfect all of and necessary precautions,” the vessel common areas with greater frequency.”
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The crew also socially distanced amongst themselves
as much as they could, splitting up for mealtimes.
what it used to be, as vessels spend little time in
port these days. Still, prior to COVID-19 the crew
Newly joined crew members were also subject to a
on heavylift vessels did experience a greater length
onboard from February 3 until July 30 when they
such as tankers and container vessels, allowing
10-day semi-quarantine. Some crew members were disembarked in Baltimore, Maryland. Captain Sutton commends his exceptional crew for continuing to complete their assigned tasks in a professional
and sometimes cheerful manner, considering the
circumstances under which they were working.
of time in port than perhaps other types of vessels for crew members to see and experience diverse
cultures in ports worldwide.
Capt. Sutton likes the quality time at home with
his children and grandchildren that this way of
life affords him. He added, on one hand, a seaman
“With being stuck together for six months, we have
spends a good amount of time away from home and
account that there was no chance to go ashore and
of time at home give them the chance for quality
speaks volumes,” said Sutton. “Additionally, there
time with their children in the classroom, go on all
experienced minimal issues; when you take into decompress during this time, that in and of itself were long periods of uncertainty as to when we
would be able to get home, and of course, we were
all worried about our loved ones far away.”
loved ones, but on the other hand the long periods
time. For him it’s a good tradeoff as one can spend the field trips, and generally spend more time with family than a 9-5 job would typically allow.
odds and ends that make life a little better, including
“US Ocean heavylift vessels give the crew an opportunity to see ports and places not generally frequented by US flag vessels,”
course); and the like. They even got to enjoy a local
said Sutton. “And of course, nice weather days of
also able to load up on all the needed PPE, such as
being in port for an inordinate amount of time are
To keep up the morale, Capt. Sutton increased the frequency of the crew’s cookouts with the last one
taking place on the Fourth of July. An added boost, the crew had an excellent chandler in Singapore that was able to get the crew members many of the
different foods, snacks, drinks (non-alcoholic of dish of chili crab and prawns. The Grand crew was
sunshine in the middle of nowhere, particularly after
masks, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies.
a plus.”
Reflecting on the situation, Sutton shared that the
Capt. Sutton wants people to know that he and
it. “Going forward we will have to change to meet
essential goods and cargo to their destinations, and
this virus a forerunner of more to come,” he said.
family and friends at home especially during these
world is changing, and shipping is changing with
new challenges; realistically we can only consider “I’m afraid this new preventative stance is going to be necessary for some time to come, perhaps from
now on; and we’ve learned that different people view this pandemic with varying degrees of concern. So
his crew will continue to do their jobs by carrying
that while they do it, they are always thinking of their
difficult times. “As long as we are provided the tools
to meet this new challenge, we will continue to do
our best,” he said.
perhaps the most difficult challenge will be how
serious people take it and if they continue to take precautions.”
His advice for the next generation? Newcomers
should understand that “going to sea” is not perhaps
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JUSTIN MILLER: 40 UNDER 40 WINNER Justin Miller, Vice President of Commercial Services has
been selected for AntwerpXL’s 40 Under 40 list. Spot-
lighting the best, brightest & bravest of the next gener-
ation, the AntwerpXL 40 Under 40 campaign showcases
the rising stars of the breakbulk and heavy lift industry. Justin’s profile has been included in AntwerpXL’s
online gallery and he will be celebrated at the AntwerpXL virtual conference from March 10-12, 2021.
In addition to being included on the list, Justin also
participated in NextGen, a round table discussion asso-
ciated with the Festival of Breakbulk and AntwerpXL. Moderated by Dr. Christa Sys, a professor with the
University of Antwerp’s Department of Transport and
Regional Economics, the group of young professionals
discussed topics including: the skills gap, tech adoption, and achieving business growth through employee investment, training and support.
“I am honored to be a member of the 40 Under 40 group;
I humbly thank everyone who has reached out with their
well wishes and congratulations,” said Justin Miller.
“We are in the thick of a transitional period in the break-
bulk and heavylift sector. During this time, it is para-
mount that the next generation of professionals do
more than just ameliorate our industry. Instead, we need to blaze a new path by applying diverse and innovative
concepts to a segment of shipping that has traditionally been very slow to adapt to the evolving needs of the
cargo. I feel very fortunate to be part of the US Ocean team, where we are empowered to think outside of the box and flex our creative muscles. It isn’t just encouraged but expected.”
As aforementioned, shepherding and shaping the next generation of shipping professionals is of high importance
to Justin. His mentors played a major role in the trajectory and success of his career and it is important for him
to pay it forward. While with Intermarine, Justin was responsible for spearheading the Company’s US internship
program and curriculum. He also occasionally gives guest lectures on the breakbulk and project cargo industry
to local college students.
“As a team, we are proud that Justin’s achievements and hard work have been recognized by AntwerpXL on a
global stage,” said Will Terrill, President and CEO of US Ocean. “I have seen him grow and develop from an intern
into a pivotal member of our organization and the US Flag shipping industry; his efforts have paid off and we
congratulate him.”
FOR THE BR AZILIAN ARMY COMMISSION
CLIENT: Brazilian Army Commission VESSEL: M/V Ocean Giant SHIPMENT 1: TIME OF SHIPMENT: September 2018 LOAD PORT: Pensacola, Florida DISCHARGE PORT: Paranaguá, Brazil CARGO: 40 M992A units and 56 M109A5 units SHIPMENT 2: TIME OF SHIPMENT: September 2019 LOAD PORTS: Baltimore, Maryland, and Sunny Point, North Carolina DISCHARGE PORT: Rio Grande, Brazil CARGO: 31 M109A5 units, 4 M88A1 units, and containers;
and Class 1.1 ammunition
OVERVIEW
Between 2018-2019, US Ocean completed the delivery of 131 artillery tanks, known as howitzers, and ammunition from multiple origins in the USA to Paranaguá, and Rio Grande, Brazil. The armored vehicles are part of Brazil’s Strategic Subprogram - Field Artillery System (SAC) targeted at transforming and modernizing Brazil’s Field Artillery Fleet. The equipment and ammunition augmented the operational capacity of the country’s Ground Fire Support capabilities; and is intended to aid Brazil’s Armed Forces in combat.
REGION: SOUTH AMERICA
ST UDY
PROJECT
C A SE
ARMORED VEHICLE DELIVERY
ROLLING STOCK TRANSPORT SERVICES
OVERVIEW US Ocean has proven experience handling the full spectrum of pieced and/or fully assembled rolling stock items. Our fleet of heavylift, geared vessels allow us to transport new or inoperable vehicles and locomotives with no need for certified drivers. Our technical group has more than four decades of experience in preparing load plans and lashing preparations for rolling stock including: military vehicles, railcars, locomotives, mining equipment, buses, vans, cars, car shells, ambulances, and more. Fleet capabilities include:
In September 2016 US Ocean completed the shipment of 50 armored vehicles, 40 artillery pieces, 50 grenade launchers and more than 1,000 tons of ammunition valued at $50 million in Beirut, Lebanon.
•
Multiple lashing points throughout vessel holds, tween decks and hatch covers allow for tight stowage and lashing of vehicles for safe transport.
•
Heavylift tweendecks allow for the carriage of a greater range of vehicles than most traditional non-heavylift ships with limited tweendecks capacities.
•
Box shaped holds, adjustable tweendeck heights, and ample crane capacities allow for the transport of military vehicles in multiple configurations through the vessel.
•
Lifting capacities of our fleet exceed the weight of most rolling stock.
•
Self-sustaining cranes onboard our fleet allow for operations in remote areas that lack port facilities and/or infrastructure.
FLEET LIST OCEAN GLOBE, OCEAN GIANT & OCEAN GLADIATOR GEARED: 2 X 400 mt (COMBINABLE) + 1 x 120 mt
OCEAN FREEDOM GEARED: 2 X 400 mt (COMBINABLE) + 1 x 80 mt
OCEAN GLORY & OCEAN GRAND GEARED: 2 X 450 mt (COMBINABLE) + 1 x 120 mt
OCEAN JAZZ GEARED: 2 X 350 mt (COMBINABLE) + 1 x 200 mt
VESSEL
CLASS
BUILT
DWT (mt)
OCEAN GLORY
PX-900
2015
19,833.9 mt
OCEAN GRAND
PX-900
2015
19,833.9 mt
OCEAN GIANT
P1
2011
18,780 mt
OCEAN GLADIATOR
P1
2011
18,780 mt
OCEAN GLOBE
P1
2010
18,780 mt
OCEAN FREEDOM
F-CLASS
2010
14,360 mt
OCEAN JAZZ
J-CLASS
2010
10,663 mt
CONTACT US +1 281 885 1800 2900 North Loop West, Suite 1100, Houston, TX 77092 USFLAG@USOCEAN.COM | USOCEAN.COM
M E E T T H E S TA F F Daniel Zalewski serves as US Ocean’s Operations Manager. In his role he is responsible for ensuring the
master and shipping agents are well instructed, the
vessel’s time and bunkers are optimized, customers are
updated, and all carriage contracts are adhered to by the respective parties.
DANIEL Z ALEWSKI
OPER ATIONS MANAGER US OCEAN
Daniel began his career in shipping 21 years ago as a
commercial and operations manager at Clipper. Following his time there, he managed operations for Thorco and Intermarine before joining US Ocean in 2015. Throughout
his career he has overseen and carried out projects
throughout Brazil, the United States, Ghana, Germany, Denmark, and the Caribbean. His fluency in English,
Portuguese and Spanish is a utilized skill and asset for US Ocean.
From voyages to remote areas such as the Antarctic and the Arctic, to completing moves in underdeveloped
regions, all projects have a high-level degree of planning
and challenges. Daniel ensures that the show never
stops, and that all cargoes are transported as efficiently as possible.
LEAH COOK
VP MARKETING US OCEAN
Leah Cook serves as VP, Marketing for US Ocean, LLC. Based in Houston, Texas, she is responsible for all
activities related to conceptualizing, implementing and executing US Ocean’s marketing strategy and initiatives.
Originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, she grew up near the water. Leah made her way to the shipping industry
five years ago and ever since it’s been full speed ahead! The people and the opportunity to communicate US
Ocean’s projects and stories are what she likes most about her job.
In her spare time, she likes to volunteer through the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, travel, and spend time with her husband, Bryant and their two dogs Everett and Lola.
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FITNESS CHALLENGE WINNER
JULIO CHEN This spring US Ocean held a
month-long fitness challenge. The winner had to rack up the
most minutes of exercise for the month. There could only be one champion and Julio
Chen reined supreme. Julio
logged 1,400 minutes – that’s
23.3 hours! Almost a full day of activity. Congratulations to
Julio and thank you to all the participants.
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WORK FROM HOME PICTURES
DANIEL Z ALEWSKI OFFICE
COOK DOGS
GEORGE AND JUSTIN MILLER
BLUE ANGEL S
JAMES JACKSON OFFICE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEO!
US OCEAN VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR
M/V OCEAN GR AND Panama
M/V OCEAN GLORY
Kobe, Japan
M/V OCEAN JAZZ Shuaiba, Kuwait
M/V OCEAN FREEDOM Portland, Maine
M/V OCEAN JAZZ
Yokohama, Japan
THE M/V OCEAN GR AND UNLOADING 14,000 mt OF BULK SORGHUM FOOD AID IN SUDAN
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAPT. NICK SABBATH, MA STER M/V OCEAN GLORY
TELEPHONE: +1 281 885 1800
EMAIL: USFLAG@USOCEAN.COM WEB: USOCEAN.COM
ADDRESS: 2900 NORTH LOOP WEST, STE 1100 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77092
SOCIAL MEDIA ISSUE# 0002
TWITTER: @USOCEAN_LLC LINKEDIN: /US-OCEAN-LLC YOUTUBE:
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