TOTE Services Announces Contract to Construct New Class Ships

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Philly Shipyard selected to build National Security Multi-Mission Vessels

Jacksonville, Fla., April 8, 2020 – TOTE Services, LLC, (“TOTE Services”) an affiliate of TOTE, LLC (“TOTE”) and an industry leader in ship management, marine operations and vessel services, has awarded Philly Shipyard, Inc., (“Philly Shipyard”) the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA, a contract to construct up to five new ships – the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) – to provide world-class maritime training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) in times of need.

This award will execute the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) vision to recapitalize our nation’s maritime academies’ training fleet, which provide qualified officers to the domestic maritime industry. These training vessels will address a critical shortage of qualified officers needed to crew commercial and government-owned sealift ships during crises and will replace the current training ships at the state maritime academies in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas and California. 

TOTE Services was selected by MARAD in May 2019 to be the Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) for the NSMV program to ensure the utilization of best practices in commercial ship construction. Congress has appropriated funding for three ships and the President’s budget request includes funding for the fourth training ship.  

TOTE Services has commissioned Philly Shipyard to construct the first two NSMV training ships with options for the remaining three. The ships will be owned and operated by MARAD. The new vessels will maximize the capabilities to educate future mariners by providing first-of-its kind training facilities, including dual engine rooms and pilot houses and the latest in maritime technologies with space to train up to 600 cadets at sea. 

In addition to being a state-of-the-art training and educational platform, the NSMV is a highly-functional national asset designed to fulfill numerous roles. Each ship will feature modern hospital facilities, a helicopter pad and the ability to accommodate up to 1,000 people in times of humanitarian need. Adding to the NSMV’s capability, it will provide needed roll-on/roll-off ramp and container storage capacity for use during disaster relief or delivery of preferenced cargoes.

TOTE Services has a long history of supporting maritime academy training programs and disaster relief missions in conjunction with MARAD. We are confident in our ability to work with Philly Shipyard to deliver on the NSMV and are excited to again work with MARAD on this important initiative. 

Since 2015, TOTE Services has overseen the construction and management of the world’s first LNG-powered container ships, activated U.S. training ships to support disaster relief following Hurricane Maria, and managed various MARAD vessels, including six fast sealift ships.

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The TOTE group of companies are leading transportation and logistics companies in the US. The TOTE Maritime companies (affiliates TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC) bring unmatched reliability and service to their respective markets. TOTE Services offers crewing and technical services to meet the needs of commercial, privately owned and U.S. Government vessels. The TOTE group is part of the Saltchuk family of companies.

Download a copy of this statement here.

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TOTE’s Commitment to Safety and Service During Coronavirus Threat

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As the Federal government tracks COVID-19, more commonly referred to as the Coronavirus, and the impacts it may have on the global supply chain, TOTE is closely monitoring the situation with a focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of our colleagues, our customers and our partners above all else. 

All TOTE operations are running normally and remain unaffected by COVID-19.  

We are dedicated to business continuity and providing safe and reliable transportation services to the markets we serve. TOTE is taking proper health and safety precautions throughout the organization to protect one another, our crews, our vessels and operations, and the cargo we ship. 

In order to ensure we are prepared to respond, TOTE is closely tracking updates provided by federal authorities, including, but not limited to the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), International Chamber of Shipping, and U.S. Coast Guard. 

FAQs

What is the current impact to TOTE and our operations?

  • There have been no impacts to TOTE operations to date. We continue to monitor the situation with a focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of our colleagues, our customers and our partners above all else.
  • All TOTE operations are running normally, and we do not expect any changes to sailing schedules at this time. 
  • We want to assure you that we are closely monitoring the situation for any additional requirements or changes in the markets we serve, should they arise. 

What is TOTE doing for contingency planning around this virus?

  • Internal collaboration teams have been instated to ensure all levels of operations are prepared to respond should the situation escalate. 
  • Our entire team is taking proper health and safety precautions to protect our crews, our vessels, our operations and the cargo we ship. 
  • As in any other situation, TOTE maintains continuity plans to help ensure we are prepared if new issues emerge. 

How will TOTE communicate on this topic?

  • TOTE will continue to communicate updates as more information is made available. This may include updates to our website, direct customer notifications or personal outreach from our dedicated sales team.
  • If you have questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact your Account Executive or Customer Service.  Our dedicated representatives are available to you at any time.
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TOTE Services Awarded MARAD Contract to Develop National Security Multi-Mission Vessel

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Washington, D.C., May 21, 2019 – TOTE Services, an affiliate of TOTE, LLC (“TOTE”) and an industry leader in ship management, marine operations and vessel services, has been awarded a contract by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to manage construction of a new class of vessel – the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) – to provide training to sustain world-class maritime sea training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) in times of need.

“TOTE Services is honored to have been awarded this contract to construct the NSMV that will serve as the new training ship for the US maritime community,” said TOTE Services President Jeff Dixon. “This award reflects the wide-ranging knowledge and capabilities that TOTE Services has and will provide in executing MARAD’s vision to recapitalize the training fleet for our nation’s maritime academies, which provide qualified officers to support the domestic maritime industry.”

These vessels will promote growth of our nation’s domestic maritime industry through the development of a next generation training fleet, while addressing a critical shortage of qualified officers needed to crew commercial and government-owned sealift ships during crises.

In addition to being a state-of-the-art training and educational platform, the NSMV is a highly-functional national asset designed to fulfill numerous roles. As the Vessel Construction Manager (VCM), TOTE Services will manage development of the new vessels, which specifications have been established to be compatible with the pier length, draft restrictions and mooring limitations at each of the maritime training academies, as well ports able to conduct HA/DR operations.The new vessel class will include state-of-the-art training facilities and the latest in maritime technological advancements with space to train up to 600 cadets at sea, maximizing the ship’s capabilities and its mission to provide future mariners with a world-class education. It also features modern hospital facilities, a helicopter pad and the ability to accommodate up to 1,000 people in times of humanitarian need. Furthermore, the NSMV will provide a roll-on/roll-off ramp and container storage.

TOTE Services will soon issue a request for information to interested shipyards with the goal of awarding a contract to build by the end of 2019. Delivery of the first of these new class vessels is expected in 2022.

“TOTE has a long history of supporting maritime academy training programs and disaster relief missions in conjunction with MARAD,” said Dixon. “We’re confident in our ability to deliver on the NSMV and are excited to again work with MARAD on this important initiative.”

Since 2015, TOTE Services has overseen construction and management of the world’s first LNG powered container ships, activated U.S. training ships to support disaster relief following Hurricane Maria, and managed various MARAD vessels, including six fast sealift ships.

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