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Foss Maritime (formerly Foss Launch and Tug Company), is an American tugging company. The company was founded in 1889 by Thea Foss (1857–1927) and her husband Andrew Foss. The company is now the largest tug and towing concern on the west coast of the United States.
On July 2, 2013, Foss Marine Holdings announced that (effective at that date) it would merge all of its operations and resources under a single name: 'Foss Maritime Company'.[2]
The Foss concern began in 1889[3] with a single rowboat which Thea Foss rented by the day in Tacoma while her husband Andrew, a builder, was working on a construction project. At the end of the building, the Fosses realized that Thea's boat had made them more money than Andrew's carpentry. They acquired more boats and soon began operating larger vessels, branching out into sailboats, naptha launches, gasoline-engined vessels, and scows and barges. By 1916 Foss Launch and Tug Company bought Captain O.G. Olson's Tacoma towing business, including the steam tugs Echo, Elf, and Olympian. When Thea Foss died in 1927, the company owned 27 gasoline, diesel, and steam powered vessels, and numerous unpowered barges.
Foss Maritime started out only with rowboats with their signature white and green trim paint. Soon Foss started expanding their venue of work. They saw what the people of Washington wanted, so they expanded to developing towing tugs. Some of their first powered vessels were built by the hands of the Foss family itself. Her first power vessel was the St. Patrick, a steamer that operated in the Commencement Bay. The steamer ran aground, and was fully rebuilt by Thea's carpenter husband. The boat was then sold for another steamer. Their second powered vessel was Lizzie A. This was one of the worst boats the Foss family ever owned and they quickly sold the unreliable vessel for $500.
One of the most important ships that is still seen today in the Puget Sound area is the vessel called Hope. This was a naphtha-fueled vessel that solely operated rafting giant Douglas Fir logs in the sound area.[5]
Bay Areaedit
On September 1, 1993, Foss Maritime expanded into the San Francisco Bay Area, maintaining a pool of vessels and barges for Tug/Barge escort, docking, and other services in conjunction with SeaRiver maritime. Today[when?] Foss provides three large conventional SeaRiver tugs and one Foss cycloidal tractor tug. The Foss SeaRiver Tug office is located at 150A West Industrial Way, Benicia, CA 94510-1016.[6]
Current officersedit
Will Roberts, President and COO
Hybrid technologyedit
In recent times, Foss Maritime has been working on lowering their NOx and carbon dioxide emissions. Foss constructed a hybrid tug, Caroline Dorothy, to reduce atmospheric pollution. Their hybrid craft cuts down as much as 44% of harmful emissions dispersed into the atmosphere.[7] In July 2013, Foss announced to retrofit a third tug.
Other new developmentsedit
Foss Maritime developed and built an ASD Z-Drive and Voith Schneider Propulsion cycloidal tractor tugs capable of working with the largest vessels in its operating area.[8]
Awardsedit
In 2008, the United States Coast Guard awarded Foss Maritime its most prestigious environmental honor for developing the low-emission, hybrid tugboat Green Dolphin. The award was the William M. Benkert 'gold' award for their impact on the environment. Earlier, in June 2008, Foss won the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Excellence Award, also for their green tug. Foss also received a Commendation-Environmental Award from BP Shipping and an honorable mention for the 2008 Port of Seattle Environmental Business of the Year award.[9] Foss has maintained their green technology. Recently, the company has been working on bringing a sister ship hybrid tug into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.[10]
^(PDF). Foss Maritime Company (Press release). 2 July 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
^Newell, Gordon R, ed. (1966). H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle: Superior Publishing Co. p. 392.
^Long, Katherine Anne (November 1, 2021). "'Heartbreaking': Foss Maritime shutters Seattle boatyard as industry shrinks". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^Long, Priscilla (January 11, 2003). "Thea Foss launches the future tugboat firm on the Tacoma waterfront in the summer of 1889". History Link.
^Sacco, Sam. "Foss Maritime and SeaRiver Maritime Inc. to provide Bay Area tug services" (Document). Business Wire. ProQuest 445527805.
^(PDF). Tow Bitts. 23 (3): 3. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
^"Arctic Oil & Gas Directory: Foss Maritime hybrid tug on way to California". Petroleum News. Vol. 17, no. 14. April 1, 2012.
Further readingedit
Fowler, Chuck and Freeman, Mark, Tugboats on Puget Sound, Arcadia Press (2009) ISBN0-7385-5972-5
Newell, Gordon R., Pacific Tugboats, Superior Publishing, Seattle, WA (1957)
Newell, Gordon R., Ships of the Inland Sea, Superior Publishing Co., Seattle, WA (2nd Ed. 1960)
Skalley, Michael, Foss: Ninety Years of Towboating, Superior Publishing, Seattle WA (1981) ISBN0-87564-224-1
External linksedit
Official website
November 24, 2023
foss, maritime, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, factual, accuracy, disputed, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, ensur. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article s factual accuracy is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced December 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia s quality standards You can help The talk page may contain suggestions November 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Foss Maritime formerly Foss Launch and Tug Company is an American tugging company The company was founded in 1889 by Thea Foss 1857 1927 and her husband Andrew Foss The company is now the largest tug and towing concern on the west coast of the United States Foss MaritimeBrynn Foss in Redondo Beach CaliforniaGenreTug barge and towingFounded1889 1 FounderThea Foss Andrew FossHeadquartersUnited StatesKey peopleJohn Parrott CEOOwnerSaltchukWebsitefoss wbr comOn July 2 2013 Foss Marine Holdings announced that effective at that date it would merge all of its operations and resources under a single name Foss Maritime Company 2 Contents 1 Founding and early years 2 Later years 3 Early vessels 4 Bay Area 5 Current officers 6 Hybrid technology 7 Other new developments 8 Awards 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External linksFounding and early years editThe Foss concern began in 1889 3 with a single rowboat which Thea Foss rented by the day in Tacoma while her husband Andrew a builder was working on a construction project At the end of the building the Fosses realized that Thea s boat had made them more money than Andrew s carpentry They acquired more boats and soon began operating larger vessels branching out into sailboats naptha launches gasoline engined vessels and scows and barges By 1916 Foss Launch and Tug Company bought Captain O G Olson s Tacoma towing business including the steam tugs Echo Elf and Olympian When Thea Foss died in 1927 the company owned 27 gasoline diesel and steam powered vessels and numerous unpowered barges nbsp Arthur Foss built 1889 retired 1968 now owned by Northwest SeaportLater years editFoss was purchased by Saltchuk in 1987 In 2021 the company announced the closure of their shipyard on Seattle s Lake Washington Ship Canal 4 Early vessels editFoss Maritime started out only with rowboats with their signature white and green trim paint Soon Foss started expanding their venue of work They saw what the people of Washington wanted so they expanded to developing towing tugs Some of their first powered vessels were built by the hands of the Foss family itself Her first power vessel was the St Patrick a steamer that operated in the Commencement Bay The steamer ran aground and was fully rebuilt by Thea s carpenter husband The boat was then sold for another steamer Their second powered vessel was Lizzie A This was one of the worst boats the Foss family ever owned and they quickly sold the unreliable vessel for 500 One of the most important ships that is still seen today in the Puget Sound area is the vessel called Hope This was a naphtha fueled vessel that solely operated rafting giant Douglas Fir logs in the sound area 5 Bay Area editOn September 1 1993 Foss Maritime expanded into the San Francisco Bay Area maintaining a pool of vessels and barges for Tug Barge escort docking and other services in conjunction with SeaRiver maritime Today when Foss provides three large conventional SeaRiver tugs and one Foss cycloidal tractor tug The Foss SeaRiver Tug office is located at 150A West Industrial Way Benicia CA 94510 1016 6 Current officers editWill Roberts President and COOHybrid technology editIn recent times Foss Maritime has been working on lowering their NOx and carbon dioxide emissions Foss constructed a hybrid tug Caroline Dorothy to reduce atmospheric pollution Their hybrid craft cuts down as much as 44 of harmful emissions dispersed into the atmosphere 7 In July 2013 Foss announced to retrofit a third tug Other new developments editFoss Maritime developed and built an ASD Z Drive and Voith Schneider Propulsion cycloidal tractor tugs capable of working with the largest vessels in its operating area 8 Awards editIn 2008 the United States Coast Guard awarded Foss Maritime its most prestigious environmental honor for developing the low emission hybrid tugboat Green Dolphin The award was the William M Benkert gold award for their impact on the environment Earlier in June 2008 Foss won the Environmental Protection Agency s Clean Air Excellence Award also for their green tug Foss also received a Commendation Environmental Award from BP Shipping and an honorable mention for the 2008 Port of Seattle Environmental Business of the Year award 9 Foss has maintained their green technology Recently the company has been working on bringing a sister ship hybrid tug into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach 10 References edit Foss Maritime Career Foss Unifies All Operations Under Single Name PDF Foss Maritime Company Press release 2 July 2013 Archived from the original PDF on 16 September 2013 Retrieved 23 July 2013 Newell Gordon R ed 1966 H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest Seattle Superior Publishing Co p 392 Long Katherine Anne November 1 2021 Heartbreaking Foss Maritime shutters Seattle boatyard as industry shrinks The Seattle Times Retrieved November 1 2021 Long Priscilla January 11 2003 Thea Foss launches the future tugboat firm on the Tacoma waterfront in the summer of 1889 History Link Sacco Sam Foss Maritime and SeaRiver Maritime Inc to provide Bay Area tug services Document Business Wire ProQuest 445527805 Foss will Convert Tractor Tug to Hybrid Power PDF Tow Bitts 23 3 3 September 2010 Archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 04 Jaeger Stephanie Foss Maritime Company 1889 rowboat investment keeps growing Document Alaska Business Monthly ProQuest 872822097 Foss Maritime Company Foss Maritime Receives Highest Honor for Environmental Stewardship Document Anonymous Resource Week ProQuest 216281170 Arctic Oil amp Gas Directory Foss Maritime hybrid tug on way to California Petroleum News Vol 17 no 14 April 1 2012 Further reading editFowler Chuck and Freeman Mark Tugboats on Puget Sound Arcadia Press 2009 ISBN 0 7385 5972 5 Newell Gordon R Pacific Tugboats Superior Publishing Seattle WA 1957 Newell Gordon R Ships of the Inland Sea Superior Publishing Co Seattle WA 2nd Ed 1960 Skalley Michael Foss Ninety Years of Towboating Superior Publishing Seattle WA 1981 ISBN 0 87564 224 1External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Foss Maritime amp oldid 1119704312, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
