Crowley Maritime Corp has realigned its marine services organisation and introduced new leadership to support diverse requirements in the industry
This subsidiary of Crowley’s shipping group has been split into three distinct business segments: offshore services, ship assist and tanker escort and engineering services.
Porter Sesnon has taken the lead role for the group’s ship assist and tanker escort services. Crowley safely assists ships through some of the most environmentally sensitive waterways in the world – operating escort tugs in all major US west coast ports from Puget Sound, Washington state, to San Diego, California.
Jeff Andreini will head up the offshore division, which includes Crowley’s ocean-class tugboat and flat-deck barge fleets. This unit provides specialised cargo transportation to the offshore energy sector and the emerging US offshore wind market.
He rejoins Crowley after serving four years as chief financial officer for Ardent Holdings, a global marine salvage business in which Crowley previously had a 50% ownership position.
Both Mr Sesnon and Mr Andreini will report to Crowley marine services vice president Johan Sperling.
Crowley has also appointed Coulston Van Gundy as head of business development in the engineering group to grow third-party project and construction management services, engineering and design-related business provided by both Crowley and its subsidiary, Seattle-based Jensen Maritime. Mr Van Gundy will report to Jensen vice president Jay Edgar.
Mr Sperling expects the new business structure to deliver services to emerging sectors such as offshore windfarm construction and supporting deepwater oil and gas projects. “With their leadership and our business structure, we are not only going to provide routine, daily marine services, but we will be able to collaborate to provide custom solutions to maritime-related challenges,” Mr Sperling said.
“Whether that is designing, building and operating vessels, installing an offshore windfarm, or towing and positioning a tension-leg platform (TLP) for installation,” he added. More TLPs will be required for developing new deepwater oilfields in the US Gulf of Mexico in this decade.
Meanwhile, US industry organisation American Maritime Partnership (AMP) has elected Crowley Maritime senior vice president Michael Roberts as its new president. Outgoing president, Kirby Corp’s Matt Woodruff will serve as AMP vice president, Matson Navigation Co’s Ku’u Park as treasurer and Shipbuilders Council of America’s Matthew Paxton as AMP secretary. They will serve in those roles for two years.
AMP represents vessel owners and operators, shipbuilders and repair yards, dredging and marine construction contractors and trade associations in the US and its territories.
It promotes domestic maritime business and maintaining the Jones Act for US security and industry.
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