Saltchuk Marine has completed its acquisition deals with Centerline Logistics involving tug operating companies going one way and a ship refuelling business going the other
This two-way deal, announced at the end of 2020, was finally completed on 1 March 2021.
In this swap-shop, ownership of port tugs operated under the Millennium and Starlight Marine brands has been transferred to Saltchuk Marine. The California and Pacific northwest operations have been consolidated under the Starlight brand, which will remain independently operated and managed. Ben Ostroff has been appointed general manager of Starlight Marine after being promoted from the position of operations manager.
Saltchuk Marine said this acquisition increases its ship-assist capacity by more than 40% in California, where its existing business Foss Maritime already operates modern harbour tugs. Adding the Starlight brand will expand the group’s harbour towage services along the US west coast.
In return, Centerline Logistics has acquired Saltchuk Marine Services’ California ship refuelling business, strengthening its position as a provider of ship bunkering services in the US.
Foss Maritime marketing and communications director Mark Grantor confirmed to International Tug & Salvage these corporate deals were completed on 1 March 2021.
“The assets changed hands. Saltchuk Marine now has the Millennium and Starlight tugs and Centerline now has the Foss fuel barges,” he said.
Centerline operates Foss’s six bunker barges and its established customer contracts in the California market adding to its own eight bunker barges operating in the ports of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
These are part of a national fleet of marine transportation vessels serving ships along the US west, east and Gulf coasts.
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