TOTE Maritime
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping, Maritime transport |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | North America, Puerto Rico, Alaska |
Key people | Tim Nolan (CEO), Mike Noone (President, Puerto Rico operations), Grace Greene (President, Alaska operations) |
| Products | Maritime shipping, crew recruitment, vessel chartering |
| Parent | Saltchuk |
TOTE Maritime is a domestic shipping enterprise headquartered in the United States, focusing on cargo transportation routes connecting North America, Puerto Rico, and Alaska. As a subsidiary of Saltchuk, it operates under multiple brand names such as TOTE Maritime, TOTE Services, and TOTE Resources. The company's leadership team features CEO Tim Nolan, President Mike Noone overseeing Puerto Rico operations, and President Grace Greene managing Alaska activities. Their service portfolio includes maritime shipping, crew recruitment, and vessel chartering for cargo transport.
Subsidiaries
TOTE Maritime's operations include the Sea Star Line as one of its subsidiary entities.
Fleet
- Historical Vessels
- SS Great Land (1975) – A Ponce-Class roll-on/roll-off vessel, retired post-2010 and dismantled in 2013
- Six Very Large Crude Carriers managed by Interocean Management Corporation (currently Tote Services) from 1975 through 1980
- Three Liberty Class ships under Interocean Management Corporation's operation between 1975 and 1980
- SS Westward Venture (1977) – Another Ponce-Class Ro/RO ship
- SS Northern Lights (1975), renamed in 1991, acquired in 1993; later became SS El Faro in 2006 before sinking in 2015
- SS El Morro (1974) – Sister vessel to El Faro, scrapped in 2012 due to structural problems
- SS El Yunque (1976) – Also a sister ship to El Faro, dismantled in 2017 following ventilation system failure
- Current Fleet
As of January 2022, the active fleet comprises:
- Two tug-and-barge combinations purchased in 1985
- Two additional tug-and-barge units acquired in 1990
- MV Midnight Sun (2002) – An Orca Class vessel retrofitted with LNG propulsion in 2016
- MV North Star (2003) – Another Orca Class ship converted to LNG propulsion in 2016
TOTE Maritime set an industry milestone by introducing the first-ever LNG-powered container vessels globally:
- , which was launched on April 15, 2015
- , launched on August 31, 2015
These LNG-fueled ships exemplify TOTE’s dedication to advancing environmentally sustainable maritime logistics.
Sinking of El Faro
On October 1, 2015, the sank with all crew members aboard after losing power while passing through Hurricane Joaquin’s eye wall between Florida and the Bahamas. Investigations by the Coast Guard highlighted several breaches by TOTE Maritime, including insufficient crew rest periods, lack of a designated safety officer on board, and reliance on outdated open-air lifeboats instead of modern enclosed survival crafts. Furthermore, the company did not submit any internal reports or conduct investigations regarding the incident.