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MN 00 MARINE VESSEL OPERATORS Feature By Susan Buchanan U.S. marine vessel operators have invested in their fl eets, adopted new technolo- gies and switched to cleaner burning engines and fuels to stay in business. In this edition, we take a look at how industry leading marine operators have fl ourished, sometimes in tough circumstances. At family-run McAllister and Chouest, sons and daugh- ters learned operations from the ground up, while CEO Todd Hornbeck revamped the fi rst version of a company started by his dad. All value their employees and say work- place safety is a priority. Each of these companies is quick to meet customer demands. They have acquired similar or complimentary businesses in order to keep growing. Chouest and Hornbeck expanded overseas, while Inter- lake Steamship has shown leadership in its ongoing fl eet renewal program. McAllister …. 150 Years and counting In New York City, tugboat and barge operator McAl- lister Towing marks its 150th anniversary this year. The company’s fl eet includes over 75 tugs, serving the U.S. East Coast from Maine down to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The fi rm’s black, white and red stacks sail out to ships at twelve major ports. McAllister docks ships for more than 1,000 steamship companies, and is engaged in harbor and coastal towing and bulk transportation. McAllister owns the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Co., running passenger-car ferries between Connecticut and New York. Fourth-generation Captain Brian A. McAllister worked his way up on the company’s vessels and has been at the helm since 1974. In December 2012 on his 80th birth- day, Captain Brian promoted the fi fth generation, his sons Buckley and Eric. Today the company is led by Chairman Brian McAllister, President Buckley McAllister and COO Eric McAllister. “McAllister Towing has experienced many ups and downs in our 150 years,” Buckley McAllister said in July. World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the 1979 energy crisis, the 1986 oil market collapse and the 2008 recession were all challenges. “We’re proud to be the one remaining, Top Marine Vessel Operators Overcome Challenges August 2014 36 MN 32-49 MN Aug14.indd 36 7/18/2014 1:29:12 PM
