What does a typical day for a Foss Maritime Port Captain look like? Find out as we spend the day with PNW Port Captain Drew Kerlee.
While no two port captain roles are exactly alike, every person who has held the job can likely agree on a few key traits that make someone successful. They must enjoy variety, be skilled at managing multiple projects and priorities, possess excellent communication skills, and, above all, have a strong commitment to safety and the crews that depend on their shoreside support.
Always Safe, Always Ready
6:15 AM:
As a port captain, Drew is most often the first call when something is needed by one of the Captains of Foss’s PNW tug fleet. Today, he arrived at his office on the Thea Foss Waterway in Tacoma an hour and 15 minutes earlier than normal to exchange a life raft on the Bo Brusco. The tug had a 7:30 a.m. call, and the raft was due for servicing. “There was no wiggle room. It had to get it done right away.”
The life raft shuffle is not a daily occurrence, but it is one of a host of ongoing responsibilities and urgent needs that must be addressed to keep the PNW tug fleet Always Safe, Always Ready — the promise behind the Foss brand.
When Drew came ashore after years on the water, he set a goal: establish systems that can be passed down or shared with others who hold his position in other ports. “There is this thing called red work and blue work, red work is when you put on gloves, and you do stuff and blue work is when you are typing things and organizing stuff. As a Port Captain, you’re doing both of those things,” he explained. “I would like to spend less time on the hands-on stuff and more on the organizational stuff — looking at how systems are working or not working — because if I am out working in the yard, it means I am not working in the office.”
Daily rituals
Running has always been an outlet for Drew. As a tug captain, he would fit runs in, taking advantage of shore breaks to blow off steam and organize his thoughts. “I always wanted to get on harbor tugs so I could tie it up in a place where I could get off and go for a run and then come back. Depending on how much of a pain work has been recently I need to go for more or less runs.” he quipped. A benefit of a land-based job is that running is now a daily ritual. And except for days like today, where he skipped his run for an extra-early workday, Drew begins every morning with a head-clearing run.
Leading and Collaboration
7:30 AM:
Despite missing his morning ritual, Drew started his day with a smile. His early morning task required him to shift the Bo Brusco — a brief repositioning required to access the shoreside crane needed to exchange the rafts. “I don’t get to drive when I’m at a desk, but I can step in when needed to assist and get things like this done,” Drew explained as we followed him to his desk overlooking the port.
Most mornings start with about 90 minutes of office work, a task that he time boxes.
“They have had Port Captains that have had experiences on big ships; some come from tugs like me, and there are port captains who haven’t had any experience on boats. A tugboat captain’s skill set is different than an office pinch hitter’s skill set. I can appreciate an office person’s organizational skills, the ability to take on more and more stuff and still get things taken care of promptly is not easy.”
After spending about an hour on invoicing and expense reports, Drew calls into the weekly safety meeting to discuss all things safety — internally and externally — happening in the port.
Drew’s Daily Carry
Drew is always ready for whatever the day throws at him. Emptying his pockets, he pulls out his “daily carry” — a pocketknife, cellphone, wallet, pen, and notepad.
“Before I head out the door, I pat my pockets to make sure it’s all there. Everything has a place, and I can tell right away what’s missing.” Some items are self-explanatory, but the notepad and pen are the tools he relies on the most. Drew knows that every interaction — from stopping to catch up with someone in the warehouse to calls from the fleet — will add another item to his to-do list. The pocket notepad and pen ensure he captures new tasks, reminding him to enter them into an app, where he manages daily tasks in order of priority.
Getting out on the Docks
10:30 AM:
Pushing away from the desk, Drew sets out to check on projects underway on the port.
Port warehouses and workshops hold inventory and the parts needed to respond to the fleet’s routine needs. Several systems track equipment and part expiration dates, triggered by time or hours in service. As Port Captain, Drew’s job is to plan work and have parts available to ensure the safety and reliability of tugs in his region.
Supporting a diverse fleet in a heavily regulated industry can be a challenge. Changing regulations, vendors, and strict regulations add complexity to the job.
“All our boats fall under SUB M except for two boats, which are SUB I. They have more requirements, twice as many certificates, and they require more people with specialized licenses to run the boat,” Drew explained.
“The question of whose responsibility it would be if an accident were to happen, who’s rear is in the sling? Years ago, it used to be 100% the captain, but they changed that. Now, you can assign a percentage of fault, so it will be something like 70% the captain’s fault. I would probably get some percentage, and the company and the systems in place that failed would also get some percentage of the blame. So, when you ask who is responsible for that stuff, it isn’t a black or white answer.”
Learning, community, and lunch.
12:30 PM:
Beyond his regular responsibilities as Port Captain, Drew finds time to engage in community outreach to students and industry partners to educate and share insights into port operations and maritime career paths. “As a Foss port captain, they give me a lot of latitude to use time during the day for outreach,” Drew explained. “I appreciate Foss for letting me do that. It’s good for the company, and it’s good for everybody in the community.”
Following a morning call from a contact at the Northwest Seaport Alliance, Drew quickly organized an operations tour for a group of young port cybersecurity professionals visiting Tacoma.
“The tug crews are always open and enjoy visitors, but lunch never hurts to say thanks,” Drew explained, pulling up the menu from long established, but little known, Jamaican vegan café Quickie-Too. After delivering lunch, safety briefing, and company overview, Drew split the visitors between Bo Brusco and Wedell Foss. Leaving Drew on the dock, the two tugs and their passengers made their way to Commencement Bay to assist TOTE’s Midnight Sun into the Port of Tacoma.
Breathing new life into an old castaway
2:30 PM:
Safety is always the top priority at the ports, and Drew has made it a personal priority to ensure visitors and vendors have the required personal protective equipment (PPE).
“Making the equipment easily accessible increases awareness and puts an emphasis on the standards everyone should be reaching for. About a month and a half ago, we had a big safety meeting. I volunteered for several things and am still trying to complete them,” Drew explained, pointing to a small structure next to the entry.
“It is a PPE shack. I built this cool roof on this little box out here, and I brought some paint for it.” Once the roof was on, using small slivers of time to move the project along, the transformation started taking shape. Today, a quick sanding preps the cabinet exterior for the planned coat of “Foss green” paint.
Making time for important things while attending to urgent tasks is a constant battle, but as Drew so aptly explained, keeping his eye on the prize and staying organized is key. “That PPE shack is not going to build itself,” Drew laughed.
All in a day’s work
Drew says he’s happy with his move ashore.
“I was lucky enough to find something I enjoy. Then, it’s a matter of just staying happy, not reaching too far (financially), and spending time with friends and family. What do I miss about boats? Mostly, the two weeks on and two weeks off schedule with no phone calls. What do I like about coming shoreside? I love the eight-minute commute and consistent time with my family every evening,” he said with a smile.
