The ocean doesn’t care about you. There are rough seas, wind and rain.
And if, like Drew Kerlee, you’re prone to seasickness, that’s a good reason to work on a tugboat in sheltered waters rather than on a ship on the open sea.
Kerlee, who signed on as a harbor master at Foss Maritime in Tacoma, Washington, in late 2023, took a circuitous path to his current career. He grew up in Bellevue, Washington, and tried to study computer science at the University of Washington, but dropped out. Transferring to the University of Hawaii Hilo and then a community college also proved unsatisfactory. He eventually found a home at Cal Maritime in Vallejo, California, where he graduated in 2012.
After a series of jobs on the water, including as a tugboat captain for Foss’ sister company AmNav Maritime in San Francisco Bay, he finally landed at Foss.
“I was lucky enough to find something I enjoy doing,” he said. “Then it’s just a matter of staying happy.”
A new challenge
As harbor master, Kerlee is responsible for day-to-day administrative tasks such as auditing invoices, monitoring maintenance schedules and ensuring Foss’s boats have up-to-date equipment.
He plans the work that needs to be done and does it himself when necessary. He likes to expand his “brain bandwidth” by working behind the scenes and keeping things organized. But he also likes to take a break from the computer screen, put on some work clothes, grab some tools or jump aboard a tugboat that needs to be moved to a new home in port.
“I find this position rewarding – it’s on the water and it involves the water. But it’s challenging,” he said. “I really enjoy it.”
Safety is Job 1
Safety is Kerlee’s top priority. He organizes a weekly safety meeting where he and others discuss upcoming tasks and try to prevent problems before they occur.
“In our industry, safety is a high priority,” he said. “There is something called a ‘stop work authority,’ and if someone feels something is dangerous, they don’t do it.”
He points out that the nature of this work is inherently dangerous.
“We’re out there on boats and we deliberately run into ships all day long,” he joked. “Usually if you run into a ship, it’s a bad day. But that’s part of our job.”
He asks teams to think about how to strike a balance: “Does this risk make sense, or can we satisfy the customer and get the job done another way?”
Another of Kerlee’s passions is inspiring the next generation to pursue a career in maritime transport. He regularly attends careers days at local high schools, inviting students to tour the port and explore the job opportunities available there.
“Foss gives me the freedom to do public relations during the day, and I’m grateful that Foss allows me to do that,” he said. “It’s good for the company and for everyone in the community.”
He gets excited when he thinks about future crew members who want to pursue a career in seafaring, “because I heard this guy at my high school talking about it.”
Drew Kerlee, inventor
Kerlee’s interests outside of work are best described as varied. He enjoys geocaching with his family, flying drones, launching model rockets, and building custom speakers for his budding side business.
He appreciates his regular morning run – although the distance often depends on how stressful the previous work day was.
Does he miss life on board a boat? Not really.
“Some people tell me, ‘You should have a boat.’ I know too much about it. I have a nice little house and a nice little car in Tacoma. If I had a boat… No. I don’t do that. It’s way too much work.”
