TOTE Group

What TOTE Group does

TOTE Group is a privately held transportation and logistics holding company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Saltchuk family of companies. Operating across four business lines—Maritime, Terminals, Services, and Logistics—TOTE runs Jones Act-compliant shipping and integrated supply chain services for the non-contiguous U.S. trades connecting the Lower 48 to Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. The Maritime segment operates twice-weekly liner services on the Tacoma-Anchorage route (TOTE Maritime Alaska) and the Jacksonville-San Juan route (TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico), deploying the Marlin Class LNG-powered containerships (Isla Bella, Perla del Caribe) and the ORCA Class vessels (Midnight Sun, North Star), the latter converted to LNG dual-fuel in 2023—the first such conversion in North America.

The Terminals business operates a 122-acre, eight-crane facility in San Juan and a 49.5-acre facility at JAXPORT in Jacksonville, providing stevedoring, crane operations, container management, and reefer plug services. TOTE Services serves as Vessel Construction Manager for MARAD's five-ship National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program—the first government shipbuilding program to use the VCM contract model—while also providing ship management and technical consulting across a fleet of 27 vessels and 800 mariners including the world's first LNG-fueled containerships and the nation's first LNG bunkering barge. The Logistics segment, launched in 2024, consolidates acquired brands Aqua Gulf, Carlile Transportation, Naniq Global Logistics, Naniq Government Services, and Shoreside Logistics, offering LTL/FTL trucking, freight forwarding, warehousing, air gateway services, and heavy haul.

Revenue is generated primarily through negotiated B2B contracts with enterprise shippers, U.S. government agencies (MARAD, Military Sealift Command), and state maritime academies; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company distributes services through dedicated enterprise field sales teams across each business unit, and competitive positioning is anchored in Jones Act regulatory protection, proprietary LNG propulsion and shore power technology (reducing emissions up to 90%, eliminating 2,600 tons annually at Tacoma), GPS-enabled container tracking, NaturaLINE CO2-based reefer refrigeration, and the Saltchuk family's diversified capital base.

Name

TOTE Group

Legal name

TOTE, LLC

Website

https://totegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

TOTE Group is a privately held transportation and logistics holding company operating Jones Act-compliant maritime shipping, terminal operations, ship management, and logistics services for non-contiguous U.S. trade routes including Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Shipping & Logistics Services

NAICS

Marine Cargo Handling (488320), Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Coastal and Great Lakes Freight Transportation (483113), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Port and Harbor Operations (488310)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Terminal Cargo Handling & Yard Operations (Receiving, Staging, Delivery) (TLAHALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Stevedoring & Vessel Loading/Discharging (Ship-to-Shore Operations) (TLAHALAA)

Keywords

• Maritime shipping services
• Jones Act shipping
• Terminal stevedoring services
• Ship management consulting
• Freight logistics services

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Maritime Shipping Services: Revenue from dedicated liner service shipping cargo between Lower 48, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. TOTE Maritime Alaska provides twice-weekly service between Tacoma, WA and Anchorage, AK. TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico provides twice-weekly service between Jacksonville, FL and San Juan, PR.
2. Terminal Operations: Revenue from stevedoring and cargo services at Puerto Rico Terminals (122-acre facility in San Juan) and First Coast Terminals (49.5-acre facility at JAXPORT in Jacksonville, FL). Services include crane operations, RORO/LOLO handling, container management, and reefer plug services.
3. Ship Management and Technical Consulting: TOTE Services provides vessel construction management, ship management, and technical consulting for commercial vessels, U.S. government vessels, and MARAD vessels including the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) fleet. Oversees a fleet of 27 vessels and 800 mariners.
4. Logistics Services: TOTE Logistics provides third-party logistics, trucking (LTL, FTL, heavy haul), warehousing, air gateway services, and freight forwarding through subsidiaries Aqua Gulf, Carlile, Naniq Global Logistics, and Shoreside Logistics.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TOTE Group owns and operates subsidiaries providing twice-weekly maritime container shipping between the Lower 48 and Alaska (Tacoma–Anchorage) and Puerto Rico (Jacksonville–San Juan) using LNG-powered vessels, stevedoring and terminal cargo handling at the 122-acre Puerto Rico Terminals and the 49.5-acre First Coast Terminals at JAXPORT, ship management and vessel construction management for the U.S. Maritime Administration's NSMV program and commercial fleets, and integrated logistics services covering LTL/FTL trucking, freight forwarding, warehousing, and air gateway services through Carlile, Aqua Gulf, Naniq, and Shoreside.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TOTE Maritime Alaska Liner Service Twice-weekly container shipping service between Tacoma, WA and Anchorage, AK operated under Jones Act protection, transporting consumer goods, vehicles, refrigerated cargo, construction materials, and heavy equipment to Alaska.
• TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico Liner Service Twice-weekly container shipping service between Jacksonville, FL and San Juan, PR, plus weekly U.S. Virgin Islands service, operated under Jones Act protection with the world's first LNG-powered container ships.
• Puerto Rico Terminals Stevedoring and Cargo Services Stevedoring and cargo services at the 122-acre San Juan facility including crane operations (eight newly renovated cranes), RORO/LOLO handling, container management, and reefer plug services for arriving vessels.
• First Coast Terminals Stevedoring and Cargo Services Stevedoring and cargo operations at the 49.5-acre JAXPORT Blount Island Marine Terminal in Jacksonville, FL for maritime carriers and shipping lines.
• TOTE Services Vessel Construction Management and Ship Management Vessel construction management, ship management, technical consulting, and crewing services for commercial vessels, U.S. government vessels, and MARAD vessels including the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) fleet. Oversees a fleet of 27 vessels and 800 mariners, including the world's first LNG-fueled containerships and the nation's first LNG bunkering barge.
• Carlile Transportation Trucking and Logistics Trucking and logistics services in Alaska and Hawaii including LTL/FTL trucking, freight forwarding, warehousing, air gateway services (Kona, Lihue, Honolulu, Kauai), heavy haul, and the MyConnect package forwarding product. The combined organization operates around 870 employees across Air Gateway Services, Freight Management, MyConnect, and Specialized Trucking verticals.
• Aqua Gulf Third-Party Logistics Third-party logistics provider serving Puerto Rico and the U.S., specializing in US and international transport services to Puerto Rico and Caribbean Basin since 1966. Provides trucking, freight forwarding, and supply chain solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% reduction in emissions through shore power at Port of Tacoma
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Massachusetts Maritime AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2025TOTE announced $90,000 scholarship program over 3 years (18 scholarships) for MMA students pursuing maritime education with focus on Puerto Rican cadets. NSMV II Patriot State makes port calls at San Juan.
• American Maritime PartnershipcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 May 2023TOTE actively participates in AMP, the voice of U.S. domestic maritime industry, advocating for Jones Act and domestic maritime policy.
• Florida Maritime PartnershipcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 May 2023TOTE participates in Florida Maritime Partnership representing state's domestic maritime industry and advocating for maritime policy.
• Enterprise FloridaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 May 2023Florida's lead commerce agency working with maritime industry on economic development and business opportunities.
• Seaside LNG / Polaris New EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2023Seaside LNG acquired the Clean Jacksonville LNG bunker barge from TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico. Polaris contracted TOTE Services to continue as technical manager of the Clean Jacksonville. Seaside operates largest fleet of LNG barges in U.S.
• JAX LNGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2023JAX LNG operates LNG production facility in Jacksonville (joint venture between Seaside LNG and Pivotal LNG). Provides LNG loading dock for TOTE's LNG bunker barges.
• Carlile TransportationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 January 2022Carlile provides trucking and logistics services, partnering with TOTE for toy distribution programs and supply chain solutions in Alaska.
• Ryder SystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 January 2022Logistics partner providing transportation and warehousing services for toy distribution program.
• Tropical ShippingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 January 2022Shipping partner for toy distribution program.
• Global Citizen USAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 January 2022Non-profit partner collaborating to distribute toys and humanitarian aid to communities in Alaska and Puerto Rico.
• Philly ShipyardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019Philly Shipyard constructs the five NSMV training vessels for state maritime academies under TOTE Services' vessel construction management. TOTE Services serves as VCM (Vessel Construction Manager) overseeing design and construction using commercial best practices.
• U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019MARAD contracted TOTE Services as VCM for the NSMV program, the first government shipbuilding program to use the VCM contract model. TOTE Services oversees construction of training vessels for five state maritime academies.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Matson, Inc. Matson is a publicly traded Jones Act liner operator providing scheduled container and RoRo shipping services from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and the Pacific islands. It is the most direct competitor to TOTE Maritime Alaska and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, operating similar LNG-capable fleets and serving overlapping non-contiguous U.S. trade routes with comparable twice-weekly service cadences.
• Crowley Maritime Corporation: Crowley is a privately held, Jacksonville-based maritime, energy, and logistics solutions company operating vessel services, terminal operations, and government services across the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America. It directly competes with TOTE in Puerto Rico shipping, terminal stevedoring (Crowley owns/co-uses San Juan facilities), and U.S. government/Military Sealift Command contracts, making it one of TOTE's closest comparable operators.
• American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC): ARC is a U.S.-flag RoRo vessel operator providing ship charter services for U.S. government cargo (including military shipments) and commercial customers. As a Jones Act and military sealift peer, ARC competes with TOTE Maritime Alaska's ORCA Class vessels for U.S. government and commercial RoRo capacity in protected trades.
• Pasha Hawaii: Pasha Hawaii operates Jones Act container and RoRo vessels between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii, providing similar liner services to TOTE Maritime Alaska. Its geographic focus on Hawaii overlaps with TOTE's recently expanded logistics footprint in Hawaii through the combined Carlile/Naniq operations.
• Tropical Shipping: Tropical Shipping is a U.S.-flag ocean carrier providing containerized and RoRo services between the U.S. East Coast and the Caribbean Basin, including Puerto Rico. It directly competes with TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico's Jacksonville-San Juan service and was identified as a TOTE partnership ally in humanitarian cargo distribution.
• Foss Maritime Company: Foss Maritime is a Pacific Northwest tug, barge, and terminal operator serving Alaska, Hawaii, and the U.S. West Coast. It directly competes with TOTE Maritime Alaska and Carlile on Alaska transportation routes and shares TOTE's footprint in tug/barge support and terminal services.
• Saia, Inc. Saia is a publicly traded less-than-truckload (LTL) motor carrier with terminal-based operations across the U.S. It is a direct peer to TOTE's Carlile Transportation LTL and specialized trucking business, with comparable multi-terminal LTL operating models.
• ArcBest Corporation: ArcBest is a publicly traded integrated logistics company providing LTL trucking (ABF Freight) and asset-light logistics services. It is comparable to TOTE Logistics (combining LTL/FTL via Carlile, Naniq, and Aqua Gulf) for the multi-modal logistics and freight forwarding aspects of TOTE's business.

Broad incumbents

• Kirby Corporation: Kirby is a publicly traded inland marine transportation and diesel engine services company operating tank barges and towboats across U.S. waterways. While its core focus is inland, Kirby's marine operations expertise, fleet management scale, and government contract posture make it a broader incumbent comparable to TOTE Services' ship management and government vessel operations.
• Watco Companies: Watco is a privately held transportation and supply chain services company providing rail, marine, terminal, and logistics solutions across the U.S. and Australia. As a diversified transportation platform with maritime terminal exposure and logistics services, Watco is a broad incumbent comparable to TOTE Group's integrated four-line business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tote-group
• Xx.com/TOTE_Inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TOTE Group