Director of Vessel Operations

Trailer Bridge•Jacksonville, FL

25d

About The Position

The Director, Vessel Operations is responsible for leading the daily operations, maintenance, repair and regulatory compliance of Trailer Bridge’s barge fleet. This position oversees vessel inspections, dry dock projects, maintenance planning, and vendor management to ensure safe, reliable and efficient operations. The Director collaborates with internal stakeholders and external partners to maintain schedule integrity, control costs and support the successful executive of Trailer Bridge’s transportation services.

Requirements

7+ years of maritime operations, vessel maintenance, marine engineering, or related marine transportation experience
5+ years of leadership experience managing teams, vendors, and operational budgets within a maritime environment.
Strong knowledge of vessel maintenance, dry dock planning, regulatory compliance, and marine safety requirements
Strong problem solving, analytical and decision making skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to lead cross functional teams and manage multiple priorities in fast paced environment
Ability to work efficiently with employees, vendors, regulators and executive leadership
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Maritime Transportation, Marine Engineering, Business, or related field preferred, equivalent experience considered.

Responsibilities

Direct daily vessel operations, maintenance planning, and repair activities for the Trailer Bridge barge fleet.
Oversee vessel inspection programs and maintenance planning to ensure regulatory compliance, operational reliability and schedule integrity.
Develop and execute vessel operations strategies that support business objectives, operational efficiency and fleet reliability.
Establish departmental goals, performance metrics, budgets and resource plans to support safe and efficient vessel operations.
Build and maintain relationships with regulatory agencies, classification societies, vendors, shipyards and other key business partners.
Prioritize and coordinate repairs, maintenance, and dry dock activities to minimize service disruptions.
Manage and develop Vessel Ops Team, ensuring timely completion of maintenance and repair objectives.
Develop repair scopes, oversee dry dock projects, and monitor vendor performance, budgets and timelines.
Maintain vessel certifications, surveys, inspection records and regulatory documentation to ensure compliance with all applicable maritime regulations.
Provide leadership and oversight for vessel surveys, audits, training exercises and safety programs.
Oversee inventory management, equipment readiness, and procurement activities supporting vessel maintenance and repair operations.
Analyze operational performance and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reliability and service quality.
Prepare and communication operational updates, repair status, risks and recommendations to executive leadership.
Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, safety and company policies