Polar Tankers / Anchored in excellence for 110 years

People: “The backbone of our success”

Global Marine Chief Jerry White credits the organization's longevity to “resilience and duty.”

“The organization has been through a lot in 110 years,” White said. “No matter the changes the world has thrown at us, we’ve adapted and overcome.”

The story behind White’s words is one of challenge, change and reinvention.

The organization endured the loss of crews and vessels during two world wars, then adapted as its business evolved. Operations shifted from the East Coast to the Alaska crude oil trade, and the organization moved from transporting its own oil to company-owned refineries to serving third-party customers as an independent provider.

White, a member of the build team that delivered the final two Endeavour-class ships, remembers the enthusiastic reception from legacy crews as they boarded the new tankers, equipped with updated technology.

“Giving our crews the best possible tool to move crude out of Valdez is the capstone achievement that will always stand out for me.”

Another standout moment remains fresh in White’s memory.

In 2004, after taking delivery of Polar Adventure from a New Orleans shipyard, the crew sailed to the Bahamas for the ship’s final paintwork. A hurricane changed the plan, and the crew moved the ship to Portland, Maine, within a few hours of many mariners’ families.

Seizing the rare opportunity, the crew opened the ship for a family day, giving relatives a firsthand look at the crude oil tanker — a workplace their family members called home for months at a time.

“Standing in one of the engine rooms watching parents look to their son or daughter and say, 'Wait, you keep all this going?' is hard to describe," he said. “The pride was palpable.” 

The occasion reinforced what White considers central to Polar Tankers’ success.

“The people who sail the ships are the backbone of our success. And their families are part of that success, too.”

The people-first culture White describes is also the foundation of Polar Tankers’ approach to safety and environmental responsibility.

Putting people and the environment first 

“The most important work we do is protecting people and the environment while delivering reliable operations,” said Bryan Dickson, director of Health, Safety and Environment for Polar Tankers. 

At Polar Tankers, that responsibility begins with ownership, he said.

“Our employees take pride in their work, look out for one another and approach each task with professionalism, integrity and care.”

“These actions help protect our crews, vessels, cargo, communities and the environment,” he said.

“Awards are important because they recognize performance," he said, "but the real value is in the daily behaviors that make that performance possible: preparation, accountability, compliance, learning and care for one another.”

Adapting through innovation

Engineering Manager Kyle Boucher said technology continues to shape how Polar Tankers evaluates fleet upgrades and makes operational decisions.

As equipment and systems have evolved, he said, vessel teams have adapted with discipline and skill, embracing change with a “can-do” attitude.

The organization’s approach to innovation has contributed to several notable achievements, including the use of drones in 2018 for vessel inspections and thickness measurements.

That work, conducted in collaboration with maritime safety organizations and the U.S. Coast Guard, improved safety across the marine industry. 

In recent years, Polar Tankers has enhanced fleet reliability, efficiency and environmental performance through a series of major technology investments, including Integrated Bridge System upgrades on four vessels in 2020 and the completion of a multiyear ballast water treatment system installation across all five vessels in 2023. Building on those efforts, Polar Tankers began retrofitting its vessels to use high-voltage shore power while berthed in Southern California, helping reduce emissions.

The company further enhanced fleet performance in 2025 by relocating its shipyard maintenance operations from Singapore to South Korea, a move that delivered efficiency gains, cost savings and increased commercial availability for the fleet. 

Building excellence into every voyage

“One of the strengths of Polar Tankers is that we respect our history without becoming complacent,” said Johnna Miller, director of Operational Excellence & Fleet Assurance. “We are always looking for smarter, safer and more effective ways to work.”

Miller credits the organization’s disciplined mindset — based on accountability and continuous learning — for its operational excellence.

“We are well-positioned for the future,” she said.

Ready for the voyages ahead

As Alaska’s energy sector grows through new projects and investment, Polar Tankers will remain a vital link in ConocoPhillips’ ability to transport North Slope crude from the Valdez Marine Terminal to market — carrying a 110-year legacy into the future. 

“Our responsibility is to keep improving, keep adapting and ensure Polar Tankers remains a trusted part of the energy value chain for decades to come,” said Chris Bulera, general manager, Global Marine and Polar Tankers. “We’ve seen a lot of change over the years. But our mission remains the same: to deliver crude oil safely and efficiently to our customers.”