Our first mid-month networking event will take place on April 22 from 6-8 p.m. at the Ft. Lauderdale offices of Total Marine Solutions, a distributor of mostly environmental systems for the marine industry.

Founder Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons parlayed her experience in technical equipment in the cruise line industry to the yachting industry. Make time to stop by her facility at 4350 Oakes Road, Suite 502.

Q. Tell us about TMS.

TMS was established in September 2000 as a distributor for equipment manufacturers (mainly European) of environmental-related systems. Our first manufacturing partner was Marinfloc AB of Sweden, producers of oily water separators, sludge dewatering systems, sewage treatment system and the services that accompany such systems.

Shortly thereafter we were fortunate to be selected by JETS Vacuum of Norway, producers of the most efficient vacuum toilet system. Our product and service portfolio today also includes USON Marine (solid waste handling systems), GETT Oy (dosing systems), Lighting Science Group (LED lighting solutions), as well as the major manufacturers of oil content meters.
We also have a canvas design and fabrication center that manufactures custom canvas products.

Though based in Ft. Lauderdale, we are fortunate to have distribution rights to North America. Our service personnel travel globally for service and training. Our canvas center is based in Melbourne, Fla., and we opened an office in Houston last month.

Q. How did you come to start this business?

I was director of technical purchasing for one of the major cruise lines at a time when the cruise industry was under heavy scrutiny by the federal government as it relates to oily water discharges and oil record bookkeeping. In upgrading the oily water separators at my company, I met the inventors, engineers and owners of Marinfloc AB and it was their system selected for a fleet-wide retrofit.

I found it beneficial for the reports I was required to keep to become more familiar with the system and the support team behind it than perhaps a purchasing professional would. This led to a great relationship. As I saw the company develop and the fantastic, reliable results of the equipment, I encouraged them to find a company to represent them in North America. This went on for some time and in 1999, I asked the principals at Marinfloc what they would think of me starting a company and promoting them.

"That’s what we were hoping for," was in line with their response. 

So the door was opened in 2000 and we haven’t looked back since. Those who were once our colleagues are now our customers, and while the transition from the purchasing side to the sales side of the table is never easy, when you market reliable, effective equipment and know what your customers expect, it doesn’t feel like selling.

Q. What systems do you have that yachts should know about?

The best known product we have for the yacht market is JETS Vacuum. This includes vacuum generating pumps (JETS Vacuumarators), toilets, and all related spare parts.

Our canvas design and fabrication center can repair, recreate or design any type of canvas, fabric or upholstery products onboard.

And we offer the best oily water separator, which is produced by Marinfloc in Sweden with full after-sales support. Marinfloc has also developed a concept call the White Box which, for larger yachts, offers a fail-safe system at the discharge point for treated bilge water. We also supply oil content meters and the service to same to many yacht customers. 

In addition, we have found some great interest in the LED products and solutions we offer from Lighting Science Group.

USON Marine has some of the finest shredders, compactors, bailers, and solid waste transport systems on the market. And GETT Oy has some of the most innovative, precise dosing systems available.

Q. Why are these systems helpful to yacht captains and crew?

Reliability, effective performance, ease of use, immediate availability of necessary spares, service and training are key factors in the equipment and products we supply. We strive to become an extension of the operation of the yacht, not simply a supplier.

Q. I understand you are expanding your environmental training this month. Tell us more about that.

As an extension of our relationship with Marinfloc, we have secured one of its mobile training containers, a 20-foot container that has been outfitted with the tanks and equipment to simulate an engine room and bilge water treatment system. 

It is completely self contained with its own diesel generator, which allows us to bring it onsite, open it up, and provide detailed, hands-on training of emulsion breaking bilge water treatment and monitoring as well as oil content meter maintenance.

Its first stop was in Lisbon, Portugal, at the nautical school where we hosted training sessions over an eight-week period of engineers and superintendents of one of our major customers. It was a huge success and we look forward to showing the "training rig" at the networking event on April 22.