The Detective of the Docks: Sean McLaughlin’s Quest for Safety Solutions

By: Saltchuk in Marine Services, People of Saltchuk, PNW, Safety, Western US

AmNav’s Assistant Port Engineer wins 2025 Saltchuk President’s Award for Innovation in Safety

When a critical engine failure threatened tugboat operations during ship docking maneuvers in 2024, Sean McLaughlin didn’t just see a problem—he saw a puzzle that demanded solving. The 16-year AmNav veteran’s methodical approach to what even the engine manufacturer couldn’t fix has earned him the 2025 Saltchuk President’s Award for Innovation in Safety.

“When others couldn’t solve it, Sean became a detective,” says Milt Merritt, AmNav President. “He methodically tested every variable: fuel-to-air ratios, computer systems, propeller dynamics.”

From Broken Motorcycles to Marine Engineering

McLaughlin’s journey to becoming what colleagues call a “horse whisperer” with machinery began in Watsonville, California. His parents would buy him broken motorcycles instead of working ones. “I really wanted a bike and they didn’t want me to have one, so they would buy me stuff that didn’t work,” he recalls. “And I got pretty good at making ’em work.”

That early persistence with failed systems proved invaluable when facing an elusive engine issue that stumped manufacturer engineers. The problem centered on new environmental technology causing engines to fail during critical ship docking operations—a potentially catastrophic safety risk.

“The boat wouldn’t have any brakes,” McLaughlin explains. “If the ship is moving through the water and you’re behind it with a line up and the ship asks for you to stop and arrest and you turn the drives backwards… the engine couldn’t accelerate anymore.”

Fun Facts

He was paid just $26.40 a day as a maritime cadet.

During his Cal Maritime Junior year sea term, while sailing with TOTE Maritime Alaska on the Great Land steamship, Sean earned the federally required minimum wage for cadets. He loved the work so much that he extended his required 60-day stint to 90 days, even though he was making barely more than a dollar an hour.

He rebuilt a one-of-a-kind 1948 engine in college.

While working in the Cal Maritime boathouse to pay for school, Sean helped rebuild the engine on a tug called the Black Bear. The 1948 Hamilton Diesel was the only one of its kind in the world, so they had to machine custom parts when manufacturers misread the damaged blueprints.

The Art of Safe Testing

Where others saw an insurmountable challenge, McLaughlin saw variables to be systematically tested. His breakthrough came when he realized traditional testing would put crew and vessels at risk during actual ship operations.

McLaughlin’s solution was elegantly ingenious: simulate real-world propeller loads using the tugboat’s own capabilities. “I came up with the idea of taking one engine and going transverse with it,” he explains. “So that’s got the boat spinning as fast as it will spin.”

By creating controlled circular motion, he generated equivalent water conditions that triggered engine problems, then used the opposite engine to test the failure scenario safely at the dock. “I took a GPS out on the back of the boat, and I stood over where the drives are, and it measured six knots that the boat was just sliding through the water.”

Beyond Quick Fixes

What sets McLaughlin apart is his refusal to accept temporary solutions. “A lot of people have an issue, and they do something that fixes it. And now that’s what they’ll always do when this issue comes up,” he observes. “But now you get into this repetition of not really solving it, just fixing it.”

This philosophy extends throughout his work—from studying manufacturer specifications to researching alternatives that offer lasting solutions. His innovations with specialized materials and techniques have prevented countless future failures across AmNav’s fleet.

Fun Facts

He can name 12 types of rubber off the top of his head.

While working on equipment repairs, he learned the properties of a dozen different rubber materials, including their resistances and ideal applications. This knowledge helps him choose the right material every time, ensuring fixes that actually last.

He cooks everything from scratch on a Big Green Egg.

Sean makes dinner every night and never uses store-bought sauces. In their previous rental house, he even made cookies, pies, and pizzas on his charcoal grill, preferring it over the home’s appliances.

Building Trust Through Transparency

McLaughlin’s leadership emphasizes learning over blame. “When I make mistakes, I like to tell the people below me that I did,” he says. “I want them to be comfortable telling me that they’ve made mistakes. And with that, I think it creates a lot of trust and a lot of mutual respect.”

For McLaughlin, safety means fostering a culture where people look out for one another every day. His advice is simple but profound: “You always got to put yourself first. Safety starts with you; you’ve got to take care of yourself.”

He teaches crew members to recognize hidden energy sources and slow down in confined spaces. “You can tell who’s going to be high risk based on how they walk in the engine room,” he notes. “If you’re still running through the engine room after you’ve hit your head, you’re not going to learn to be safe with anything else.”

The Ripple Effect

McLaughlin’s 2024 solution didn’t just fix one boat—it created knowledge benefiting AmNav’s entire fleet and potentially other maritime operators. His systematic documentation means the solution can be replicated and improved upon.

Now 16 years into his AmNav career, McLaughlin continues mentoring the next generation while tackling new challenges. “I read a lot,” he says when asked about staying current. “You’ve got to understand why things are, don’t settle. It just is. Every time something breaks, you’ve got to know why.”

For McLaughlin, receiving the award validates an approach that puts persistence, systematic thinking, and genuine care for crew safety at the center of marine engineering. More importantly, it highlights how refusing to accept “that’s just how it is” can make the maritime industry safer for everyone.

“Every broken piece that comes off a boat, we take it apart,” McLaughlin concludes. “We don’t always figure it out. Sometimes we do. And when we do, you learn from it.”