29 AUGUST 2026 Capt. Aaron Swerkes is port captain at Angel Island– Tiburon Ferry and has spent 12 years in the passen- ger vessel industry. He helps lead vessel operations, maintenance planning, crew training, and fleet modernization, and provides technical leadership for the company’s electric and hybrid propulsion projects. His work reflects a practical, lifecycle-fo- cused approach to passenger vessel reliability, safety, and stewardship. CAPT. AARON SWERKES PORT CAPTAIN, ANGEL ISLAND–TIBURON FERRY About the Author turns a propeller, we upgraded shoreside electrical in- frastructure and replaced our floating dock so charging would be ready on day one. That planning is part of the same maintenance philosophy. We are also developing operating procedures, mainte- nance protocols, and training programs as the installation is designed. Our maintenance technicians are receiving high-voltage safety training before the equipment enters service so they can work with these systems safely. As we install twenty-first-century propulsion systems in vessels built in the 1960s and 1970s, we are balancing range, speed, stability, safety, maintainability, and operational flexibility. The tools are changing, but the responsibility remains the same. Every passenger who steps aboard one of our vessels plac- es enormous trust in people they have never met. They trust that machinery has been inspected, safety systems tested, crews trained beyond the regulatory minimums for man-overboard recovery and firefighting, and count- less maintenance decisions made before the lines are cast off. That trust is not earned through regulations alone. It is earned through maintenance. So, is maintenance a necessary evil? I do not believe it is. A necessary evil is something we endure because we have no alternative. Maintenance is a deliberate investment in reliability, safety, and the long-term health of the vessels entrusted to us. The equipment we operate will continue to evolve. Pro- pulsion systems will change, software will become more sophisticated, and diagnostics will grow more capable. What will not change is our responsibility to leave tomor- row’s crew with equipment that is safer, more reliable, and better understood than when we received it. Every maintenance decision is an investment in tomorrow’s operation. We can make that investment deliberately, or we can pay for it later—with interest. Face tomorrow with confidence. For nearly a century, we’ve been a trusted insurance, risk management and consulting partner for businesses, communities and people around the globe. Customizing programs and solutions tailored to your needs. Damon L. Nasman Senior Vice President Marine Department, GGB, Gallagher D: (206) 262-6375 | C: (206) 850-1525 E: damon_nasman@ajg.com AJG.com | The Gallagher Way. Since 1927.
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