About Us


How we started

A Seagoing Tradition
The Stabbert family has a long and well-established sea-going tradition.  The company was founded in 1949 by Fred Stabbert, with a surplus World War II U.S. Army wooden supply vessel.  Fred first used the vessel for medical missions, as well as to provide freight services to distant and remote ports in Alaska and British Columbia. The President of Stabbert Maritime, Dan Stabbert, took his first sea voyage at the tender age of three days.  Dan has never been far from the water since. By the mid- 1960’s the firm, while maintaining its Alaska presence, had expanded to include freight services to Central America. In the course of this growth, Dan began to work as a crewmember on the company's vessels.  He obtained his Chief Engineer's license when he was only 17 years old. Dan lived on ships until age 20, when he met his wife, Cheryl.  They settled in Dan's first home ashore, but continue a lifelong devotion to the sea.

The Early Years
By the mid-1970's, Dan had his own operation, primarily focused on contract towing in waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the West Coast and Alaska. By the early 1980's, the firm operated a fleet of six tugs, some of which they owned and some running under management agreements. The firm was highly active in the logistical support of the U.S. Defense Department activities.  Additionally, it was heavily involved in major construction projects in both Alaska and along the West Coast. 

As Dan gained firsthand experience in vessel operations, he also began to undertake major engineering projects. Among the first of these was the conversion of the vessel Naiobe, transformed from an oilfield seismographic survey vessel into an expedition passenger ship. This marked the beginning of the Stabberts’ involvement in expedition yacht operations.  Eventually, Venture Pacific Marine resulted.  The first vessel, now named Corinthian, was operated as an expedition yacht in Alaska and Central America for several years.  It was then chartered to Exxon Corporation and used as the headquarters vessel for cleanup operations in Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill there. Eventually, the vessel was sold to become a cruise ship in the Galapagos Islands, where it continues to sail today. In the 1990's, the company converted a second oilfield vessel to a cruising configuration. This time, the remodel was sold after completion to Temptress Expeditions. Today, it serves as a cruise vessel in Costa Rica and Panama. Many other maritime projects were undertaken throughout the decade, including the acquisition of damaged vessels, their rebuilding and return to service.  The company also handled the brokerage of numerous ships, among these a large bulk carrier, and the conversion of vessels to more efficient configurations, substantially increasing their value.

Venture Pacific Marine
Venture Pacific Marine is the result of the Stabbert family’s rich marine history of vessel construction and operation, worldwide cruising experience, and commitment to first class service. Dedicated to expedition yacht charters and yacht management services, Venture Pacific purchased the 100’ Burger Katania. After a complete refit and charter operation, Katania was sold in order to begin the next project on a larger yacht, the 125’ Taurus.  A large luxury yacht that had struck a reef in the South Pacific and been written off as a total loss, the Stabberts saw Taurus’ promise and renamed her Centurion. Dan and his wife Cheryl completely rebuilt the vessel, fitting her out as the last word in expedition yacht cruising.  They then took their young children to sea on the new vessel, cruising extensively in Alaska and Central America.  These adventures effectively instilled the kids with a love of the sea, in keeping with the family's seagoing traditions.  Today their daughter Lindsay manages the day-to-day operations of the charter business.

A Family Operation
Since Stabbert Maritime is so integrally a family operation, the Stabberts feel strongly that the firm's quality, standards, and successfulness reflect on them personally. This calls forth a rare degree of sincere dedication not often encountered in the highly competitive survey, chartering and vessel management industries, and provides a guarantee that, in the future, these superb standards will be not only maintained, but surpassed.