Celebrating 40 years on the water

40 years in the marine industry is a long time, it represents thousands of nautical miles, countless tides and constantly changing regulatory landscape.  But for Fodico Marine Group founder Dennis Toy, the core philosophy behind more than four decades on the water remains simple; prepare meticulously, don’t take short cuts, be reliable, and always strive to improve.

The Early Days: How Fodico Marine Group was built on problem solving, partnerships and good people

Fodico’s first opportunity in Gladstone arrived in the mid 1980s when Dennis partnered with a fellow operator Max Allen to buy the Booby Bird, a 24m vessel sourced from Adelaide and refitted for dive and fishing charters to meet the demand of 1980s charter boom.

"At the height of it, there were probably a dozen charter boats operating out of Gladstone," says Dennis. "But we were taking on broader work almost immediately"

One of the Booby Bird’s first notable charters was a Crown-of-Thorns research expedition with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks Authority and Navy divers out of Townsville. “Right from the start, the commercial thread was there”

Those early years also established something that would remain important to Fodico; the strong sense of camaraderie and respect between marine operators in Gladstone and beyond. “It is something that I’m proud to be part of” 

That spirit of cooperation and willingness to go the extra mile has continued to shape Fodico’s approach to business, with strong industry relationships and long-term partnerships playing an important role in tackling complex marine challenges.

Turning Points: Pacific Conquest and solving marine problems

If there was a single vessel that shifted Fodico’s trajectory toward high-spec commercial marine operations, it was the Pacific Conquest, purchased around 1990.

When the Commonweath of Australia retired the Cape Grafton, a government vessel servicing Coral Sea lighthouses and weather stations, Fodico stepped in with a proposition: they could deliver the same critical service for Bureau of Meteorology. 

"There was only one other vessel really like it on the East Coast available for charter at the time," says Dennis. "The Pacific Conquest opened a whole lot of doors for us with commercial charter work."

That move launched a decade of high-profile, complex marine work. Fitted with an A-frame and LARC (Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo) craft, the Pacific Conquest.  became a mainstay for the Bureau of Meteorology.  She delivered twice-yearly runs to service Coral Sea weather stations and completed crew change overs at the remote Willis Island outpost, located about 450kms from Cairns.

The vessel went on to support Royal Australian Navy mine-hunter exercises, and five historic HMS Pandora wreck archaeological expeditions for the Queensland Museum. All remote, complex and high-risk work that left no room for under-preparation.

Doing it properly, every time: Curtis Ferry Services and the evolution of the sweep bar

By the late 1990s, Fodico exited the recreational charter market entirely to focus on commercial marine solution with the launch of the landing crafts Curtis Endeavour I & II to service the islands across the Gladstone Harbour and out to the coral cays of the Capricorn and Bunker Groups.  This shift laid the groundwork for custom vessel builds and established Fodico as the go-to partner for complex local logistics.

Around this time the Gladstone Port Authority approached Fodico to put together a sweep bar to level out the small harbour on Curits Island which they had been dredging.  The first prototype was a simple beam fabricated in-house by Fodico.

That original beam evolved into todays advanced sweep bars and sea-rakes, refined continuously over 25 years.  The resulting equipment is considered the most capable of its kind on the East Coast of Australia.    

Stepping Up: The LNG Era and Tier- One Contract standards

When the massive LNG construction boom arrived in the Gladstone Harbour, Fodico were among the first vessels on the site.  Working closely with MIPEC, Fodico delivered the evaluation teams and equipment for the early survey works on Curtis Island.  

When construction ramped up in 2010, Fodico scaled alongside it.   In conjunction with Hydro-Tow and East Coast Maritime, they solved critical logistical challenges, including delivering millions of litres of freshwater aboard the Amorena and Seawind before they built the pipleline across from the mainland.  The specialised landing craft Seawind spent 5 years on direct charter to Bechtel whilst Fodico commissioned several additional tugs, barges, and workboats to support Tier-2 contractors Jonh Holland with all manner of marine logistics and construction.

"When Bechtel came along with their systems, people thought it was ‘a bit over the top’, Dennis admits. "However, we quickly learned that once you step up to the mark and give clients exactly what they require, it’s smooth sailing."

Fodico proved it could meet the most rigorous Tier 1 safety and compliance standards required by major international construction companies like Bechtel, with multiple crews working 24/7 during this phase of the company.  By 2015, with the LNG projects moving into operations phases, Fodico sold Curtis Ferry Services and moved to purely commercial work along the East Coast.

The Real Asset:  People, Preparation and Integrity

For Dennis, staying power in the marine industry comes down to meticulous preparation, something he calls the "7 Ps" and sheer honesty.

"Clients come back because you’re reliable, consistent and we don’t take shortcuts. You tell them how you can solve the problem and deliver the results you promised, every time."

"It’s not a 'me' thing, it’s a 'we' thing," Dennis emphasises. "I’ve been very lucky to have good people around me, some with decades of service and dedicated operators who know these waters inside out.  You can’t take business risks without knowing you’ve got good people backing you up."

The Next Horizon: A legacy continued

In recent years, the company merged with Hydro-Tow, with Leon Toy stepping into the Managing Director role to lead the business into its next chapter

Reflecting on the merger between Fodico and Hydro-Tow, Dennis sees it as a pivotal leap forward. "It was an excellent move that expanded our overall capability and opened up whole new avenues of work," he notes. "Leon brought along fresh ideas and a current perspective. The drive to improve on what came before never stops."

Looking back on 40 years of navigating industry shifts and monumental projects, Dennis remains proud of the culture that built the business; always willing to have a go, a determination not to be deterred by challenges, and always looking for a way to solve complex marine challenges. 

"We’ve always been willing to have a go.  For many years I did everything my way and now the team is doing a fantastic job doing it theirs," says Dennis. "The technology and regulation have changed but the core work hasn't.

Asked what keeps clients returning across four decades of business that has changed shape more than once, Dennis comes back to a principle that has guided Fodico from the beginning; every job is an opportunity to earn the trust to be invited back.

“From those early days doing the charter work, I realised I’m not working for this years contracts, I’m striving to secure next years, so that clients come back again”

That same work ethic, attention to detail and integrity have shaped Fodico’s first 40 years and will continue to guide the business into its next chapter.

“To our shore team, crew past and present and every client who has trusted us on the water for forty years, I thank you for being part of it.”