Ships of the Sea

Customs Brokers, Freight Forwarding, and Port Efficiency: Inside John S. James Company in Savannah

Host Molly Taylor, Executive Director [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/about-us] of the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/], speaks with Myra Reynolds and Len James of the John S. James Company [https://johnsjames.com/] about what customs brokers and freight forwarders do, clearing imports with government agencies and arranging exports onto vessels.   Len, the family-business CFO and co-owner, describes growing up in the industry and how Savannah’s port ecosystem has changed since the 1980s. Myra recounts joining the company in 1977, becoming a licensed customs broker in 1986, and explains licensing, corporate permits, and the shift to remote filing, electronic documentation, and “single window” systems involving 47 agencies.   They discuss Georgia Ports Authority-led efficiency innovations (including COAT), post‑9/11 security targeting, inspections, radiation monitoring, and IPR enforcement, plus notable cases involving marijuana shipments and stolen vehicle exports. They also cover tariff-driven complexity, AI tools, national association lobbying, expanded customs port limits, recruitment challenges, and the breadth of commodities handled in Savannah.   The Ships of the Sea podcast is recorded on location at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, housed in the historic William Scarbrough House [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/about-us], an elegant example of early Greek Revival architecture in the South. Built in 1819 for William Scarbrough, a prominent shipping merchant and the first president of the Savannah Steamship Company, the museum showcases a remarkable collection of ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques. In addition to its exquisite interior, the museum features the largest private gardens within Savannah’s historic district, designed to reflect a typical 19th-century parlor garden.   CONNECT WITH US: A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/] Museum EVENTS [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/events] Education and Group Programs [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/educational-programs] Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome to Ships of the Sea 00:20 Customs Broker Basics 00:56 Len’s Family Business Story 02:36 Warehouse Work Lessons 03:40 Myra’s Path Into Shipping 05:06 Becoming a Licensed Broker 07:01 Savannah Brokerage Landscape 07:32 National Permits and Remote Filing 09:11 Tech Shifts and COAT System 12:30 GPA Efficiency and Early Innovations 16:24 Single Window and Customs Origins 19:07 Duties Tariffs and Counterfeits 22:33 Security Targeting and Inspections 25:41 Myra’s Marijuana Case Files 28:12 Post 9/11 Broker Partnership 29:59 Reporting Suspicious Imports 30:52 CFO Life and Tariff Stress 32:09 AI and Broken Systems 34:10 Lobbying for Tariff Delays 36:16 Tracking Rules and Proclamations 38:38 Expanding Port Limits Story 41:32 Careers and Skills in Brokerage 43:38 Youth Training Pipeline 48:11 Wildest Imports and Logistics 50:50 Partnerships and Final Takeaways 53:53 Support the Maritime Museum

Unforgettable Seas: Savannah's Captain Judy Talks Life, Lessons, and Legacy

Host Molly Taylor interviews Captain Judy Helmey of Miss Judy Charters [https://missjudycharters.com/] on the Ships of the Sea podcast recorded in the Ships of the Sea Maritime Musuem [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/] located in the historic William Scarbrough House and Gardens about becoming a charter captain through sea school, time on the water, and mastering safety, responsibility, and people skills.   Helmey reflects on 61 years fishing - starting on her father’s boat as a child - and describes how the job requires roles from counselor to nurse, plus pairing customers with the right captain now that she runs the company. She shares navigation and seamanship stories, Gulf Stream distances and her past pace of 250 trips a year, learning storms with modern equipment, and extraordinary encounters including waterspouts/tornadoes, a submarine snagging her gear, and Navy live-fire zones.   She discusses sexism, varied clientele, famous passengers, reading birds to find wahoo, and her father’s influence, Savannah charter history, and conducting burials at sea, including sinking caskets.   CONNECT WITH US: A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/] Museum EVENTS [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/events] Education and Group Programs [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/educational-programs] Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:42 Becoming a Captain 01:47 Best Parts of Charter Life 04:05 Running the Business Today 05:58 Knowing the Waters 08:05 Family Roots on the Island 10:03 Learning to Drive Young 13:13 Seasickness and Customer Care 15:41 Weather and Water Spouts 19:54 Safety and Seasoning 20:38 Submarine Snags Gear 22:01 Live Fire Hot Zone 24:42 Sexism on the Dock 27:15 Handling Every Client 28:37 Famous Faces Aboard 30:12 Birds Lead to Wahoo 33:15 Glitter Chum Trick 35:04 Dad’s Hustle Origins 37:19 Burials at Sea Finale

What Does a Stevedore Do? Inside Container Ship Loading at the Port of Savannah

On the Ships of the Sea [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/] podcast, host Molly Taylor interviews Savannah Stevedore and operations manager Carter Hubbard about what stevedores do: plan and manage the execution of loading and unloading ships in coordination with the International Longshoremen’s Association, steamship lines, and the Georgia Ports Authority.   Hubbard explains how longshoremen handle physical work (unlashing, twist locks, driving trucks), clerks and checkers track container movements, and stevedores plan vessel stowage and oversee safe execution on the dock. He describes the industry’s shift from paper to tablets, the many roles required to move a container, constant troubleshooting from equipment and network issues, and handling specialized cargo like racing yachts, military gear, and breakbulk. The conversation covers vessel classes, hazardous and refrigerated planning, training, ship turnaround pace, and maritime career paths.   CONNECT WITH US: A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/] Museum EVENTS [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/events] Education and Group Programs [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/educational-programs] Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Meet the Stevedore 00:23 What Stevedores Do 01:03 Longshoremen and Port Roles 02:17 Planning vs Execution 03:09 Clerks Checkers Explained 04:19 Ops Manager Responsibilities 05:14 Tracking Containers Today 07:20 Career Path Into Stevedoring 09:20 Ships Schedule and Pace 10:07 Troubleshooting and Redundancy 12:10 Terminals Unions Specialties 13:27 Breakbulk Yachts and Military 16:51 Ship Types and COVID Impact 18:52 Avoiding Complacency 20:18 Training the Crew 22:06 Career Paths In Ports 24:21 Container Planning Physics 26:07 Managing Massive Teams 27:17 Crane Speed And Workflow 28:48 Boarding Ships And Diplomacy 32:12 Life Aboard International Crews 35:12 Why Savannah Port Matters

Anchors Aweigh: Charting Savannah's Maritime Legacy

Welcome to the Ships of the Sea podcast, an audio voyage from Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/]. In this introductory episode, producer Dee Daniels [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]introduces host Molly Carrott Taylor, Executive Director [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/about-us] of Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, and previews the new podcast exploring Savannah’s maritime stories.   Molly shares her background as a collegiate sailor and longtime art museum leader, how she came to Ships of the Sea after consulting on membership and fundraising, and highlights recent growth, including bringing in over 6,000 children in two years and increasing the budget to $1.2 million from $800,000 in 2022.   She explains the museum’s home, the 1819 William Scarborough House [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/scarbrough-house], Scarborough’s role in the Steamship Savannah Company, and the Steamship Savannah’s May 22, 1819, transatlantic voyage—now honored as National Maritime Day.   The episode previews community-focused education [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/educational-programs] and STEAM field trips, events [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/events] like Celestial Seafarer and Supper at Sea, rotating exhibitions, upcoming sequential-art stories of key ships, and future podcast topics on modern maritime careers such as pilots, stevedores, longshoremen, attorneys, and archaeologists.   CONNECT WITH US: A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/] Museum EVENTS [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/events] Education and Group Programs [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/educational-programs] Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome Aboard 01:02 Meet Molly Taylor 02:02 From Consultant to Director 05:31 Scarborough House Origins 05:59 Steamship Savannah Breakthrough 08:05 Schoolhouse Legacy 09:09 National Maritime Day Roots 11:04 Community Programs Vision 12:31 Signature Events and Exhibits 16:20 Hidden Maritime Careers 22:13 A Day in 1819 26:02 Hands On Learning Ahead 28:59 Closing and Support

Ships of the Sea Podcast | Official Trailer

Welcome aboard. The Ships of the Sea Podcast takes you inside the stories that shaped Savannah ... from its earliest maritime history to the people and industries still moving through its waterways today. In this short trailer, you’ll get a preview of what’s ahead: powerful stories, behind-the-scenes perspectives, and a deeper look at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/] and the history it brings to life. From groundbreaking voyages to modern-day maritime careers, this is where history, community, and the water all connect. Subscribe now and join us as we open the treasure chest of Savannah’s maritime past. CONNECT WITH US: A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/] Museum EVENTS [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/events] Education and Group Programs [https://www.shipsofthesea.org/educational-programs] Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media [https://www.deedanielsmedia.com/]