You may have seen a new face on the docks in Portland. Our new Assistant Port Engineer, Noah Van Heukelom, joined the maintenance team in February and he’s already fitting right in.
Noah’s arrival marks a time of change and transformation. In recent months, two long-time team-members retired from our maintenance team. We’re also in the midst of an exciting era as we bring a new ship into the fleet this year. As 2025 dawned, we began a search for a new Assistant Port Engineer to help us through this time of expansion—and we struck gold with Noah Van Heukelom.
Noah is a Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduate who has spent the past decade working on a diverse array of ships, from scientific research vessels in the Arctic to the Merchant Marine Fleet in the Indian Ocean. He’s got strong sea legs, a lot of engineering experience, and importantly, he’s an upbeat and wonderful human being.
“I’m really enjoying being a part of this team,” said Noah, when we caught up with him to learn more about his background. “Everyone is great to work with here. It’s a genuinely friendly, close-knit team.”
Noah was born and raised in Malden, MA. He started sailing at the age of seven. During his teenage years, he worked as a sailing instructor at a community center. Then he cast his eye to the region’s maritime academies. “Initially I was thinking of applying to the Maine Maritime Academy,” he says. “But then I opted for one closer to home.”
Noah enrolled in the Massachusetts Maritime Academy—where he flourished. He graduated in just seven semesters. He was hired to join the Military Sealift Command, an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy.
“I worked for the Merchant Marine Fleet, which supports the Navy,” Noah explains. “They have ships all over the world. The first ship I worked on was sent to Duqm, Oman, where the Arabian Sea meets the Indian Ocean. We spent two months in the shipyard there, which was amazing. We were the first American ship to be based there, and we established a lot of relationships.”
Over the coming seven years with the Military Sea Command, Noah worked on six ships—from ammunition ships to salvage ships with dive teams. “I worked all around Southeast Asia, Guam, Korea, Singapore,” he says. “But I was away for many months at a time, sometimes as long as 11 months.”
A wish began to grow, to stay in one place on a more permanent basis. This prompted Noah to land his next role as Second Assistant Engineer for the R/V Sikuliaq, a 261-foot oceanographic research ship that brings scientists to the polar regions. Homeported in Sewerd, Alaska, and run by the University of Alaska, Sikuliaq is one of the most advanced university research vessels in the world. The ship can break ice up to 2.5 feet thick.
Noah spent more than 200 sea days with this research vessel on many adventures into the Arctic, but then a friend in Portland sent him the job listing with Casco Bay Lines. He leapt at the opportunity. “It was the perfect role for me,” he says. “I was looking for something more permanent—and I love Portland.”
Noah’s experience working with Arctic ice will bode him well for our harsh Maine winters. And in this new role with Casco Bay Lines, he’ll be assisting with the day-to-day Engineering Department operations and maintenance activities of the District’s fleet. He’ll also assist with repair and shipyard maintenance planning and schedule compliance to ensure efficient maintenance activities.
Nick Bishop, Port Engineer and Noah’s boss, says he’s delighted with this new hire. “We are so excited to have Noah on board,” he says. “It’s a big year for us at Casco Bay Lines with a new boat coming into the fleet. Noah’s more than 10 years of experience at sea and on vessels of all kinds will be invaluable.”
Noah says that although he’s no longer at sea, he’s deeply enjoying the diversity of the work. “There’s so much happening on a day-to-day basis, which I really appreciate,” he says. “We have five boats so there’s never a dull day here.”
If you see Noah working with the boats these coming weeks, please say hello. And join us in welcoming him to the Casco Bay Lines family!
Learn more about Casco Bay Lines and view our staff directory at www.cascobaylines.com/contact-us.