An interview with Ocean Star International in Florida.

Josh Morales is president of Ocean Star International in Coral Springs, Florida at just 29 years old.  Not a bad achievement in one so young but, when it’s your own company, who else would do the top job.  Here’s a little more about the company and the remarkable young man who runs it.

According to his dad, Jay Morales, who came out of retirement to give his son a hand setting up the company, Josh has always been an entrepreneur.  “Right from being 17 he’s been in business for himself,” he said in an interview for The Mover down a crackly trans-Atlantic phone line.

Josh started Ocean Star four years ago with just two employees.  With hindsight it wasn’t, perhaps, the best time to start a new company with the impending financial crash and the resulting recessions just around the corner, but neither Josh, nor anyone else it seems, had any idea about that.  In 2007 the good times were here to stay, we all thought. 

But despite the worst financial climate in living memory, Josh did well.  Today, his business has grown dramatically to employ 25 people, to be members of a wide range of associations including AMSA (American Moving and Storage Association), IAM (the new name for the Household Goods Forwarders Association of America (HGFAA)) and to have built trading arrangements with agents all around the world.

As recently as this summer, Ocean Star became certified through AMSA's RIM( Registered International Mover) program. This involved the company completing a certification process which included meeting strict RIM standards for equipment, and facilities, passing an on-site inspection, being tested on general shipping knowledge, procedural comprehension, and proper documentation practices.

Perhaps his most remarkable achievement was to achieve an NVOCC (Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier) license at the tender age of just 25.  “He applied when he was 20,” said Jay, “but they told him to come back when he had more experience.”  He did as he was told, applied again in 2007, and in January 2008 became one of the youngest NVOCC license holders in history.  “We found out at Christmas that the application had been approved. It was a very emotional time,” said Jay, “we just couldn’t believe what he had done.”

Today Ocean Star provides a full range of export and import services including groupage.  “We are able to offer our customers comprehensive, cost-effective shipping rates and continuous sailings from the US East Coast to Europe and Australia,” said Josh. “We consolidate shipments at our five container freight stations and ship them through Felixstowe UK for clearance and final delivery throughout Europe. We ship all our Australian traffic to Melbourne for clearance and deliver by our agents there.”

Ocean Star also offers import services for its overseas agents and can handle customs clearance and delivery through the USA. Josh explained that a recurring problem with imports is getting customers to comply with US Customs ISF (Importer Security Filing).   This is a new regulation from US Customs to help keep the country’s borders secure.  Customs wants to identify each individual (and their cargo) prior to the shipment leaving the origin port.  Special documentation is required to be completed by the importer prior to shipping and this can be a hassle if the customer needs to move in quickly.  However, if these documents are not completed, submitted, and accepted by US Customs prior to departure from the origin port then the importer is subject to hefty fines and in some cases confiscation of the cargo.  “By filing our ISFs in good time we are able to get speedy clearances as US Customs has already reviewed and approved the importers and their cargo before shipments arrive,” said Josh.

Josh is clearly a remarkable individual and appears to be building a successful business in a very competitive industry at a time when many others are struggling to survive.  We, at The Mover, wish him continued success.  If you’d like to meet Josh and the team, they will be exhibiting again at IAM 2011 in Denver, Colorado, 12-15 September.

IAM Convention

If you’d like to meet Josh and the team, they will be exhibiting again at IAM 2011 in Denver, Colorado, 12-15 September.  Here they are at the 2010 IAM convention in San Diego. 

(left to right) Scott Kalinowski, General Manager, Josh Morales, CEO, and John Duharte, Export Account Executive, pictured at the 2010 IAM convention in San Diego.