New jobs in place under Faststream agreement · New jobs in place under Faststream agreement Unique...

Volume 38, Number 3 March 2008

Copyright © 2008 American Maritime Officers � 2 West Dixie Highway � Dania Beach, FL 33004 � (800) 362-0513 � [email protected]

I want to be anocean rangerPage 2: American MaritimeOfficers is building a base ofqualified ocean rangers, and isactively seeking members whoare licensed engineers and areinterested in working as oceanrangers aboard internationalcruise ships in Alaska. Thetraining requirements and jobdescription are included.

Great Lakes NewsMaritimeWashington

Page 5: AMO’s annual areameetings provide forums foropen, informative discussion.

Page 7: MaritimeAdministrator SeanConnaughton goes to the rootsof U.S. maritime policy withthe presidency of GeorgeWashington and the laws enact-ed by our nation’s firstPresident and Congresses in acolumn authored for AmericanMaritime Officer.

AMO EssentialsRTM STAR Center, Floridaschedule: Pages 8-9

RTM STAR Center, Ohioschedule: Page 9

RTM STAR Centerapplication: 1

AMO directory: Page 10

AMO membership meetingschedule: Page 10

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New jobs in place under Faststream agreementUnique base developing quickly with new seagoing opportunities for AMO officers

New AMO jobsas APL Balboaenters serviceunder U.S. flagAMO members Chief Engineer RoyGraham (left) and Capt. Noah Myrus(right) aboard the APL Balboa asCoast Guard Inspector ScottChroninger presents the certificate ofinspection to APL Maritime LimitedVice President Brian Constable inSingapore in February.

The number of new jobs directly orindirectly generated through the pioneeringagreement between American MaritimeOfficers and Faststream Recruitment Inc.,signed in December 2007, is fast approach-ing 40, and more opportunities throughFaststream are now available to members ofthe union.

Faststream’s involvement was a sig-nificant factor in the recent award of a con-tract by the State of Alaska to CrowleyLiner Services to provide 35 ocean rangersto work aboard international cruise ships inAlaskan waters. AMO engineers are nowbeing recruited and trained for these posi-tions. Employing its experience with andknowledge of the international cruise indus-try, Faststream collaborated with Crowleyon the development of their response toAlaska’s request for proposals.

Additionally, one AMO member nowhas covered employment in a shore-basedship surveying position through the union’sagreement with Faststream. Currently, threemore shoreside opportunities are availableto AMO officers through Faststream,including two site superintendent positionsoverseeing newbuilds for an oil major, andone position as a health, safety and environ-mental team leader.

The AMO online dispatching sys-tem is currently being adapted to displayall positions available through Faststreamto AMO members with access to the Website. For the time being, AMO officersinterested in available positions can sendtheir resumes to AMO Director of NewBusiness Development Tom Laird [email protected]. Hiring for posi-tions available through Faststream is on acompetitive basis.

The union’s agreement withFaststream is multi-faceted, although theprimary thrust is new seagoing employmentfor AMO members with internationalowner/operators not typically accessible toAmerican unions. Nonetheless, AMO’sunique agreement with Faststream providesfor these jobs to be covered employment forAMO officers, with all required contribu-tions to the AMO Plans.

“Our primary job at Faststream is toopen up doors for AMO in the international

seagoing market,” said Faststream VicePresident Craig Johnson. “The shoresideemployment for AMO members is theadded bonus.”

Faststream is a leading recruitmentfirm for the U.S. and international maritimeindustries, with a broad network of contacts,a deep portfolio of experience and an exten-sive track record of success and excellencein placing qualified personnel in key shore-side positions throughout the industry.

The company’s experience and repu-tation with international owner/operatorsplaces both it and AMO in an ideal positionto meet the surging demand for qualifiedofficers in emerging growth markets, suchas liquefied natural gas transportation.

Faststream’s collaboration with

Crowley on the ocean ranger proposalmarks the first major foray on behalf ofAMO, as well as the first success.

“I’m very encouraged that we’re see-ing so much interest from chief engineersand first assistant engineers, since the mini-mum requirement for these positions is athird assistant engineer’s license,” saidFaststream Cruise Consultant Roy Sundenof the strong response from AMO officersto the Alaska ocean ranger program. “Thiswill make it easier for the cruise lines tocooperate because they will be getting engi-neers with much more experience. It will bea win-win.”

Similar ocean ranger programs areexpected to develop in the future in otherU.S. states that serve as international cruise

hubs, and California has already followedAlaska’s lead in introducing legislation torequire ocean rangers aboard cruise shipswhile they are in Californian waters.

Another productive aspect of theAMO agreement with Faststream is market-ing and employer-recruitment.

AMO continues to invest time andeffort in developing relationships withowner/operators in the international ener-gy transportation trades, particularlyLNG shipping. The AMO team is work-ing with a select group of quality compa-nies and is focusing its efforts on negotia-tions with the potential to secure newdirect and indirect contracts.

See Faststream � Page 2

The APL Balboa has been re-flagged into U.S. registry. The 397-foot containership operates in acommercial feeder service in theArabian Gulf for APL's liner fleet car-rying containerized cargo. The APLBalboa is operated by APL MaritimeLimited and manned in all licensedpositions by American MaritimeOfficers. Built in 1998, the ship hasbeen operating in the company'sinternational fleet.

2 • American Maritime Officer March 2008

American Maritime Officer (USPS 316-920)Official Publication of American Maritime Officers

2 West Dixie HighwayDania Beach, FL 33004

(954) 921-2221Periodical Postage Paid at

Brooklyn, NY, and Additional Mailing OfficesPublished Monthly

American Maritime Officers National Executive Board

Thomas Bethel, National PresidentJosé Leonard, National Secretary-TreasurerDaniel Smith, National Executive Vice PresidentJoseph Gremelsbacker, National Vice President, Deep SeaDonald Cree, National Vice President, Great LakesBrian Krus, National Assistant Vice President, Great LakesEdward Kelly, National Vice President At LargeRobert Kiefer, National Assistant Vice President At LargePaul Cates, National Executive Board Member At LargeDaniel Shea, National Executive Board Member At LargeDavid Weathers, National Executive Board Member At LargeDonald Nilsson, National Executive Board Member, Deep SeaJohn Hafner, National Executive Board Member, Inland Waters

Representatives: Stan Barnes, Charles Murdock

Editor: Matt BurkeAssistant Editor: Phree Baker

POSTMASTER—Send Address Changes To:American Maritime Officers

ATTN: Member ServicesP.O. Box 66

Dania Beach, FL 33004

AMO seeking resumés for Alaska ocean ranger jobsAmerican Maritime Officers is active-

ly recruiting AMO members who arelicensed engineers for the State of Alaska’sOcean Ranger Program. Ocean rangers will

serve as independent observers monitoringcompliance with state and federal require-ments pertaining to marine discharge andpollution on large passenger vessels.

Employment will be from April throughSeptember. This is covered employmentthrough Crowley Liner Services, with fullcontributions to the AMO Plans.

Employment involves:•Assignment to various cruise ships

while in Alaskan waters•Rotating ship assignment every one

to four weeks•Overnight stays in shore side hotels

during ship transfers•Assignment duration from May

through September•Rangers will carry a Transportation

Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)•A sea service letter will be provided

documenting sea time (one for three)

Ocean Ranger Job DescriptionUsing the provided examination guide

and checklist produced by Crowley, theocean ranger will observe waste streams andinspect waste management systems to verifycompliance and report possible violations ofstate and federal environmental regulations.

Ocean rangers independently performtechnical work as Crowley representativesin monitoring the performance of LCPV(Large Commercial Passenger Vessel) offi-cers and crew concerning their actions tocomply with State of Alaska and federalmarine discharge and pollution require-ments. Ocean rangers will be responsible forobserving and detecting suspected violationsand assisting in investigations of suspectedviolations for enforcement actions in accor-dance with the ADEC Enforcement Manual.

Ocean rangers must:•Be a U.S. Coast Guard licensed third

assistant engineer or higher•Pass pre-employment question-

naire to include disclosure if the oceanranger applicant has had a DUI/DWI con-viction within the last ten years—majorfelonies would be identified during theTWIC investigation

Once selected for the program,ocean rangers must complete a cus-tomized five-day training course at RTMSTAR Center. This course will includetraining in:

•State of Alaska and ADEC admin-istrative and enforcement procedures

•Inspection and verification of thesystems and procedures onboard largecommercial passenger vessels required tomeet state and federal marine dischargeand pollution requirements

•Occupational safety and health•Maritime security awareness•Professional and ethical conduct All AMO members interested in

applying for this program should immedi-ately send their resumé to:

Roy SundenFaststream Inc. Cruise Division1500 Cordova Rd.Suite 210Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316FAX: (954) [email protected]

AMO members should direct allsalary and benefit inquiries to:

The AMO national executive boardmember for inland waters(954) [email protected]

Kings Point superintendentvisits RTM STAR Center

Long and Bruce Fuchs, department leader of modeling and research, con-ducted a tour of STAR Center for Vice Adm. Stewart and U.S. MerchantMarine Academy Vice President for Development Nick Vendikos.

FaststreamContinued from Page 1

At the same time, Faststream will beattending and marketing at Gastech 2008 inBangkok, the largest gas conference in theworld. The conference is well attended byinternational owner/operators in the energytransportation trades, and Faststream will bepromoting the employment of Americanofficers through its agreement with AMOwith companies to which an Americanunion would not traditionally have access.

“Gastech is a strong potential sourceof seagoing employment in the LNGtrades,” Johnson said. More information isavailable online at www.gastech.co.uk.

Following Gastech, representativesof AMO, Faststream and RTM STARCenter will be attending the ConnecticutMaritime Association’s Shipping 2008

international conference. Working together,they will be able to meet directly with com-pany representatives and discuss the advan-tages of hiring AMO officers, who are well-experienced and already have access toestablished and sound benefit programs andthe most comprehensive quality maritimetraining institution in the U.S.

While AMO cultivates new opportu-nities for it membership in internationalseagoing trades, and in shoreside employ-ment in the U.S. and international maritimeindustries, the union will maintain its driveand dedication in expanding existing jobbases in U.S. commercial, military sealiftand government charter fleets.

“Our commitment to the U.S. fleetand our leadership in American maritimepolicy will not waver,” said the AMOnational president. “This is simply a newavenue of expansion for AMO and ofopportunity for the membership.”

AMO members Greg Stuart (class of 1987) and John Evans (class of 2000)greet U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. JosephStewart at a South Florida Kings Point Alumni Association function held March4 in RTM STAR Center at AMO headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla.

Brian Long, director of STAR Center in Dania Beach, demonstrates thecapabilities of the 360-degree bridge simulator for Vice Adm. Stewart.

American Maritime Officer • 3March 2008

Membership report from the AMO National Executive Board meetings

In my opinionBy Susan McKenna

From February 5 to 8, 2008, I wasprivileged to be an AMO member observerduring the AMO Executive Board andAMO Plans Board of Trustees meetings. Ihave been a member of AMO for manyyears and previously a member of SIU.

Prior to the onset of the meetings, Ithought that I was aware of most of thehighlights of the inner workings of ourunion. I have used the Medical Plan. I aminvested in a 401(k) and Pension Plan, andI attend classes and have upgraded all ofmy deep-sea licenses at the STAR Center.

I could not have believed how muchgoes on during these meetings and howcompletely transparent and open the meet-ings are. I have learned how hard the exec-utive board members and the members atlarge work on a daily basis at making AMOthe strongest maritime officers’ union in thecountry. This union is complex and con-trols millions of dollars. This is serious

business.The lobby-

ing which goes onin Washington,D.C., for our jobsis done by mem-bers and staff whohave spent yearsand years buildingrelationships withthe political par-ties, and have

probably been the least understood. Howmany members think about the VPAF? Doyou know how it works? It is so importantto support it.

Our Medical, Pension and 401(k)Plans are very well funded. The people incharge of these departments are also wellversed in their responsibilities and havebeen diligent in their fiduciary duties. Mosthave been with AMO for years also. ThePlans are in very good shape and gettingbetter all the time.

I met various members of AMO andSIU counsels. Litigation is a constant deter-rent to our strength as a cohesive body.Some litigation is inevitable, but some isfrivolous, and costs us hundreds of thou-sands of dollars unnecessarily. That is justshameful.

As an observer, I attended the meet-ings with the Plans trustees from the vari-ous shipping companies that AMO has con-tracts with. Once again, these folks are peo-ple who have been on the board for manyyears, some upwards of 20 years. The con-tracted companies have a vested interest inwhat goes on in our union. After all, theyare putting their reputation on the line whenthey hire AMO officers. Their name islinked with us, and it is important that weconduct ourselves as professionally as wecan.

The board had the pleasure of beingaddressed by an executive of MMP and bythe president of SIU. Both of these gentle-men spoke of unity, strength, proper leader-ship, integrity and openness in our dealingswith each other and with our members. Itwas very impressive to hear our unionreceive commendation from these other

unions and to hear of their commitment toa strong future for all of us.

AMO is making strides to keep ourmembers employed for the future. Theseare hard times that we are in now. I know. Ilost my job on an LMSR ship. However,after attending these meetings, I feel evenmore encouraged and hopeful that AMO ismoving in the right direction. We havesome hard work ahead, but the dedicationby our board is unquestionable. At presentwe have a board that is made up of a greatmix of newly elected and seasoned mem-bers who are fully committed to positivechange for AMO. In just a year, the resultsof their efforts are coming to fruition. It istruly refreshing! Remember that the indus-try and other unions are keeping a veryclose eye on us. We can’t afford to be irre-sponsible. We can’t afford to be divided.

I would encourage any member ofAMO to attend an Executive Board andPlans trustees’ meeting as an observer. Itwill open your eyes to the highly complexworkings of our union and benefit plans. Ican truly say that I came away from themeetings extremely proud to be a memberof AMO—now, more than ever.

The facts on the new Maersk shipsThe following article is provided to

address questions from AmericanMaritime Officers members regardingvessels recently re-flagged by MaerskLine Limited for the Maritime SecurityProgram.

Despite perceptions to the contrary,Maersk Line Limited (MLL) has notgiven Masters, Mates and Pilots (MMP)or the Marine Engineers’ BeneficialAssociation (MEBA) a single job thatthey did not already have jurisdictionalrights to through existing, valid collectivebargaining agreements. That being said,MLL has acquired companies whoalready had collective bargaining agree-ments (CBAs) in place with these otherofficer associations that MLL was obligedto honor. However, to put things in per-spective, the number of MMP/MEBAjobs have actually decreased significantlysince MLL acquired those companies(U.S. Ship Management went from 19 to15 ships and E-Ships went from six to fiveships).

The Maritime Security Program(MSP) requires militarily and commer-cially useful vessels, as determined by theDepartment of Defense and the MaritimeAdministration, with certain age require-ments depending on the type of vessel.Some companies with vessels enrolled inthe first MSP were “grandfathered” intothe new program with the requirementthat they replace any vessels facing agerestriction by March 31, 2008, with ton-nage that met the new requirements.

Waterman Steamship Company

MLL acquired E-Ships Inc. in2007. E-Ships was the ship managementcompany for Farrell Lines. E-Ships heldcollective bargaining contracts with theMMP/MEBA/SIU and NMU. Two of theships were manned in all licensed posi-tions by MEBA. These two ships werebuilt by the MEBA pension trust and arenow trading as the Maersk Nebraska andMaersk Nevada. These ships wereenrolled in the MSP and were also facingage restriction. DOD requested they bereplaced with roll-on/roll-off tonnage.MLL in-flagged two RO/ROs to replacethe Maersk Nevada and MaerskNebraska. The officers and crews fromthe Maersk Nevada and Maersk Nebraskatransferred to the two RO/ROs.

The ships now trading as theMaersk Nebraska and Maersk Nevadawere under MEBA contract before theMSP existed and are still under MEBAcontract now that they are no longer in theMSP.

The CBA for the officers and crewremains between E-Ships and MEBA forthe MSP RO/ROs. The Maersk Nevadaand Maersk Nebraska are no longer eligi-ble for MSP. The CBA between E-Shipsand the MEBA contains a job preservationclause while the vessels are trading underthe U.S. flag. E-Ships and the MEBA andthe SIU negotiated new wage conditionscommensurate with the non-MSP bulkgrain trade, where the ships are currentlyemployed on a voyage-to-voyage basis.

AMO members with any questionscan contact the AMO National President.

(WSC), an MMP/MEBA contracted com-pany, held MSP Operating Agreements fortwo such “grandfathered vessels”—theBuenos Aires and Santa Cruz. WSC time-chartered the vessels to Farrell Lines, aU.S.-flag liner company formally owned byRoyal P&O Nedlloyd, which was acquiredby Maersk in 2006. Farrell had a contractu-al obligation to WSC to replace the BuenosAires and Santa Cruz by March 31, 2008,with tonnage that meets the new MSPrequirements.

MLL owns the Maersk Alabama andMaersk Arkansas, which are enrolled in theMSP. These vessels replaced two formerUSSM vessels, which were facing MSP agerestriction and as such have MMP/MEBAcontracts.

MLL and WSC reached an agreementwhereby MLL is demise (bareboat) charter-ing the Maersk Alabama and MaerskArkansas to WSC. WSC, the holder of theMSP operating agreements for the BuenosAires and Santa Cruz, is enrolling them assuitable replacement vessels. DOD andMARAD have approved the application.

MLL must therefore replace theMaersk Alabama and Maersk Arkansas andis purchasing and in-flagging two suitablevessels—the Agnette Maersk and ChristianMaersk, to be renamed Maersk Arizona andMaersk California. These names wereselected because they are known to the cus-tomer and in the trading area, and as suchhave commercial value. DOD and MARADhave approved this as well.

The above transaction results in nonew jobs for the MMP/MEBA.

USNS Algoldelivers forU.S. troopsin rapidactivation

The fast sealift ship USNS Algoldeparted Wilmington, N.C., in earlyFebruary carrying about 66,000 squarefeet of Marine Corps cargo destined forAfghanistan and more than 50 mine-resis-tant, ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs)destined for Iraq, Military SealiftCommand reported in Sealift.

The Algol, operated by Maersk LineLimited and manned in all licensed posi-tions by American Maritime Officers,received activation orders Jan. 23. Fourdays later, the ship left its layberth inLouisiana and traveled to South Carolinato load the MRAPs, Sealift reported.

Following that, the Algol arrived inNorth Carolina Jan. 31, and in 18 hoursloaded 600 pieces of equipment, includingvehicles, weapons and containers, Sealiftreported.

The abbreviated timeline for thissealift operation was due to a change inthe deployment orders of the 24th MarineExpeditionary Unit, Sealift reported.

The Algol shipped the cargo for the24th MEU to the United Arab Emiratesand off-loaded in late February. The rapiddelivery ensured the Surface Deploymentand Distribution Command would be ableto deliver the equipment to the Marines inAfghanistan when they needed it, Sealiftreported.

From there, the ship continued to anearby port in the Persian Gulf and deliv-ered the MRAPs, Sealift reported.

The USNS Algol is one of eight fastsealift ships operated by Maersk LineLimited for the Maritime Administrationand manned in all licensed positions byAMO. The other seven ships are the USNSAltair, USNS Antares, USNS Bellatrix,USNS Capella, USNS Denebola, USNSPollux and USNS Regulus.

American Maritime Officers membersThird Mate Phil McFarland, Lt. S.Plunket and Capt. Mike Ryan on thebridge of the USNS Algol with the U.S.Army Central Command G4. Lt.Plunket was serving reserve duty whenthis photo was taken. The Algol depart-ed North Carolina in early February forAfghanistan with a shipment of MarineCorps cargo and mine-resistant,ambush-protected vehicles destinedfor U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Photo courtesy of Capt. Mike Ryan


MEBA Article XX violation on M/V Cort upheld bysubcommittee of AFL-CIO Executive Council

A subcommittee of the AFL-CIOExecutive Council in February upheld theruling of an impartial umpire that theMarine Engineers’ Beneficial Associationviolated Article XX of the AFL-CIOConstitution by manning the M/V Stewart J.Cort for Interlake Leasing III afterAmerican Maritime Officers membersworking aboard the vessel refused to switchunions and were terminated by the compa-ny.

The AFL-CIO has already imposedsanctions on MEBA for its prior and contin-uing violation on the Interlake tug/bargeDorothy Ann/Pathfinder. MEBA violatedArticle XX when it claimed to represent theofficers working aboard that vessel, despitethe fact that AMO was their exclusive col-lective bargaining agent. Under Article XX,one AFL-CIO affiliated union cannotencroach upon the established bargainingand/or work jurisdiction of another affiliat-ed union.

In a report dated Jan. 7, 2008,Impartial Umpire Howard Lesnick deter-mined MEBA had violated Article XX asecond time by manning the M/V Cort forInterlake Leasing III.

MEBA, led by current President DonKeefe, appealed Lesnick’s ruling. A sub-committee of the Federation’s ExecutiveCouncil considered the appeal, and upheldthe ruling of the impartial umpire.

“The determination of the impartial

umpire will go into full force and effect asprovided in Section 13(a) of Article XX,”AFL-CIO President John Sweeney wrote ina letter dated Feb. 13. “President Keefeshall advise me, within 14 days of receipt ofthis letter, what steps MEBA intends to taketo comply with the determination.”

Under sanctions from the AFL-CIO,MEBA no longer has protection or recourseunder Article XX if its fleets are “raided” byrival unions.

AMO represented the officers andstewards aboard the M/V Cort under a full-

bodied agreement with Interlake LeasingIII. The agreement expired in 2006 and wasextended indefinitely while a successoragreement was negotiated. In February2007, Interlake and AMO reached an oralagreement on a contract covering the M/VCort.

Early in March of 2007, Interlakeheld a company meeting at a resort inFlorida and had senior officers of the M/VCort and their families attend. At the resort,Interlake Chief Executive Officer JamesBarker told AMO members they would

have to sever ties with AMO and joinMEBA to keep their jobs on the ship.Interlake offered $10,000 bonuses to someAMO members to switch unions, andoffered others more. In the end, all exceptone refused and were fired by Interlake.

In a letter dated March 5, 2007,Interlake notified AMO that it would notsign the agreed-upon contract.

AMO went on strike against InterlakeLeasing III March 10, 2007, and MEBAsent its members to work on the M/V Cortbehind the AMO and InternationalBrotherhood of Electrical Workers picketline.

In his report on the M/V Cort, Lesnickdetermined MEBA had violated Section 2of Article XX. He cited MEBA’s claim that“AMO could have made a different offerthan the one it made” and “Interlake choseto go another route.” Lesnick pointed outthat “Section 2 seeks to prevent a rival affil-iate from making it possible for an employ-er to ‘go another route’ while remaining aunion shop.”

The Seafarers International Union ofNorth America, of which AMO is an affili-ate, had also appealed a portion of the deter-mination on behalf of AMO, and sought toexpand the ruling for the M/V Cort toinclude a violation of Section 3 of ArticleXX. The Federation subcommittee upheldthe impartial umpire’s determination as itwas written without granting either appeal.

Wisconsin & Michigan sells David Z, Earl W, WolverineWisconsin & Michigan Steamship

Company has sold the three vesselsAmerican Maritime Officers had beenstriking since last year.

Rand Logistics purchased theDavid Z, Earl W and Wolverine fromWisconsin & Michigan. One of the threevessels, the Wolverine, will be transferredfrom U.S. to Canadian registry.

The three vessels had been operatedfor Wisconsin & Michigan by Rand sub-sidiary Lower Lakes Transportation. Thesale was made as Rand posted a $2.2 mil-lion loss in the fourth quarter, comparedwith earnings of $232,000 during thesame period the previous year, accordingto a report in Trade Winds.

The ships themselves contributedjust $1.8 million to Rand’s earnings in the

second quarter of 2007. During the sec-ond quarter of 2006 the ships had con-tributed $5.5 million to Rand revenues,according to Trade Winds.

AMO went on strike againstWisconsin & Michigan in May 2007when contract negotiations stalled duringeconomic re-opener discussions for thethree vessels. AMO’s contract providedthe union the right to strike under thesecircumstances.

Although the company acceptedmost provisions of the AMO patternagreement, it would not sign a contractthat included the union’s standard GreatLakes successor language. This languageensures AMO’s continued jurisdiction ona ship if it is sold.

For officers and stewards working

aboard AMO-contracted vessels on theGreat Lakes, the successor languageensures that, if a vessel is sold, the offi-cers and stewards will continue to workaboard it under AMO contract at the samepay and benefit levels.

“We knew Wisconsin & Michiganwas trying to sell these vessels, and theyeven informed us that our successorclause would make selling the boats diffi-cult,” said the AMO National VicePresident for the Great Lakes. “Our con-tract language is the only reason AMOmembers kept their jobs on these threevessels when Wisconsin & Michiganbought them from Oglebay.

“Under the circumstances, preserv-ing this clause in our pattern agreementbecame more important than ever,” he

said. “Despite the difficulties of a pro-longed strike, we refused to compromisethe interests of the membership and theintegrity of our pattern agreement toobtain a short-term concessionary con-tract with Wisconsin & Michigan.

“With the support of the officersand stewards from these vessels, AMOwas able to protect job and benefit securi-ty for all AMO members sailing on theGreat Lakes,” he said.

Rand Logistics exercised a pur-chase option in the operating charter withLower Lakes Transportation to buy thethree 20,000-ton vessels, according toTrade Winds. Rand subsidiary GrandRiver Navigation paid a total of $20 mil-lion for the three vessels, which were allbuilt in the early 1970s.

Federal budget proposal for fiscal year 2009 would cutfunding for critical Great Lakes dredging operations

The Bush administration’s $3.1 tril-lion budget request for fiscal year 2009would cut funding for the maintenance ofGreat Lakes maritime infrastructure, includ-ing dredging, by 35.5 percent.

The proposed reduction in the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers budget comes at atime when water levels on the Great Lakesare at near-to-record lows. Combined withyears of inadequate funding for dredgingoperations, now shallow harbors and chan-nels are forcing the fleet of Great Lakes bulkreduce their loads significantly on each voy-age.

The Great Lakes Maritime Task Forcewarned that chronically declining cargomovement on the lakes will result in a far-reaching economic impact throughout theregion. The dredging crisis has placed atremendous burden on the Great Lakes

waterborne transportation system, markedlyreducing its efficiency and increasing sup-ply-chain costs.

Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the Transportation andInfrastructure Committee, criticized theadministration’s budget proposal for trans-portation projects, remarking it presents lit-tle that is new, and much that is disappoint-ing.

“We got the same old, stale propos-als—the same neglect of our nation’s infra-structure needs,” he said.

Rep. Oberstar was the principal spon-sor of the Water Resources DevelopmentAct of 2007 and spearheaded theCongressional effort to successfully overridethe President’s veto of the legislation andenact it into law.

Among other things, the Water

Resources Development Act directs the gov-ernment to expedite dredging operations torestore Great Lakes navigational featuresand connecting channels to project depths.The law authorizes approximately $23 bil-lon worth of studies and construction pro-jects by the Army Corps of Engineers.

However, the administration’s 2009budget request seeks only $89.3 million forGreat Lakes dredging. This compared withthe nearly $140 million approved byCongress and the President in 2008.

“The Great Lakes have been plaguedby inadequate funding for maintenance fordecades,” said the AMO National ExecutiveVice President, who serves as first vice pres-ident of the Maritime Task Force. “Somevessels were forfeiting 15 percent of theircarrying capacity by the end of 2007. For a1,000-foot-long vessel, that’s more than

10,000 tons of cargo. We thought we hadturned the corner with the increase in dredg-ing funds for 2008 that our Congressionaldelegation won after much hard work. It istotally irresponsible for the administration topropose any cut in Great Lakes maintenancefunds at this or any foreseeable time.”

Cargo movement on the Great Lakesand St. Lawrence Seaway can approach 250million tons per year, the Task Force report-ed. The Army Corps of Engineers acknowl-edged it needs more than $215 million toclear the backlog of dredging projectsthroughout the Great Lakes navigation sys-tem.

“Any reduction in the Corps dredgingbudget for the lakes would be a doublewhammy of the worst kind,” said Patrick J.

The Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) sent its members to workfor Interlake Leasing III on the M/V Stewart J. Cort behind the AMO andInternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers picket line last year.

See Dredging � Page 5


Great Lakes

DredgingContinued from Page 4

O’Hern, president of the Great LakesMaritime Task Force, and vice president ofBay Shipbuilding Company. “The Lakes arealready suffering with extremely low waterlevels.

“An adequately-funded maintenanceprogram doesn’t solve the problem, but itcertainly helps offset the impacts of fallingwater levels,” O’Hern said. “Now isabsolutely the worst imaginable time for anyreduction in Great Lakes dredging funds.”

James Weakley, second vice presidentof the Task Force and president of the LakeCarriers’ Association, pointed out that themoney for dredging operations is availablein the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.

“Instead of cutting dredging funds, theAdministration must establish a Great Lakesnavigation improvement fund in this andfuture budgets,” Weakley said. “Unless weare funding the Great Lakes marine trans-portation system with $170 million a year,we are contributing to its decay and puttingAmerican manufacturers and power produc-ers at a competitive disadvantage.

“Dredging of deep-draft ports andwaterways is funded by a tax on cargomovement, yet the Harbor MaintenanceTrust Fund has a surplus of more than $3.5billion and continues to grow,” he said. “It’stime to apply those trust fund dollars to theirintended purpose. If we don’t restore thelakes navigation system to project dimen-sions, the industry will not be able to meetthe needs of commerce.”

AMO area informational meetings: a tradition of serviceDuring the 2008 Great Lakes area

meetings, American Maritime Officersmembers received a thorough briefing ondevelopments with the union and AMOPlans over the past year and participated indiscussions of issues currently facing AMOand its membership.

The series of Great Lakes area meet-ings are held each year in Tampa, Fla.; GreenBay, Wis.; Duluth, Minn.; Traverse City,Mich.; Alpena, Mich.; Cleveland/Ashtabula,Ohio; and Toledo, Ohio. The various loca-tions of the Great Lakes area meetings pro-vide opportunities for AMO members whodo not live near AMO offices in Toledo,Dania Beach or Brooklyn, and are not easilyable to attend regular AMO membershipmeetings, to receive comprehensive reportson union affairs and developments with ben-efit plans, as well as to have any questionsanswered directly by the administration ofAMO and the directors of AMO Plans.

The meetings were led by the AMOnational vice president for the Great Lakes,and included a presentation on all majordevelopments with the AMO fleet, as well asthose within the industry that affect AMO-manned vessels. Among other things, hereported the shipping companies’ orderbooks for the upcoming season are full andactivation of the entire AMO-manned GreatLakes fleet is anticipated.

Also attending, making presentationsand answering questions at the area meetingswere the AMO national president—who hadalso attended and addressed the 2007 GreatLakes area meetings—the AMO nationalsecretary-treasurer and the AMO nationalexecutive vice president, who participates inthe meetings each year.

AMO Director of GovernmentRelations Mike Murphy addressed the areameetings, discussing the status of federalpolicies and regulations that affect American

mariners working in all trades.AMO Plans Executive Director Steve

Nickerson made presentations at each areameeting this year, as he has in the past.Nickerson provided a detailed report on thestrong financial and operational status of thebenefit plans, provided an overview of thepotential impact and complex ramificationsof the Pension Protection Act for AMO Plansparticipants—the exact effect of which AMOPlans is still working to gauge—and fieldedquestions from members on AMO benefits.

Larry Goldstock, a vice president withSmith-Barney whose investment team man-ages the AMO 401(k) Plan and MoneyPurchase Benefit, discussed the thriving stateof these benefit plans, the immediate effect ofthe recent downturn in the market and thelong-term outlook for market investments.

Attorney Mike Reny of the AMOCoast Guard Legal Aid Program discussedthe program’s cost-free coverage for AMOmembers and the benefits it provides. Renyalso reminded AMO members to apply fortheir Transportation Worker IdentificationCredential as soon as possible.

Based on the proven benefit to themembership provided by the annual GreatLakes area meetings, the union hasexpanded the tradition to include areainformational meetings for AMO mem-bers in all sectors in various locationsaround the nation. The first series washeld in 2007 and included Baltimore, Md.;Portsmouth, Va.; New Orleans, La.;Houston, Texas; Oakland, Calif.; Tacoma,Wash.; and South Portland, Maine.

AMO members attend the area informational meeting in Toledo, Ohio.

AMO members attend the Great Lakes area meeting in Duluth, Minn.

AMO members train at RTM STAR Center, Toledo

American Maritime Officers mem-bers working for AmericanSteamship Company and complet-ing Bridge Resource Managementat RTM STAR Center in Februarywith instructor Larry Reimer includ-ed Ralph Yanik, Scott Powell, BarryProsak, Dan Fischer and JohnSarns, here with Helmsmen MikeLarson and Orville Hill.

American Maritime Officers memberSteve Yogler practices administer-ing injections during the MedicalPerson In Charge course at RTMSTAR Center in Toledo, Ohio, withInstructor Sheila Hayes in February.

American Maritime Officers mem-bers completing Basic Welding atRTM STAR Center in Toledo, Ohio,in February with Instructor BobWoda were Ralph Gittinger, TimO’Connell, Jim Mayhew, RodneyHalterman and Gary Brannon.


American Tern, Gianella deliver in Deep Freeze ‘08The M/V American Tern and ice-

strengthened tanker USNS Lawrence H.Gianella in February completed the annu-al re-supply mission to the NationalScience Foundation’s McMurdo Stationin Antarctica for Operation Deep Freeze2008.

The American Tern is operated byAPL Maritime Limited and the USNSGianella is operated by Ocean Ships Inc.Both ships are manned in all licensedpositions by American Maritime Officers.

The Gianella arrived at McMurdo’sice pier Jan. 28 and delivered nearly 6 mil-lion gallons of fuel to power the station’sgenerators, vehicles, helicopters and researchboats. The Gianella departed Feb. 3.

The American Tern arrived Feb. 8,and 12 million pounds of equipment andsupplies were offloaded for the station’s1,500 researchers and support personnel.

“Without the cargo delivered by ourships each year, McMurdo would not beable to function,” said Rick Appling ofMilitary Sealift Command’s SealiftLogistics Command Pacific.

MSC vessels deliver more than 70 per-cent of the dry cargo and 100 percent of fuelthat is taken to the continent each year.

Equally important is the backhaulcargo from Antarctica. This year, nearly 5million pounds of cargo, ranging from icecore samples to the waste that McMurdoStation has accumulated over the pastyear, were loaded onto American Ternbefore it departed.

Additionally, fuel was successfullytransferred to the Swedish icebreakerOden, which arrived in the area inadvance of the two MSC ships and brokea channel through about 18 miles of icethat blocked the ships’ access toMcMurdo.

Rep. Taylorto receiveSalute toCongressAward

The Propeller Club has selectedCongressman Gene Taylor (D-MS) toreceive the Salute to Congress Award for2008. The award will be presented April 29.

Rep. Taylor was selected for the 2008award for his strong and consistent supportof the U.S. maritime industry. The awardceremony honoring Rep. Taylor will beattended by members of Congress,Executive Branch officials, maritime indus-try leaders and members of the PropellerClub of the United States.

Rep. Taylor, of Bay St. Louis, servedin the Coast Guard Reserve from 1971 to1984 as the skipper of a search and rescueboat. He received the commandant’s letterof commendation for fire fighting, and a let-ter of commendation for saving the life of acrew member.

Prior to his election to Congress in1989, he served as a member of the Bay St.Louis City Council and the MississippiState Senate.

In the U.S. House of Representatives,Rep. Taylor serves on two major commit-tees, the House Armed Services Committeeand the House Transportation andInfrastructure Committee.

USNS Gianella fuels operations atMcMurdo Station for another yearBy Capt. Robert Lee

February 21, 2008

The USNS Lawrence H. Gianellais now returning to the U.S. after partici-pating in Operation Deep Freeze 2008.The crew of the Gianella brought down 6million gallons of fuel that will keep theU.S. operations at McMurdo Base andthe South Pole station running for anoth-er year.

The pack ice was very thick thisyear and never opened completely untillate February. Also, the Southern Oceanstorms were active, as usual, serving up30-foot seas almost daily. The conditionswere harsh, but the AMO-SIU crew wasup to the task. Some appeared a bit greenaround the gills coming through thestorm belt of the Southern Sea, but that’sexpected in the roughest ocean of theworld. None complained and all contin-ued to do their job in a very professionalmanner.

This was the first such trip formany in the crew and their eyes werewide open as we pulled into the ice chan-nel that was full of penguins, orcas,whales and seals. Upon arriving atMcMurdo Station, the hectic schedule ofdischarging cargo, refueling other ves-sels, cleaning tanks, loading storm ballastand giving ship tours to scientists andlocal workers all occurred efficiently andwithout incident.

When you venture to Antarctica bysea, your mind always contemplates theexperiences the early explorers enjoyed,or just endured. You consider the bone-chilling experience of surfing down 30foot seas in 33-degree water, with 45

knots of wind trying to blow the rigging offthe bare poles of a large square rigger. Allthe while, a helmsman struggles against thehydraulics of it all, and a captain fears theicebergs surely hidden in the cool fog. Theywere truly iron men and wooden ships.

The soft sweep of the radar and click-ing of the gyro repeater remind me howmuch things have changed. Today much ofthe iron is in the ship and her machinery,

but I still see some iron in their eyes afterpulling lines in a blizzard, wrenching outthe Gieslinger, hand-steering for daysthrough the ice or putting out meals in arolling galley—a job well done, indeed.

Capt. Robert Lee is master of theUSNS Gianella, which is operated byOcean Ships Inc. for Military SealiftCommand and manned in all licensedpositions by American Maritime Officers.

The AMO and SIU crew aboard the USNS Lawrence H. Gianella duringOperation Deep Freeze 2008 included Capt. Robert Lee, Ice Pilot Robert Mills,Chief Mate Patrick Rathbun, Second Mate James Cunningham, Third MateAmanda Roberson, Third Mate Timothy Beaugard, Bosun Trevorous Ellison,Assistant Bosun James Hall, Assistant Bosun Yves Marcel Goiset, AssisstantBosun Clifton Doonis, Assisstant Bosun Stag Rye, Assisstant Bosun RonaldWilliams Jr., Chief Engineer George Arsenault, First Assisstant EngineerCasey Cooper, Third A.E. Jamie Landeira, Pumpman Darrell McDonald,QMED James Summers, QMED Lamar Parker, DEU Victor Stewart, DEUEnrique Nunez, Steward Mary Brayman, Chief Cook Alfonsa Eligio, GSU AliSalim, GSU Regina Flores Miguel, Engine Cadet David Hume, Deck CadetLaura Ladd and SIU Apprentice Christopher Shivalier. Photo courtesy of Capt.Robert Lee

At left: The USNS Gianella dis-charges cargo and refuels theresearch vessel Nathanial Palmerduring Operation Deep Freeze 2008.

At left: The American Tern en routeto McMurdo Station

Photo courtesy of Michael Thomas

Above: The Gianella pitches into ahead sea in the Southern Ocean dur-ing Operation Deep Freeze 2008.

Below: Orcas swim alongside theUSNS Gianella.

photos courtesy of Capt. Robert Lee

depended on thewaterways for per-sonal and commer-cial transportation.Mount Vernon’sexports of wheat,whiskey and fish,as well as importsof finished andm a n u f a c t u r e dproducts, move byship to and fromother parts of

Virginia, the other colonies/states, andabroad. If one wanted to visit another plan-tation or nearby town, it was usually easierand faster to travel via boat. Simply put,without marine transportation there was noAmerica.

The significance of the maritimeindustry was underscored when Washingtonwas elected President. The new capital wasNew York, then as now a major shippingcenter. On April 30, 1789, Washingtonboarded a ceremonial barge at Elizabethport,New Jersey, for his triumphant entrance toManhattan Island via a harbor filled withmerchant vessels of all sorts firing salutes tothe new President. The celebration wasorganized in part by The Marine Society ofthe City of New York. Six years earlier,Washington had become a member of TheMarine Society, declaring he was “extreme-ly happy in becoming a member of theirhumane and excellent institution.” Try find-ing a merchant ship anywhere near a modernday Presidential Inauguration in the City ofWashington!

More important is what Washingtonand the first Congresses did once theyassumed office. Some of the first mattersthey dealt with directly pertained to theAmerican maritime industry; in fact, six ofthe 26 laws enacted by the First Congress inits first session were maritime-related. Thispreoccupation with maritime matters is evenmore impressive given that the FirstCongress also had to deal with a multitudeof important issues, such as establishing the


Maritime Washington

USNS Seay responds to savefour lives in Straits of Gibraltar

The large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off vesselUSNS Seay Feb. 9 provided critical support in the res-cue of four people from a fishing boat in harsh weath-er in the Straits of Gibraltar.

At 0050, the 950-foot military cargo ship wasnotified by the Tarifa Rescue Coordination Center(RCC) in Tarifa, Spain, that a small craft had issued adistress signal and was in need of assistance. The Seayturned to the vessel’s last known position, and at 0112a small wooden fishing vessel was sighted. Theweather included winds of 25 to 25 knots, with gustsof up to 45 knots, and nine to 12 foot seas, Capt. TomMadden, master of the USNS Seay, reported.

The approximately 25-foot boat had four pas-sengers onboard—three adults and one child. Over thenext hour, the Seay maneuvered to shield the vesselfrom high winds until a rescue craft from the TarifaRescue Coordination Center arrived to pick up thefour passengers from the boat.

“The rescue boat made contact with the Seay at0151,” Capt. Madden reported. At “0200 to 0208, therescue boat came around the windward to the leewardside of the Seay, and even with the small boat lit up bythe search light and maxi-beam, they had a tough timegetting a visual on them. By 0210, the rescue boat wasalongside the craft and the personnel transfer wasdone.

“The crew performed flawlessly,” Capt.Madden said. “The bridge team of Third Mate TerrySimmons, Second Mate Garrett Winner, Helmsman

Greg Johnson and Lookout Ron Poole did what theywere supposed to do. The deck gang, led by ChiefMate Dave Centofanti, and assisted by Third MateKevin Zeller and Bosun John Wells, rigged all neededgear for personnel recovery and provided needed situ-ational information. The engineroom, led by ChiefEngineer Mo Oliver, First Assistant Engineer PaulEbaugh and Third Assistant Engineer JohnThompson, provided support on such an immediaterequest faster than I have ever seen. They had allaspects of bow thrusters and engines ready for what-ever was needed. The Navy force protection team, ledby GM1 Robert Prine and GM1 Carl Ward, were rightwith the deck gang to assist in the humanitarianaspect, as well as being positioned to provide security,if needed. Their assistance on the bridge was a majorhelp in keeping the information flow fresh.

“The continued praise by the RCC let everyoneaboard know that the Seay had succeeded in the tradi-tion of the sea to aid a fellow seaman in distress,”Capt. Madden said.

The USNS Seay is one of nine LMSRs operatedfor the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command byAmerican Overseas Marine Corp. and manned in alllicensed positions by American Maritime Officers.

The following day, the Seay arrived at port inRota, Spain, to load helicopters and equipmentused by the U.S. Army’s 82nd Combat AviationBrigade in Afghanistan. The equipment is beingredeployed to the U.S.

By Maritime Administrator SeanConnaughton

Every year on President’s Day, theMount Vernon Ladies’Association opens thedoors of Mount Vernon, waives admissionfees and stages a daylong celebration of thelife and achievements of our first President,George Washington. Mount Vernon was thebeloved home of George and MarthaWashington from the time of their marriagein 1759 until Washington’s death in 1799.The manor home and the grounds are metic-ulously kept, and a new visitor center andmuseum have recently been opened. Inaccordance with his will, George and MarthaWashington both rest in peace in the tomb onthe estate, even though a crypt was builtspecifically for him in the U.S. Capitol.

Even though the crowds are unusuallylarge that day and parking usually atrocious,I always try to take my family each year (notalways willingly). I believe that GeorgeWashington, as an individual and a publicservant, is a role model for all of us. He wasa fearless soldier, peerless statesman andexemplary citizen who viewed public ser-vice as an obligation, not a career. Healways responded to the public’s call to ser-vice, but he also longed to return to his fam-ily, farming and pursuing entrepreneurialenterprises. We all have much to learn fromthis man, but especially those of us whoenter public service today.

What I am struck by every year are thelarge crowds that always gather on the southlawn of the Mount Vernon manor house. Nomatter what the weather or time of day, peo-ple are drawn to the breathtaking views ofthe Potomac River. They marvel at thebeauty but have little comprehension of thepractical aspects of the siting of this andother colonial plantations.

In Washington’s time, the waterwayswere the lifeline of America’s economy. Theoverwhelming majority of America’s popu-lation lived along the oceans, rivers, harborsand bays of the Atlantic seaboard. With fewroads and no alternatives, goods and people

AMO members participating in the rescue operation includedChief Engineer Maurice Oliver, Third Mate Kevin Zeller, FirstAssistant Engineer Paul Ebaugh, Third A.E. Chris Beaton,Third A.E. John Thompson, Second A.E. James Silcox andThird Mate Terry Simmons.

Capt. Thomas Madden, master of the USNS Seay, commend-ed the officers and crew for their actions and success in the tra-dition of aiding fellow mariners in distress.

Executive Departments and passing the firsttwelve amendments to the U.S.Constitution, 10 of which are otherwiseknown as the Bill of Rights!

The laws enacted by the FirstCongress, as well as those passed by the sub-sequent Congresses during Washington’stwo terms in office, were precedent setting.They laid the foundation of federal maritimeprograms that were to continue to this day.Among the most important were:

•An Act for the establishment andsupport of lighthouses, beacons, buoys andpublic piers (August 7, 1789)—This provid-ed for a federal system for the constructionand operation of aids to navigation and nav-igation safety; in fact, some of the lighthous-es authorized by the law can still be seen,such as the one at Cape Henry, Virginia.The Coast Guard and Army Corps ofEngineers administer this program today.

•Pilotage—Section 4 of the Act ofCongress of 7 of August 1789 recognizedthe preeminence of state pilotage by explic-itly delegating back to the states the right toregulate pilots.

•Registering and clearing of vessels inthe coasting trade and regulating the coast-ing trade (September 1, 1789) – This act pro-vided for the registering and recording ofvessels, the predecessor of today’s vesseldocumentation program administered by theCoast Guard. This law also established thefirst cabotage rules that led to today’s JonesAct, which restricts interstate maritime com-merce to vessels that are American owned,

American built and American manned.•Government and Regulation of

Seaman in the Merchant Service (July 20,1790)—establishing federal oversight ofmerchant mariners and seafarer protectionand relief, including requiring shippingagreements, stipulating the duty and conductof masters and seafarers, establishing mini-mum food provisions and medical care, andrequiring vessels to be seaworthy. Many ofthese provisions still exist in modern law.

•Establishment of the TreasuryDepartment (September 2, 1789)—The fol-lowing year (1790), Secretary of theTreasury Alexander Hamilton establishedthe U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the fore-runner of the modern day Coast Guard.

•Naval Armament provided (March22, 1794)—Congress ordered the construc-tion and manning of six frigates to protectAmerican merchant ships which were beingharassed by the belligerents in Europe andthe Barbary pirates. This Act was the foun-dation of the United States Navy.

The laws and the programsWashington and the first Congresses enactedwere intended to foster trade and theAmerican maritime industry; they succeed-ed tremendously. In 1790, the percent ofU.S. exports/imports carried by U.S. vesselswas 39.5 percent; by 1796, U.S. vessels car-ried 92.9 percent. The American shipbuild-ing industry became one of the largest in theworld. American ships prowled the world.U.S. international trade increased over 200percent between 1790 and 1796. The coun-try’s economy was booming.

Today, a little over 200 years later, theCity of Washington is home to the programsthat Washington and the first Congressesestablished, and they are constantly underdiscussion and revision. The maritimeindustry continues to play a vital role in theAmerican economy and supports the mili-tary in times of crisis. However, maritimetransportation is no longer on the minds ofmost Americans even though the globaleconomy makes the industry more impor-tant than at anytime since the nation’s found-ing. Maybe more people need to visitMount Vernon to remember!

This article was written expressly forpublication by American Maritime Officers.

Portrait of George Washington byGilbert Stuart, 1795


The Raymond T. McKay Center For Advanced Maritime Officers Training2 West Dixie Highway • Dania Beach, FL 33004 • (954) 920-3222

GENERAL COURSES

ISO 9001:2000 Lead Auditor Training 5 days 28 April

ABS NS5 (“Safe Net” update) 3 days 30 June

Advanced Fire Fighting 5 days 14 April 12 May 16 June 14 July 18 August 15 September 13 October

Advanced Shiphandling for Masters—(No equivalency)Must have sailed as Chief Mate Unlimited

5 days 14 April 28 July 20 October

Advanced Shiphandling for Third Mates—(60 daysseatime equivalency for Third Mates)

10 days 12 May 18 August

Basic Safety Training—All 4 modules MUST be completedwithin 12 months

5 days 23 June 22 September

Personal Survival Techniques (Monday-Tuesday a.m.) 1 1/2 days 23 June 22 September

Personal Safety & Social Responsibility (Tuesday p.m.) 1/2 day 24 June 23 September

Elementary First Aid (Wednesday) 1 day 25 June 24 September

Fire Fighting & Fire Prevention (Thursday-Friday)—Notrequired if “Combined Basic & Advanced Fire Fighting” com-pleted within 12 months

2 days 26 June 25 September

Basic Safety Training -Refresher 3 days 25 June 24 September

Bridge Resource Management Seminar 3 days 28 May

Fast Rescue Boat 4 days 31 March 5 May 14 July 29 September

GMDSS 10 days 2-Jun

Integrated Bridge System/Podded Propulsion 5 days 2 June 22 September

Proficiency in Survival Craft (Lifeboat) 4 days 28 April 25 August

Tankerman PIC DL - Classroom 5 days 31 March 16 June 25 August

Tankerman PIC DL - Simulator 10 days 28 April

Tankerman PIC LNG 8 days 7 April 2 June 21 July 15 September 20 October

LNG Simulator Training 5 days 12 May 7 July 11 August 6 October

LNG Addendum to SIGTTO Standards 1 day 17 April 12 June 1 August 25 September 30 October

Train The Trainer—Requires after hours homework 5 days 3 March 31 March 28 July 27 October

Vessel/Company/Port Facility Security Officer 3 days 27 May 23 July 3 September 15 October

Visual Communications (Flashing Light)—test only 1 days Please call

ENGINEERING COURSES

Electrical, Electronic, Control Engineering 4 weeks 9 June 8 September

Engine Room Resource Management 5 days 2 June 6 October

Environmental Awareness (includes Oily Water Separator) 3 days 21 April 19 May 25 June 13 August 20 October

Gas Turbine Endorsement 10 days 5 May 18 August 27 October

High Voltage Safety Course (Classroom) 3 days 19 May 28 July 15 October

Steam Crossover 4 weeks 7 July

MSC TRAINING PROGRAM—includes self-study courses Afloat Environmental Protection Coordinator, Anti-Terrorism Level 1 and Crew Endurance Management (see below).Additional courses, including Marine Sanitation Devices and Water Sanitation Afloat will be included soon.

CBRD Orientation 1 day 22 May 24 July 25 September

Damage Control 2 days 24 April 26 June 28 August 23 October

Heat Stress Afloat / Hearing Conservation Afloat 1 day 21 April 27 May 16 June 14 July 15 September

Helicopter Fire Fighting 1 day 22 May 11 August

ICODES Training—For Masters/Chief Mates aboard MARADships and others chartered by MSC. Follows deck upgradecargo class

1 day Please call

Medical PIC Refresher—Note: Not MSC approved. 3 days 19 May 27 August

Small Arms - Initial & Refresher Training 3 days 21 April 19 May 23 June 21 July 25 August 22 September

MARAD TRAINING PROGRAM—(11 day package composed of the courses below) Students will be nominated and assigned by their contracted company and shall attend all 11days. Any places not taken by the contracted companies shall be made available to the membership on a chronological order basis.

Small Arms Training (Initial & Refresher) 3 days 7 April 5 May 9 June 7 July 11 August 8 September

Elementary First Aid 1 day 10 April 8 May 12 June 10 July 14 August 11 September

Drug Collector Training 1 day 11 April 9 May 13 June 11 July 15 August 12 September

Breath Alcohol Test Collector 1 day 12 April 10 May 14 June 12 July 16 August 13 September

Advanced Fire Fighting 5 days 14 April 12 May 16 June 14 July 18 August 15 September

MEDICAL COURSES

Elementary First Aid—Note: Prerequisite for Medical CareProvider within preceding 12 months

1 day 22 April 17 June 15 July 16 September 14 October

Medical Care Provider—Note: Prerequisite for MedicalPerson In Charge within preceding 12 months. Please faxEFA certificate when registering

3 days 23 April 18 June 16 July 17 September 15 October

Medical Person In Charge—Note: Please FAX MedicalCare Provider certificate when registering

5 days 28 April 23 June 21 July 22 September 20 October

Urinalysis Collector Training 1 day 5 May 25 August 29 September 27 October

Breath Alcohol Test 1 day 6 May 26 August 30 September 28 October

RADAR COURSES

Radar Recertification 1 day 18 April 19 May 12 June 3 July 8 August 15 September 10 October

ARPA 4 days 2 September

Radar Recertification & ARPA 5 days Please Call

ECDIS 5 days 5 May 29 September

Original Radar Observer Unlimited 5 days 25 August

SELF-STUDY CD & ONLINE PROGRAMS—Available for use when attending other approved classroom courses

Afloat Environmental Protection Coordinator (CD) Anti-Terrorism Level 1 (Online) Crew Endurance Management (CD)

DoT - Hazardous Materials Transportation Training (CD) Prudent Mariner’s Guide to Right Whale Protection (CD)


The Raymond T. McKay Center For Advanced Maritime Officers’ TrainingOne Maritime Plaza • Toledo, Ohio 43604 • (419) 255-3940

DIESEL ENDORSEMENTCourse Length—23 DaysApril 21 September 8

BASIC SAFETY TRAININGCourse Length—One WeekApril 14, 21 June 16, 23 August 18, 25

PROFICIENCY IN SURVIVAL CRAFTCourse Length—Four DaysMay 27 July 21 September 2

ECDIS/ECPINSCourse Length—Three Days (Monday-Wednesday)Call for scheduled courses

8.5-HOUR ELEMENTARY FIRST AID/CPRCourse Length—One Day (prerequisite for 24-hour MCP)April 28 June 30 September 2

24-HOUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDERCourse Length—Three DaysApril 29 July 1 September 3

40-HOUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDERCourse Length—One WeekMay 5 July 7 September 8

CBRDCourse Length—One DayCall for scheduled courses

VESSEL/COMPANY/PORT SECURITY OFFICERCourse Length—Three DaysJune 9 September 15 December 8

PERSONAL SAFETY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYCourse Length—4 HoursApril 16, 23 June 18, 25 August 20, 27

RFPNW (Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch)Course Length—One DayCall for scheduled courses

STCW DECK OFFICER REFRESHERCourse Length—Three DaysApril 7 September 29

FIRE PREVENTION & FIRE FIGHTINGCourse Length—Two DaysApril 17, 24 June 19, 26 August 21, 28

BASIC WELDINGCourse Length—10 DaysJuly 7 December 1

Officer in charge of a navigational watch: Successful com-pletion of this program will satisfy the training requirements forSTCW certification as third mate and second mate on vesselsof 500 or more gross tonnage (ITC)

ELECTRONIC NAVIGATIONCourse Length—Five DaysMarch 31 July 7

BASIC SHIPHANDLING AT OPERATIONAL LEVELCourse Length—Five DaysApril 21 July 21

CARGO HANDLING AND STOWAGECourse Length—Five DaysApril 7 July 14

SHIP CONSTRUCTION AND STABILITYCourse Length—Five DaysApril 14 July 28

TERRESTRIAL NAVIGATIONCourse Length—Two WeeksApril 28 August 4

METEOROLOGYCourse Length—Five DaysJune 2 September 8

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND SARCourse Length—Four DaysMay 27 September 2

WATCHKEEPINGCourse Length—10 DaysMay 12 August 18

CELESTIAL NAVIGATIONCourse Length—Two WeeksJune 9 September 15

MAGNETIC & GYRO COMPASSCourse Length—Three DaysJune 23 September 29

ARPA CERTIFICATIONCourse Length—Four Days (Monday-ThursdayApril 8 May 20 June 30

ORIGINAL RADAR CERTIFICATIONCourse Length—Five DaysMay 12 June 23 August 4

RADAR RECERTIFICATIONCourse Length—One DayApril 4, 7, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28 May 2, 5, 9, 16, 19, 30June 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 27 July 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28

RECERT & ARPACourse Length—Five DaysApril 7 May 19 August 11

BRIDGE RESOURCE MANAGEMENTThree-Day Course—Open To All Deck OfficersApril 14 June 16 August 4

FAST RESCUE BOATCourse Length—Four DaysJune 2 July 28 September 8

GMDSSCourse Length—10 DaysApril 28 July 7 November 10

ADVANCED SHIPHANDLING FOR THIRD MATESCourse Length—Two WeeksJune 9 October 27

40-HOUR ABLE SEAMANCourse Length—One WeekMay 19 July 14 August 25

MARLIN SPIKECourse Length—One DayJuly 25 October 24

ELEMENTARY FIRST AID/CPRCourse Length—One DayApril 14, 21 June 16, 23 August 18, 25

PERSONAL SURVIVAL TECHNIQUESCourse Length—12 HoursApril 15, 22 June 17, 24 August 19, 26

DECK LICENSE UPGRADE: SECOND OFFICER TO CHIEF MATE / MASTER—Successful completion of this program will satisfy the training requirements forSTCW certification as Master or Chief Mate on vessels of 500 or more gross tonnage (ITC). This program will complete ALL 53 Control Sheet assessments.

Cargo Operations 9 days 16 June 15 September

Celestial Navigation—Note: A thorough review andunderstanding of the topics covered in Parts 4 & 5 ofPub. Number 9, The American Practical Navigator(Bowditch), is a prerequisite.

5 days 19 May 28 July

Marine Propulsion Plants 5 days 21 April 28 April 4 August 11 August 15 September 20 October

Shipboard Management 5 days 21 April 12 May 23 June 18 August 25 August 27 October

Upgrade: Advanced Meteorology 5 days 5 May 7 July 29 September 27 October

Upgrade: Navigation 10 days 7 April 12 May 9 June 21 July 8 September 13 October

Upgrade: Shiphandling at the Management Level 10 days 28 April 14 July 1 September 6 October

Upgrade: Stability—Note: It is recommended that chap-ters 1-13 in the book Stability and Trim for the Ship’sOfficer be reviewed prior to attending this course

5 days 2 June 25 August 6 October

Watchkeeping 1 (Bridge Resource Management)—Note: Watchkeeping Weeks 1 and 2 MUST be completedwithin 12 months of each other.

3 days 4 June 6 August 24 September

Watchkeeping 2 (COLREGS)—Note: WatchkeepingWeeks 1 and 2 MUST be completed within 12 months ofeach other.

5 days 9 June 11August 29 September

The Raymond T. McKay Center For Advanced Maritime Officers Training2 West Dixie Highway • Dania Beach, FL 33004 • (954) 920-3222

NOTICE: AMO members planning to attend the union’s RTM Center for Advanced Maritime Officers’ Training/STAR Center in Dania Beach, Florida—either to prepare for license upgrad-ing or to undergo specialty training—are asked to call the school to confirm course schedule and space availability in advance.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: The Raymond T. McKay Centers For Advanced Maritime Officers Training (CAMOT) and Simulation TrainingAssessment and Research Centers (STAR), established under the auspices of the American Maritime Officers Safety and Education Plan, admits students of any race, color, nationaland ethnic origin or sex to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the Centers. It does not discriminate on the basis of race,color, national or ethnic origin or sex in administration of its educational policies, admission policies and other programs administered by the Centers.


Regular monthly membership meetings for AMO will be held during the weekfollowing the first Sunday of every month at 1 p.m. local time. Meetings will beheld on Monday at Headquarters in Dania (on Tuesday when Monday is acontract holiday), on Wednesday in Toledo, and on Friday in Brooklyn. Thenext meetings will take place on the following dates:

DANIA BEACH:TOLEDO:

NEW YORK:

April 7, May 5April 9, May 7April 11, May 9

HEADQUARTERS

DANIA BEACH, FL 330042 West Dixie Highway(954) 921-2221 / (800) 362-0513Tom Bethel, National President ([email protected])José E. Leonard, National Secretary-Treasurer ([email protected])Jack Branthover, Special Assistant to the National President([email protected])FAX: (954) 926-5112Joseph Gremelsbacker, National Vice President, Deep Sea([email protected])Paul Cates, National Executive Board Member At Large([email protected])John Hafner, National Executive Board Member, Inland Waters([email protected])Charles Murdock, National Representative ([email protected])FAX: (954) 920-3257Dispatch: (800) 345-3410FAX: (954) 926-5126Brendan Keller ([email protected])Robert Anderson ([email protected])Member Services: Extension 1050 ([email protected])

PORTS

BROOKLYN, NY 11232652 Fourth Avenue(800) 545-9589Don Nilsson, National Executive Board Member, Deep Sea([email protected])FAX: (718) 965-1766

SAN FRANCISCO / OAKLAND, CA 946071121 7th Street, Second FloorOakland, CA 94607(510) 444-5301 / (800) 362-0513 ext. 5001Daniel Shea, National Executive Board Member At Large([email protected])FAX: (510) 444-5165

TOLEDO, OH 43604The Melvin H. Pelfrey BuildingOne Maritime Plaza(419) 255-3940 / (800) 221-9395FAX: (419) 255-2350Daniel Smith, National Executive Vice President ([email protected])Donald Cree, National Vice President Great Lakes ([email protected])Brian Krus, National Assistant Vice President Great Lakes([email protected])Stan Barnes, National Representative ([email protected])Phillip Kelley, Dispatcher ([email protected])

GALVESTON, TX 7755413730 FM 3005, SUITE 170David Weathers, National Executive Board Member At Large([email protected])(800) 362-0513 ext. 2001 / Mobile: (409) 996-7362

PHILADELPHIA, PA 191482604 S. 4th Street(800) 362-0513 ext. 4001Robert Kiefer, National Assistant Vice President At Large([email protected])FAX: (215) 755-2574

WASHINGTON, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024490 L’Enfant Plaza East SWSuite 7204(202) 479-1166 / (800) 362-0513 ext. 7001Edward Kelly, National Vice President At Large ([email protected])Charles Crangle, Director of Congressional and Legislative Affairs([email protected])Paul Doell, Special Assistant to the National President([email protected])FAX: (202) 479-1188

RTM CAMOT/STAR CENTERS

STUDENT SERVICES/LODGING COURSE INFORMATION2 West Dixie Highway 2 West Dixie HighwayDania Beach, FL 33004 Dania Beach, FL 33004(954) 920-3222 ext.7109 (954) 920-3222 ext.7112(800) 942-3220 ext.7109 (800) 942-3220 ext.7112FAX: (954) 920-3140 FAX: (954) 920-314024 Hours: (954) 920-3222 ext.7999

CAMOT/STAR TOLEDO TRAINING RECORDSOne Maritime Plaza SYSTEM MANAGER:Toledo, Ohio 43604 Lisa Marra(419) 255-3940 (954) 920-3222 ext. 7118 FAX: (419) 255-8833 FAX: (954) 925-5681

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

MARITIME MEDICAL CENTER AMO PLANS2 West Dixie Highway 2 West Dixie HighwayDania Beach, FL 33004 Dania Beach, FL 33004(954) 927-5213 (800) 348-6515FAX: (954) 929-1415 FAX: (954) 922-7539

LEGAL

Joel Glanstein, General Counsel Michael Reny305 Madison Ave. Suite 2240 AMO Coast Guard LegalNew York, NY 10165 Aid Program(212) 370-5100 (419) 243-1105 / (888) 853-4662FAX: (212) 697-6299 Mobile: (419) 346-1485

[email protected]

2008 Resolution (2) of the AMONational Executive Board: Portof Brooklyn Closing

This resolution was adopted by theAMO National Executive Board andapproved unanimously by AMO membersat the March regular monthly membershipmeetings in Dania Beach, Fla., and Toledo,Ohio. No quorum was present for the meet-ing in Brooklyn, N.Y.:

Port of Brooklyn ClosingWHEREAS, the AMO National

Executive Board has become aware of thefact that the monthly membership meetingscannot be held on a regular basis in theConstitutional Port of Brooklyn in the Cityof New York, NY, due to a continuing lackof a quorum, and

WHEREAS, the AMO NationalExecutive Board believes that the designa-tion of a Constitutional Port should only bemaintained where the functions of thisunion can be administered with sufficient

membership participation, andWHEREAS, the AMO National

Executive Board hereby determines thatupon adoption of this resolution, the AMONational Constitution, Article VI, Section2, be amended to provide as follows effec-tive July 1, 2008. Article VI, Section 2, sec-ond sentence, shall state as follows:

“Constitutional Ports shall be locatedin Dania Beach, Florida, and Toledo, Ohio.”

Article VI, Section 2, shall, follow-ing adoption of the amendment set forthabove, states that,

“National Headquarters shall belocated in Dania Beach, Florida.Constitutional Ports shall be located inDania Beach, Florida, and Toledo, Ohio.The functions of this union shall be admin-istered at and by National Headquartersand the Constitutional Ports.”

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED THAT, the AMO NationalExecutive Board hereby proposes, pursuantto Article XXV of the AMO NationalConstitution that the amendment of ArticleII, Section 2, second sentence of the AMONational Constitution be submitted to themembership at regular monthly member-

ship meetings held in the month ofFebruary 2008, and that, if the proposedamendment is adopted it shall be effectiveJuly 1, 2008.

Date: February 5, 2008Adopted: February 5, 2008


To upgrade from second mate tochief mate, unlimited, the U.S. CoastGuard requires that the following sixcelestial navigation practical assessmentcontrol sheets be completed in accor-dance with Coast Guard NationalMaritime Center Policy letter 04-02.

The six control sheets are:•M-1-2A: Ex-meridian Observation•M-1-2B: Meridian Passage

Observation•M-1-2C: Identifying Unknown

Stars•M-1-2D: Selecting Stars or Planets•M-1-2E: Plotting a LOP•M-1-2F: Plotting a Running FixNMC policy letter 04-02 is avail-

able online at:www.uscg.mil/stcw/marpers/pag/04-02.pdf.

The required practical assessmentcontrol sheets may be completed in twoways:

•Complete the sheets onboard aship and have them signed in accordancewith NMC Policy Letter 04-02

•Successfully complete the DeckLicense Upgrade Celestial NavigationCourse at RTM STAR Center—thiscourse includes completion of therequired practical assessments, and anadditional written exam as required byCoast Guard

STAR Center recommends AMOmembers complete the control sheets andhave them signed onboard their vesselswhenever possible, as this is the mostefficient method for meeting the require-ment. The Coast Guard does not requirethat a celestial navigation course be com-pleted, only the practical assessments.

To serve as a shipboard assessor fora practical demonstration of skills, and tosign the control sheets, a mariner must:

•Work aboard the vessel uponwhich the person seeking to upgrade isemployed

•Hold a chief mate’s or master’slicense

•Attest they have read the CoastGuard document “Conducting MarinerAssessments: A Practical Manual ForAssessors”—this document is availableonline at: http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/asses-sorman.pdf

A shipboard assessor who witnesses

a practical assessment must sign theassessment standard (control sheet) andindicate they read and followed the guid-ance in the manual. A shipboard assessorwho has read this document and uses theassessment standard (control sheet) inNMC Policy letter 04-02 will ensure afair, standardized assessment of an offi-cer’s ability to completely perform theassessed task.

For AMO members who take theSTAR Center Deck Upgrade CelestialNavigation class, a thorough review ofthe topics covered in Tab 4 (pages 225-325) of Pub. No 9, The American

Practical Navigator (Bowditch 1995 edi-tion), is a prerequisite. This five-dayCoast Guard certified course is a fast-paced intensive review with minimalinstruction. In order to receive credit forthe practical demonstrations, all six con-trol sheets and a written assessmentrequired by the Coast Guard need to becompleted. The control sheets cannot besigned separately at STAR Center withoutthe course completion certificate.

For more information, contact JerryPannell, director of member training andofficer development, at (800) 445-4522ext. 7507 or [email protected].

Celestial navigation — upgrading to chief mate, unlimited

New Advanced Shiphandling for Masterscourse draws rave reviews from AMO officers

AMO officers completing the newAdvanced Shiphandling for Masterscourse at RTM STAR Center inDania Beach, Fla., with instructorsLarry Reimer (left) and MarkRupprecht (third from right) wereRyan White, Joseph Schwartzstein,Robert Glover and Eric Beecher. Allofficers in the course gave it highmarks and positive feedback, andone member described it like this:“for sailing masters, the mostimportant course one can takeoffered at AMO/STAR Center—agreat confidence building course.Keep in mind a large part of that isdue to the instructors.” The nextcourse is scheduled for April 14.


AAMMOO mmeemmbbeerrss pprroobbee mmooddeerrnn ppiirraaccyy iinn nneeww ddooccuummeennttaarryyA new documentary has been released that explores 21st century

piracy and exposes both the audience and its principals—AmericanMaritime Officers members Michael Rawlins and Bob Duke Jr.—to agroup of pirates operating on the Malacca Straits and the resurgence ofan epidemic in recent years.

The Green Ray Films documentary, “Porampo: Pirates of theMalacca Straits,” was produced and directed by Rawlins, and followsboth Rawlins and Duke through Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia ona search for answers on the elusive subject modern piracy.

The documentary, filmed entirely on location in Southeast Asia,focuses its lens on one of the world’s busiest waterways. As filmpoints out: in the straits and on the streets, piracy is a sub-ject that is avoided by many of its victims. As Rawlinsand Duke discover, officials and residents of the regionare also reluctant to discuss it.

Their journey takes them to Aceh Province inNorthern Sumatra Island, and despite their pursuitof a taboo topic, Rawlins and Duke are able tointerview an ex-Porampo (the Indonesian wordfor pirate).

Their search then leads them to a piratecamp and the filming of an attempted pirateattack on a ship in the straits in infraredlight, as well as interviews with thepirates on the raid.

The documentary citesInternational Maritime Bureau(IMB) statistics, stating in 2003there were 445 reported pirateattacks worldwide, with 21 sailorskilled and 71 missing. Of those, 150were in the Malacca Straits. Thatyear, the straits were considered a“hotspot” of pirate activity, an areawhere crew members on vesselsunder attack may face heavily-armedpirates who board vessels with grappling

hooks from fast boats, seeking a bounty from the ship’s safeand often victimizing mariners.

“At sea, we would get these piracy reports everyday from the Piracy Reporting Center in Kuala

Lumpur,” Rawlins said. “Story after story of crewmembers robbed, beaten and killed in the areas we

went to. And they’re expected to defend them-selves with what, a charged fire hose versus an

AK-47? So I said: ‘someone needs to lookinto this.’ It might as well be me.”

The IMB has reported attacks onships numbered 263 during 2007, com-

pared with the 239 attacks recordedin 2006, based on statistics com-

piled by the Piracy ReportingCenter in Kuala Lumpur.According to the film, it is esti-mated that fewer than 10 percentof pirate attacks are reported toauthorities.

Green Ray Films hasannounced broadcast deals withBelgian and Danish television,and that CanamediaProductions of Toronto isdeveloping a television series,“Pirate Hunters,” based onPorampo. Green Ray alsoannounced an agreement withHistory Channel Malaysia tobroadcast Porampo, and that

an article about the film willappear in an upcoming edition of

Professional Mariner. More information and a trailer

of the film are available online atwww.porampo.com.

Two vessels manned in all licensedpositions by American Maritime Officersassisted in the U.S. Navy’s interception andtracking of a 5,000-pound non-functioningNational Reconnaissance Office satelliteover the Pacific Ocean earlier this month.

The range instrumentation shipUSNS Observation Island provided teleme-try information. The ship, which can moni-tor objects in space, tracked the satelliteand collected data on it both before andafter the missile launch, Military SealiftCommand reported. The ObservationIsland is operated by Maersk Line Limited

AMO officers onboard in support of satellite interceptionfor Military Sealift Command (MSC) andmanned in all licensed positions by AMO.

The guided missile cruiser USS LakeErie launched the SM-3 missile to interceptthe satellite, MSC reported.

The Sea Based X-band radar plat-form (SBX) was deployed in the area tosupport independently the discriminationand tracking of the destroyed satellite.Other U.S. military sensors and satelliteswere deployed in the area and were alsoused for evaluation of the intercept, theMissile Defense Advocacy Alliance report-ed. The SBX is operated by Interocean

American Shipping Corporation under acharter from the U.S. Missile DefenseAgency and is manned in all licensed posi-tions by AMO.

In late January, the U.S. governmentnotified other nations that the satellite wasunresponsive and would make an uncon-trolled reentry in late February or earlyMarch, MSC reported.

The President decided to bring downthe satellite because of the likelihood thatthe satellite could release hydrazine fuelupon impact, possibly in populated areas,MSC reported.

The SBX platform is manned in alllicensed positions by AMO.

U.S. Shipping Partners in Februaryannounced the launch of the tug portion ofits second new articulated tug/barge unit atthe Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. ship-yard in Panama City, Fla.

Outfitting and commissioning of thetug Galveston will take place in the comingmonths and is on schedule. Completion ofthe barge portion of the ATB is proceedingat Manitowoc Marine Group shipyard, andU.S. Shipping expects to take delivery ofthe barge on schedule in August of this year.

The U.S. Shipping fleet includes sixintegrated tug/barges, one product tanker,three chemical tankers and one ATB.American Maritime Officers represents alllicensed officers working in the fleet andrecently secured a new contract with thecompany.

The ATB Freeport/ChemicalTransporter is the first in the series of newATBs being built by U.S. Shipping, and

Tug Galveston launched forsecond new U.S. Shippingarticulated tug/barge unit

entered service in the Jones Act trades inJuly 2007. The company is also building aseries of tankers.

Construction began in January on thesecond new tanker in the series being builtfor U.S. Shipping at National Steel andShipbuilding Company in San Diego, Calif.

The 600-foot, 49,000-deadweight-tonproduct carrier is due to be delivered in thesecond quarter of 2009. The ships in theseries will have a cargo capacity of 331,000barrels each, and are designed to carrypetroleum and chemical products in theJones Act trades. The first is slated for deliv-ery in early 2009.

U.S. Shipping has secured chartersfor four of the nine new tankers being built.Two of the charters are with major oil com-panies and the other two are with MilitarySealift Command, replacing two T-5tankers expected to reach the end of theirservice life in 2010.

Seabulk Power delivers PL-480grain cargo for World Food Program

Seabulk Magnachem Chief Engineer Rex kelley (left) and Master HazenDennison with Capt. Boone of the Seabulk Power in Port Sudan

AMO member Capt.Richard Boone, mas-

ter of the SeabulkPower, on a recent

PL-480 grain run, herewith Logistics OfficerLemma Jembere of

the Mombasa office ofthe World Food

Program for Africa

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