M/T Maersk Michigan joins MSP fleet

Volume 40, Number 1 January 2010

Copyright © 2010 American Maritime Officers ■ 2 West Dixie Highway ■ Dania Beach, FL 33004 ■ (800) 362-0513 ■ [email protected]

Private disabilityinsurance forAMO members

Page 4: A new voluntary pri-vate disability insurance pro-gram underwritten by certainunderwriters at Lloyd’s ofLondon is now available to allmembers of AMO. Informationabout the private policy programis published in this edition.

Great Lakes News Maritime SecurityProgram fundedfor fiscal 2010

Page 5: The schedule for the2010 Great Lakes AMO areameetings is in this edition.

2: President Obama inDecember signed an omnibusappropriations bill that, amongother things, provides full fund-ing for the Maritime SecurityProgram for fiscal year 2010and includes $5 million for newTitle XI loan guarantees.

AMO Essentials

STAR Center courseschedule: Pages 8-9

STAR Center registrationapplication: Page 11

AMO directory: Page 10

AMO membership meetingschedule: Page 11

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M/T Maersk Michigan joins MSP fleet

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Congressman David Obey (D-WI),chairman of the AppropriationsCommittee, has praised the Great Lakesmaritime community and theEnvironmental Protection Agency on anagreement that enables new EPA emis-sion standards to be enacted while pre-venting the needless loss of thousands ofjobs in the shipping, steel and miningindustries in the Great Lakes region.

The EPA Dec. 22 finalized new emis-sion regulations for large vessels in U.S.waters. The final regulations incorporate pro-visions made possible by Rep. Obey, Rep.James Oberstar (D-MN) and other membersfrom the Great Lakes Congressional delega-tion. These provisions maintain unprecedent-ed new air quality requirements for the GreatLakes region, while allowing 13 U.S.-flagged steamships to remain in service on

the Lakes and providing flexibility for 13 lak-ers powered by category 3 diesel engines.

Maritime interests throughout theregion hailed the finalization of the EPA reg-ulations with the provisions to accommodatethe Great Lakes vessels.

“This is a victory for Great Lakes ship-ping, the economy and the environment – atrue victory for practical politics,” said AMONational Vice President for the Great Lakes

Don Cree, who serves as president of theGreat Lakes Maritime Task Force. “Theoriginal EPA regulations unintentionallyand unnecessarily would have decimatedshipping, even though these vesselsmove much more cargo with far feweremissions than land-based modes oftransportation.

See EPA Agreement ◆ Page 7

Provisions brokered by leading legislators allow 26 U.S. ships to remain in service

The M/T Maersk Michigan officiallyjoined the Maritime Security Program(MSP) fleet Dec. 28, 2009, after beingselected for the open slot under the manage-ment of Argent Marine Operations Inc., thevessel management and operations unit ofArgent Marine Companies.

Argent will operate the Maersk

Michigan under a bareboat charter fromMaersk Line, Limited. The Maersk

Michigan is a 47,000 DWT 182-meter dou-ble-hulled medium-range tanker built in2003. Argent has signed a contract withAmerican Maritime Officers (AMO), whichwill continue to man the ship in all licensedpositions.

“Our new agreement secures morejobs for AMO members in the MaritimeSecurity Program and expands our role insupporting this critical cornerstone of U.S.

maritime policy,” said AMO NationalPresident Tom Bethel. “We are very excitedabout the opportunity to work with ArgentMarine, and we look forward to the contin-ued successful operation of the Michigan as

it joins the MSP fleet.”Argent is best known in the shipping

community for having owned and managedtwo Newport News-built 125,000-cubic-meter liquefied natural gas tankers the com-

pany time chartered to an affiliate of RoyalDutch Shell in the 1990s.

“We are enthusiastic to work with

AMO manningtanker for ArgentMarine in MaritimeSecurity Program

The M/T Maersk Michigan joined the Maritime Security Program fleet Dec. 28. The ship is operated by Argent MarineOperations under a bareboat charter from Maersk Line, Limited, and is manned in all licensed positions by AMO.

See Michigan MSP ◆ Page 7

2 • American Maritime Officer January 2010

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

Dania Beach, FL, and Additional Mailing OfficesPublished Monthly

American Maritime Officers National Executive Board

Thomas Bethel, National PresidentJosé Leonard, National Secretary-TreasurerRobert Kiefer, National Executive Vice PresidentJoseph Gremelsbacker, National Vice President, Deep SeaDonald Cree, National Vice President, Great LakesBrian Krus, National Assistant Vice President, Great LakesMichael Murphy, National Vice President At LargeDaniel Shea, National Executive Board Member At LargeDavid Weathers, National Executive Board Member At LargeJohn Hafner, National Executive Board Member At LargeDonald Nilsson, National Executive Board Member, Deep SeaCharles Murdock, National Executive Board Member, Inland Waters

Representative: Stan Barnes

Editor: Matt BurkeAssistant Editor: Amber LupinContributing Editor: Paul Doell

POSTMASTER—Send Address Changes To:American Maritime Officers

ATTN: Member ServicesP.O. Box 66

Dania Beach, FL 33004

No dues increase in 2010The National Executive Board of

American Maritime Officers has determinedthat a membership dues increase is not nec-essary in 2010.

The board’s unanimous finding wasbased upon its recent review of our union’sfinances with certified public accountantsand the recommendation of the AMOnational secretary-treasurer. The review andthe recommendation are required annuallyunder Article V Section 1(f) of the AMONational Constitution.

Membership dues in AmericanMaritime Officers have been increased onlyfour times in 28 years, and dues rates inAMO remain the lowest among the threemerchant marine officers’ unions.

Our good news about dues is coupledwith an urgent reminder to continue to sup-port the American Maritime OfficersVoluntary Political Action Fund, which isused exclusively to support the electioncampaigns of members of the U.S. Houseof Representatives and the U.S. Senateknown to support the U.S. merchant fleetand the American merchant mariner in alldomestic and international trades. Federallaw does not permit the use of general fundsfor this always-important purpose.

Fraternally,

Tom BethelNational President

AMO VPAF: the next job you save may be your ownBy Tom Bethel

National President

The Amer-ican MaritimeOfficers VoluntaryPolitical ActionFund is known tohave created manyjobs for our union.For example, theMaritime SecurityAct of 1996 wouldnot have clearedCongress had it notbeen for the CapitolHill contacts AMO had developed through thefund over many years. The legislation autho-rized the Maritime Security Program, and itbrought AMO into the international commer-cial liner trades for the first time — whatbegan with four containerships now totals 15MSP vessels manned by AMO engine anddeck officers.

The AMO Voluntary Political ActionFund is also known to have saved jobs heldby AMO members and applicants for AMOmembership. During the mid-1990s war overthe Jones Act, AMO was a leading force inlining up overwhelming bipartisan supportfor the domestic shipping law in the House ofRepresentatives and in the Senate. A five-yeareffort first to repeal and then to amend the1920 statute failed completely, and AMOmembers remained at work aboard hundreds ofdeep-sea, Great Lakes and inland waters mer-chant vessels under the U.S. flag.

In 2009, we saw several examples ofhow effective the AMO Voluntary PoliticalAction Fund is when it comes to saving jobs:

■ The AMO legislative staff participat-ed directly in the emergency strategizing thatled to a Congressional reprieve for 13 steam-powered U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carri-ers from a hasty Environmental ProtectionAgency air emissions rule that would haveended the service lives of these AMO-mannedvessels prematurely in 2012.

■ Two days of discussion betweenAMO and key legislative aides resulted in thecontinued enforcement of the cargo preferencelaw that holds 75 percent of food-aid exportsfinanced by the federal government for U.S.-flagged merchant ships. Several vesselsmanned by AMO engine and deck officers areamong those kept in productive and efficientservice by the cargo preference mandate.

■ Congress and the President approvedfull funding of the Maritime SecurityProgram in fiscal 2010, which began October1. The bills to authorize and appropriate theMSP money were promoted extensively byAMO, and they sailed through the House andthe Senate with little or no challenge.

These current examples confirm one

simple truth — AMO members and appli-cants for AMO membership are at workaboard dozens of deep-sea and Great Lakes ves-sels today because of the American MaritimeOfficers Voluntary Political Action Fund.

In 2010, the AMO Voluntary PoliticalAction Fund will be every bit as critical to theAMO employment base:

■ Just days before Christmas 2009, theEnvironmental Protection Agency was backin view as it adopted tough new Clean Air Actrestrictions on fuel exhaust from U.S.-flaggedocean-going cargo ships operating in U.S.coastal waters. The new rules could forcemany of these vessels out of service and putthe cost of operating others out of reach.

Much of our union’s work on this still-emerging issue will focus on mitigation —limiting, if not eliminating, the threat to U.S.ships and the jobs they provide. AMO and theAmerican maritime community at large havea credible collective case to make here, but theEPA rules will not be redrawn or reconsideredwithout Congressional intervention.

Meanwhile, it is important for every-one in our union to understand that this issuearose in the Executive Branch, not in theHouse or Senate — this is a case of regula-tion run rampant, not a matter of federal law-makers attempting to cripple what remains anextremely important industry. But membersof the House and Senate can step in and maketheir views known to the EPA and to theWhite House.

■ In the weeks ahead, House and Senateconferees will attempt to reconcile health carereform legislation.

The bill approved Christmas Eve bythe Senate includes a 40-percent excise tax onemployer-paid health insurance plans that costat least $23,000 a year for family coverage —a provision that is not included in the billpassed earlier by the House ofRepresentatives.

The AMO Medical Plan does not meetor cross the Senate bill’s financial threshold,so it appeared at the New Year that the excisetax would not apply in our union’s case.However, the Senate bill is 2,000 pages long,so surprises that may lurk within are difficultto detect. Moreover, the numbers can changein House-Senate negotiations.

■ In February 2010, the President willsend Congress his proposed federal budget forfiscal 2011, which will begin next October 1.Our interests in the budget include theMaritime Security Program, the food aidexport program (referred to commonly as“PL-480” or “Food for Peace”) and the appli-cation of cargo preference (funded through theMaritime Administration in the Departmentof Transportation) to the humanitarian ship-ments, the Title XI U.S. merchant ship con-struction loan and mortgage guarantee pro-gram, and defense shipping through Military

Sealift Command and MARAD charter.■ This year, AMO will help press for

an end to the double taxation of importedcargoes that are transshipped by water fromthe U.S. port of entry to other domesticpoints to spur private investment in U.S.-flagged short sea shipping, and we will cap-italize on Congressional interest in ourunion’s recent unique proposal to developnew U.S.-flagged business opportunitiesand create new seagoing jobs for Americanmerchant mariners in offshore energy mar-kets along the Outer Continental Shelf inthe Gulf of Mexico.

As the nation’s largest union of mer-

chant marine officers, American MaritimeOfficers has the largest stake in Washington,where every maritime policy decision — nomatter how seemingly inconsequential — canhelp or hurt. But we cannot serve our union’slegitimate legislative interests without astrong and far-reaching AMO VoluntaryPolitical Action Fund.

I urge every AMO member and appli-cant for AMO membership to participate inthe fund this year to the greatest possibleextent. The record confirms that the AMOVoluntary Political Action Fund works asintended, that it saves jobs that are too oftenat real regulatory or legislative risk.

American Maritime Officer • 3January 2010

The following statement dated

Nov. 30 from the Coalition to Support

P.L. 480 was submitted to Sen. John

Kerry, chairman of the Committee on

Foreign Relations, to be included in the

record of the committee’s Dec. 1 hearing

on the confirmation of Rajiv Shah for

service as the administrator of the U.S .

Agency for International Development

(USAID). The statement was signed by

coalition members A merica Cargo

Transport Corporation, A merican

Maritime Congress, American Maritime

Officers, American Maritime Officers

Service, APL Limited, Hapag Lloyd

USA, LLC, Intermarine, International

Organization of Masters, Mates &

Pilots, Liberty Maritime Corporation,

Maersk Line Limited, Marine

Engineers’ Beneficial A ssociation,

Maritime Institute for Research and

Industrial Development, S eafarer’s

International Union, Transportation

Institute, United Maritime Group and

Waterman S teamship Corporation.

The Coalition to Support P.L.480 is composed of the organizationslisted [above] and represents Americanlabor, industry associations, and U.S.-flag ship operators that transport U.S.food aid, carry military cargo in peaceand war, and provide jobs, pay taxes,and create economic activity here athome that ripples out far beyond ourcoalition.

We have worked closely with

Coalition comments on crucial roles of P.L. 480 asSenate panel considers confirmation of USAID chief

American agriculture, food processors,and with a number of Private VoluntaryOrganizations to assist the Congress inits crucial efforts to ensure a robustU.S. food aid program.

We also support greatly increasedU.S. foreign aid for sustainable agricul-tural development, helping to addressroot causes of hunger and malnutritionand not just their symptoms. We believeit is timely and important to considernew approaches in foreign aid and adoptthose that prove their worth. The prob-lems our nation and those in need mustaddress are multi-faceted and require amulti-faceted response.

However, we want to emphasizeas well the importance of a continued,major role for P.L. 480 “Food forPeace”, and other U.S.-produced foodaid, in such a multi-faceted response andnot only in emergency situations.

Fifty-five years ago, when P.L.480 was signed into law, the UnitedStates began one of the most generousand successful humanitarian assistanceprograms the world has ever seen. P.L.480 and other complementary U.S. foodaid programs have helped more thanthree billion people in 150 countries,alleviating hunger and promoting eco-nomic development and security. Of allour foreign aid programs, food aid reach-es more people in need in a direct, tan-gible way, clear to both recipients andthe American citizens who provide it.This success, its “people-to-people”

emphasis, and the fact that P.L. 480commodities are grown, processed, andtransported by Americans has meant thatU.S. food aid has enjoyed broad, bipar-tisan support for more than five decades.

This “in kind” composition gener-ates important economic benefits to ournation – jobs in many industries, farmincome, sales for agriculture processors,and revenue for American transportationand ports. It also generates federal,state, and local tax revenues, as well assecondary economic effects, such asfarm equipment purchases and farm fam-ily spending in our broader economy.For these reasons, a strong domesticconstituency for food aid, in good eco-nomic times and bad, has sustainedAmerica’s food aid programs. In the cur-rent recession, where now one out of tenAmericans is unemployed, P.L. 480’sdomestic economic benefits are moreimportant than ever – to jobs whether inagriculture, food processing, maritime,inland transport, or any other sector.

In addition, P.L. 480, because itprovides farm products grown in theUnited States, is a source, clearly visi-ble, of America’s concern and generosi-ty to its recipients. It is also under U.S.control and observation from our heart-land to their hearts.

Furthermore, for decades Americanfarmers have provided a dependablesource of high-quality nutritious food –not always reliably available to local orregional markets. Given the growing

food crisis for many nations, in terms ofprice, availability, and quality, andgiven recent actions by some food-exporting nations to halt food exportswhen domestic shortages occur, thescope and dependability of U.S.-pro-duced food aid in P.L. 480 are vital. Therole of P.L. 480 in a greatly enhancedglobal sustainable agricultural develop-ment and food aid program should beincreased, not diminished.

We also recognize that retainingthe successful P.L. 480 program doesnot mean that it cannot or should not bestrengthened and improved. For exam-ple, the Congress in the FoodConservation & Energy Act of 2008(P.L. 110-246) carefully considered theentire P.L. 480 “Food for Peace” pro-gram and passed a number of changesand reporting requirements, all targetedat reforming and improving the procure-ment, efficiency, delivery, and manage-ment of P.L. 480. These include admin-istrative efficiencies, and greater localwarehousing and prepositioning. Fromthe outset, we have supported suchchanges and reforms, in some cases nowalready underway.

We also stand ready to work withCongress and the Administration in afurther cooperative effort to develop andimplement other improvements to helpachieve a more efficient and strength-ened P.L. 480 program as a pillar ofAmerica’s generosity and a successful,bipartisan foreign policy.

Feasibility of ‘100 percent cargo scanning’ mandatequestioned by Sen. Rockefeller, secretary of DHS

In a December hearing, SenateCommerce Committee Chairman JohnRockefeller (D-WV) said Congress mustreconsider its mandate to scan all U.S.-bound containers for radioactive material.

“I don’t think we have any choice,”Sen. Rockefeller said. “It’s something

that can’t realistically, and in some waysresponsibly, be done – and in some casesdoes not need to be done.”

Rockefeller made his remarks afterhearing testimony from HomelandSecurity Secretary Janet Napolitano thatDHS will seek an extension of the 2012

deadline to scan 100 percent of containerson the country’s 2,100 inbound routes.“In order to implement the 100 percentscanning requirement by the 2012 dead-line, [DHS] would need significantresources for greater manpower and tech-nology, technologies that do not currently

exist, and the redesign of many ports,” shesaid.

In August 2007, Congress passedH.R. 1, which, among other provisions,requires all containers headed for the U.S.be scanned for radioactivity. The legisla-tion aims to prevent weapons of massdestruction from entering the U.S. by sea.

A report by the GovernmentAccountability Office submitted earlier inDecember allowed that “limited progress”has been made toward this requirement.“The feasibility of 100 percent scanning[is] largely unproven,” the GAO said.

Maritime interests have warned that100 percent scanning is unfeasible andlargely unnecessary, citing other methodsof detection and prevention as more effi-cient and cost-effective.

Customs and Border Protection hasbeen running a pilot program to test 100percent scanning since 2007. A “majori-ty” of U.S.-bound cargo containers havebeen scanned at some low-volume portsin the pilot program, but the CBP “hasnot achieved sustained scanning ratesabove five percent at the comparativelylarger ports,” the GAO reported.

“How you define feasibility isimportant, because there is tecnology todo this on an individual container basis,”Stephen Caldwell, director of maritimesecurity issues for the GAO, told theJournal of Commerce. “What there isn’t isa technology that works with the just-in-time supply system that we have.”

The highest scanning rate among

Shipping U.S. food-aid aboard the Noble Star

American Maritime Officers mem-bers working aboard the M/V

Noble Star in December, here inNew Orleans, La., included FirstAssistant Engineer Jeff Stanleyand Second A.E. Joe Ashworth.

The Noble Star is operated bySealift Inc. and is manned in all

licensed positions by AMO.

The M/V Noble Star loaded P.L.480 grain at the Archer DanielsMidland Terminal at the Port of

New Orleans in December. TheNoble Star is one of several shipsoperated by Sealift Inc. for SealiftLLC that ships U.S. food-aid car-

goes to nations in need.

File photo: Sealift Inc.

See Cargo Scanning ◆ Page 4


AMO Pension Plan: clarification regarding specificprovisions of Pension Plan rehabilitation plan

The following clarification is beingprovided by the AMO Pension Plan toaddress any confusion that may have arisenregarding some provisions of the rehabili-tation plan recently adopted by the trusteesof the AMO Pension Plan.

Specifically, the paragraph entitled“Individuals Already Retired” on page threeof the rehabilitation plan has raised somequestions. That paragraph reads as fol-lows:

Individuals Already Retired

Individuals who retire with monthly

benefits from the AMO Pension Plan

before January 1, 2010 will not have

their benefits reduced or interrupted.

Nor will the survivors of deceased par-

ticipants in the Plan have their benefits

reduced or interrupted if their monthly

benefits began before January 1, 2010.

The paragraph applies only to indi-viduals who retire before January 1, 2010.In other words, if you have already retired asof January 1, 2010, the rehabilitation planwill have no effect on the monthly pensionbenefit you are collecting (or your survivorswill collect) under the AMO Pension Plan.

For individuals who do not retirebefore January 1, 2010, the followingapplies:

• If a member is an active participant,the schedule of benefit reductions will notapply until January 1, 2011. In general, anactive participant is a person who hasworked at least one day of covered employ-ment in the 12 months preceding the effec-tive date of his retirement, or the effectivedate of the Rehabilitation Plan, whicheveris earlier.

Therefore, any active participant whoretires on or after January 1, 2010, andbefore December 31, 2010, will not be sub-

ject to the schedule of benefit reductionsthat go into effect on January 1, 2011.

As previously communicated, therewill be a 60-day grace period following theeffective date of the schedule of benefitreductions for active participants who areeligible for a 20-year regular pension as ofDecember 31, 2010, during which theseparticipants may formally retire with a pen-sion effective prior to January 1, 2011, pro-vided that they have a pension applicationon file with the Plan office as of December31, 2010.

Also, as previously communicated,we are waiting for a response from the IRSas to whether it will allow an active partici-pant to retire, shelve his or her frozen pen-sion benefit not subject to the schedule ofbenefit reductions, and continue to workthereby preserving the full value of his or herfrozen benefit. We do not expect an answerfrom the IRS until sometime in 2010.

• If a member is an inactive partici-pant (a person who has not worked at leastone day of covered employment in the 12months preceding the effective date of his orher retirement or the rehabilitation plan) theschedule of benefit reductions will apply asof January 1, 2010.

In addition, there have been somequestions regarding which annuity benefitpayment options the Plan will retain. Thenormal forms of pension benefits under thePlan will continue to be the 100 percentjoint and survivor annuity for a married par-ticipant and the life annuity for a single par-ticipant. The Plan will retain the 50 per-cent joint and survivor annuity, 75 percentjoint and survivor annuity, and life annuityoptions for married participants. However,the 50 percent, 75 percent and 100 percentjoint and survivor “pop-up” options will beeliminated for participants who retire on orafter July 1, 2010.

IRS announces cost-of-living adjustments forretirement accounts for 2010

The Internal Revenue Service hasannounced cost-of-living adjustments forpension benefits and retirement accounts fortax year 2010.

401k Contributions : The annual

contribution limits to 401(k) accountswill remain at $16,500 for 2010.Additionally, catch-up contributions willremain at $5,500, so individuals who willbe 50 or older in 2010 may contribute a

other taxpayers (other than married tax-payers filing separate returns), the adjust-ed gross income limitation will remain at$105,000.

The IRS bulletin includes adjustedlimitations applying to other pension andretirement benefits. The complete bulletin(IR-2009-94) is available on the InternalRevenue Service’s Web site at:www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=214321,00.html.

Private disability insurance policies underwritten byLloyd’s of London available to all AMO members

A new voluntary private disabilityinsurance program underwritten by certainunderwriters at Lloyd’s of London is nowavailable to all members of AmericanMaritime Officers.

Over the past few years, AMO mem-bers have expressed an interest in and citedthe need for a disability insurance pro-gram. In response, AMO Plans has beenworking with A & B Insurance andFinancial Services to design a comprehen-sive disability policy specifically to meetthe needs of the American Maritime

Officers membership.Employing the financial strength of

the world’s oldest insurance organization,Lloyd’s of London, a program has beendeveloped that offers a simplified issue-dis-ability insurance policy. This policyallows AMO members to apply online, bye-mail, FAX, phone or regular mail.

Once accepted, an insured individualunder this policy will be paid benefits fora maximum period of three years if he orshe is not able to perform his or her reg-ular occupation due to an accident, injury

or illness, in accordance with the terms ofthe policy. Coverage applies to injuriesor illnesses either on or off the job. Evenif an individual is injured at home, he orshe will be covered under this policy.Benefits are normally considered to betax-free.

While AMO Plans has arranged tomake this private disability insurance pro-gram available to AMO members, theindividual private disability insurancepolicies are not managed or funded byAMO or AMO Plans.

Policy descriptions and cost, as well asbenefit definitions, are available online at:online.piu.org/disabilityinsurance/AMO.This link will also be made available onthe AMO Plans and AMO Web sites.

Support and advice is also availableby phone or e-mail with assistance fromthe professional insurance agents at A & BInsurance and Financial Services. Moreinformation can be obtained by contactingA & B Insurance and Financial Services byphone toll-free at (877) 284-8202, or via e-mail to [email protected].

Regulatory UpdatesNMC will send mariners credential application status updates via e-mail

The National Maritime Center has introduced a new service that will automaticallysend status updates to mariners via e-mail, informing them as their credential applicationsmove through the Coast Guard evaluation process.

Mariners who provide an e-mail address with their credential application will receivenotification via e-mail when their individual application is sent from an REC to the NMC,awaiting medical evaluation, being evaluated by medical reviewers, awaiting professionalevaluation, being evaluated for professional qualifications, awaiting information, approvedto test, approved to print, issued, and confirmed as delivered. Reminder e-mails will be sentwhen the application is awaiting information or approved to test.

The NMC anticipates these e-mail updates will be in real time or possibly ahead ofinformation available on the Application Status Checker. In order to receive the e-mailupdates, mariners should ensure the address“[email protected]” is not being routed to spam or junkmail. The complete announcement is available on the NMC Web site at:www.uscg.mil/nmc/announcements/auto_email_bulletin.pdf.

Coast Guard RECs to accept MMC applications by e-mail

Starting Jan. 4, 2010, the Coast Guard will accept merchant mariner credential appli-cations at its 17 regional exam centers (RECs) by e-mail.

E-mailed applications must be complete packages (per the Coast Guard’s applicationacceptance checklist), in Portable Document Format (PDF), and no more than 10 megabytesin size. The acceptance checklist can be viewed online at: uscg.mil/nmc/announcements/MLD-FM-NMC1-08_Application_Acceptance_Checklist.pdf.

E-mailed applications must not be scanned at a resolution higher than 300 dpi (dotsper inch). Mariners must attach a copy of their TWIC or TWIC application receipt and payany applicable user fees through www.pay.gov.

The subject of the e-mail must be in this format: mariner’s last name, mariner’s firstname, mariner’s middle initial and mariner number (if known).

A list of e-mail addresses to which applications may be submitted is available onlinein the complete bulletin. Mariners should submit their application to only one REC. Thecomplete bulletin from the Coast Guard is available on the National Maritime Center Website at: www.uscg.mil/nmc/announcements/industry_notice_e_submission.pdf.

Cargo ScanningContinued from Page 3

gram was 86 percent, and the pilot portshave relatively low throughput, theJournal of Commerce reported.

“A mandate of global proportionswas unquestionably well intended, yet pre-

mature,” said Chairman Rockefeller.“Both Congress and the Administrationmust balance important but competingneeds—maintaining an efficient flow ofcommerce while ensuring no terrorists can

enter our country by land, sea, or air. Wemust work toward a more reasonable bal-ance to focus our assets and resources inthe best possible manner to protect theAmerican people.”the five ports selected for the pilot pro-

maximum of $22,000 in 2010.Roth IRA: The adjusted gross

income limitation for determining themaximum annual Roth IRA contributionfor married taxpayers filing a joint return,or taxpayers filing as a qualifyingwidow(er), will increase to $167,000 fromthe current figure of $166,000. For all


Great LakesMaritime Task Force urges Coast Guard to considercosts, outcome of proposed ballast treatment rules

The Great Lakes Maritime Task Forceis urging the Coast Guard to reconsider itsproposed regulations for ballast water treat-ment on the Lakes. Proposed rules wouldcreate stringent standards for all ships oper-ating in U.S. waters in 2016. These stan-dards threaten to destroy shipping on theGreat Lakes.

“Great Lakes vessels are not responsi-ble for introducing invasive species to theenclosed Lakes system and must not be sin-gled out by regulatory agencies as a sourceor catalyst for their spread,” said AmericanMaritime Officers National Vice Presidentfor the Great Lakes Don Cree, who serves aspresident of the Great Lakes Maritime TaskForce.

“We agree that further introductionsand the continued spread of non-indigenousspecies need to be prevented,” Cree said.“But the Coast Guard needs to carefully

weigh the cost of imposing these regula-tions on existing Great Lakes vessels —regulations that would cripple the GreatLakes shipping industry — against a negli-gible or non-existent advance in slowing thespread of non-indigenous species in theLakes.”

In a statement, the Great LakesMaritime Task Force commended the CoastGuard for addressing this critical issue, buturged the agency to give full considerationto the changes recommended by the mar-itime community.

The task force has proposed the CoastGuard change language that would allowvessels operating exclusively on the GreatLakes an exemption to the stringent stan-dards coming in 2016. In 2008, the Houseof Representatives declared the Great Lakesan “Enclosed Aquatic Ecosystem” andexempted vessels that do not leave the lakes

for certain regulations. The task force urgedthe Coast Guard to adopt a similar approachfor regulating ballast water from vessels onthe Great Lakes.

“We must stop future introductions ofnon-indigenous species via ballast water,but we must not ask the impossible or thefutile of industry,” the task force stated.

The task force agreed that ballastwater treatment standards should beFederally-regulated, but urged the CoastGuard to more closely examine availableand developing technologies to determineif systems will be available to meet thenew standards in 2016. As Great Lakesvessels take on and deliver many more car-goes than ships traveling across oceans,they must release ballast much morequickly and more frequently. Current anddeveloping technologies treat ballast waterslowly, the task force noted. The volume

of ballast water needing treatment underthe regulations “would overwhelm anysystem coming onto the market.”Additionally, systems theoretically capa-ble of processing that volume of ballastwould be so large they could not physical-ly fit into a laker’s engine room.

The task force estimated it will cost atleast $385 million to outfit the Great Lakesfleet with ballast water treatment systemsand urged the Coast Guard to examine thecosts and benefits more closely. Non-indigenous species enter and spread throughthe Great Lakes by at least 64 methods,according to the U.S. Geological Survey.Treating this one particular vector will noteliminate the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species but will have insur-mountable costs for shipping on the GreatLakes, the task force noted.

The Great Lakes Maritime Task Forceis a coalition of maritime labor, managementand shipping interests, representing everyfacet of the Lakes maritime industry.

Regulations as written would cripple Great Lakes shipping fleet

U.S. cargo float exceeds 9 million tons in NovemberThe U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet

moved more than 9 million net tons ofcargo in November, the first month this yearthe dry-bulk cargo float has exceeded 9 mil-lion tons. The November float represents amodest increase over October’s total and asignificant improvement over previousmonths of the 2009 season, the LakeCarriers’ Association reported.

U.S.-flagged lakers hauled 3.6 mil-lion net tons of iron ore in November, thehighest monthly total for that commodityin 2009. The U.S.-flag limestone traderecorded its second best month of the year inNovember. However the last stone cargo ofthe year was loaded Dec. 16, marking anearly close for the trade this year, the LCAreported.

Coal loadings decreased 16 percentcompared with the same period last year,primarily due to a slowdown in shipments

of western coal from Superior, Wis., theLCA reported.

For the season, total U.S.-flag cargo

carriage stood at approximately 60.4 mil-lion tons at the end of November, a decreaseof about 36.6 percent compared with the

same point in 2008, and down 38.4 percentfrom the five-year average for the January toNovember timeframe.

2010 GreatLakes areameetings

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AMO aboardthe Walter J.

McCarthy

AMO members working aboard the Walter J. McCarthy in December, here inToledo, Ohio, included Second Assistant Engineer Willis Evans and First A.E.William Nelson. With them here are AMO National Assistant Vice President forthe Great Lakes Brian Krus and AMO National Representative Stan Barnes.

American Maritime Officers memberSteward Mike Kotajarvi cooks break-fast for the crew of the thousand-footer Walter J. McCarthy as theship unloads coal in Toledo, Ohio, inDecember. AMO represents thelicensed officers and stewards work-ing aboard the McCarthy, which isowned and operated by AmericanSteamship Company.

U.S.-flag dry bulk carriage on the Great Lakes: November 2004-2009 — net tons

Commodity 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Average

Iron Ore 4,787,431 3,765,724 4,410,431 4,017,669 3,887,492 3,590,292 4,173,749

Coal 2,640,592 2,591,319 2,449,717 2,291,041 2,962,900 2,484,760 2,587,114

Limestone 3,120,120 2,560,169 3,197,372 2,850,613 2,646,785 2,415,733 2,875,012

Cement 339,569 329,300 328,469 296,469 349,936 329,464 328,749

Salt 63,815 203,927 114,093 137,560 140,382 127,064 131,955

Sand 61,093 35,155 38,280 50,183 86,159 13,801 54,174

Grain 38,046 45,083 29,912 19,669 0 56,979 26,542

Total 11,050,666 9,530,677 10,568,274 9,663,204 10,073,654 9,018,093 10,177,295

Source: Lake Carriers’ Association


ITF Maritime Safety Committee meets at STAR CenterBy Michael Murphy

National Vice President at Large

Many of youmay remember myarticle last year onthe InternationalTransport Workers’Federation (ITF).During my recentship visits withTom Bethel andSteve Nickerson,I’ve received manyfavorable commentson the article and our participation in the orga-nization. This article will update our partici-pation in this great organization.

For those of you who missed my arti-cle and are not familiar with the ITF, it is afederation of 654 unions, representing 4.5million transportation workers in 148 coun-tries. Seafarers are represented by the SeafarersSection, which covers more than 600,000seafarers worldwide. The ITF SeafarerSection, among its other goals, works towardjust compensation, safe working conditions,fair treatment, proper protection from piracy,and a cleaner environment. The AmericanMaritime Officers union is a proud affiliate ofthe ITF.

One of the venues in which the ITFSeafarers Section works towards its goals isthe International Maritime Organization(IMO). The committee responsible for mak-ing formal recommendations to the SeafarersSection is their Maritime Safety Committee(MSC), which is made up of subject matterexperts on IMO initiatives. The MSC formu-lates positions and forwards them to theChairman of Seafarers Section who in turnreviews and sends them to the ITF Secretariatfor presentation at IMO meetings. As manyof you read in AMO Currents or last month’snewspaper, I was elected in October as chair-man of the ITF’s Maritime SafetyCommittee. At that time I scheduled a meet-ing in December to discuss the January 2010IMO meeting on Standards of Training,Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers,or what we affectionately know as STCW.Our STAR Center graciously offered to hostthe committee and our international delega-tion met there December 7 to 9, 2009.

The meeting was attended by 19 dele-gates from Norway, Sweden, Finland,Croatia, United Kingdom and the U.S. Somecommittee members from other countrieswere unable to attend due to cost or scheduleconflicts, but the minutes and resolutions willbe shared with them by e-mail. The agenda forthe meeting covered all 75 papers submittedto the IMO for the upcoming meeting onSTCW. The committee reviewed all papersand forwarded our recommendations to theSeafarers Section on all issues relating toSTCW, plus an evaluation of a proposal toadd to SOLAS a section on safe manning ofvessels. We also formulated a recommenda-tion to the Secretariat on ITF’s participationin the IMO’s Year of the Mariner. We had avery productive three days of meetings.

While many of the issues with STCWconcern administration of credentials and qual-ifications by government administrations,I’m going to discuss a few of the issues thatdirectly affect us as mariners. However,remember that these proposals must still beaccepted by a full committee in May 2010 andthe IMO Diplomatic Council in June 2010,so they are not set in stone.

Hours of rest

This subject has been the most con-tentious issue ITF has faced in the STCWrevision. I’ve been in the working group for‘hours of rest,’ and I feel we lost ground. Most

of us are familiar with the current require-ments in STCW Chapter VIII: a minimum of10 hours of rest per day, with at least oneuninterrupted period of six hours and a mini-mum of 70 hours in a seven-day period. Theserequirements can be downgraded to six hoursper day for 48 hours in case of emergency, butthe 70 hours in a seven-day period must bemaintained—this reduction is generallyknown as the derogation clause. As a sidenote, for those of you working on tankers, wehave national legislation in form of OPA 90,which is more prescriptive.

During one of our working group ses-sions, the owner’s organizations lead by theInternational Shipping Federation and sup-ported by several of the flag-of-conveniencecountries (e.g. Bahamas, Cook Islands, etc.)managed to have the derogation clause deletedin the new hours of rest wording. In its placethey are trying to put wording that allowshours of rest protection to be degraded by col-lective bargaining and/or by providing addi-tional time off after short runs. The ITF isfighting (with very few allies) to keep a min-imum number of hours per day because thecurrent wording only requires a total of 77hours of rest per week with no daily mini-

Electro-technical officers

This is completely new designationwith a new set of training guidelines. Thefinal decision on exactly what qualificationsan Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) will needis still under discussion. Originally, the planwas for two levels of officers: ETO and SeniorETO. However, after much negotiation, thecurrent plan is to merge the two officer levelsand create a new rating, which will be knownas Able Seafarer Electro, or similar name tobe determined. This was to accommodatecountries like the U.S., where we haveElectronic Technicians (unlicensed) andElectronics Officers (officer level).

The primary sticking points to bring inthese new designations and training guidelineswere concerns that the positions wouldbecome mandatory and that they would even-tually create a new department aboard ship,operating outside of the engineering depart-ment. These issues have been put to rest forthe most part by ensuring that the ETO qual-ification is simply a standardization of train-ing so those companies that want to employthem know that there is a minimum qualifi-cation. The intent, and it will probably be putinto words, was that the ETO would operate

The ITF, in conjunction with theInternational Shipowners Federation (ISF),has submitted a paper to keep all medical stan-dards in the non-mandatory section of thecode. The ITF also supports the idea of allow-ing medical professionals latitude when inter-preting the results, particularly with respect toolder seafarers and how it might affect theirability to perform their job at sea. Each eval-uation should take into account the require-ments of the individual’s job. For instance,the visual acuity required for a mate is muchdifferent than it is for someone in the stew-ard’s department. Furthermore, it should berecognized that certain medical conditionsrequiring medication can be taken safely bysome members of the crew, but possibly notothers. These decisions should be left to amedical professional familiar with the require-ments of going to sea. This same profession-al should be able to issue a two-year medicalcertificate recognized worldwide.

Regardless of the outcome mandatory-versus-guidance argument at IMO, the prima-ry impact on U.S. mariners will be the newrequirement to take a physical every two yearsand receive a valid medical certificate that isrecognized internationally.

Tanker endorsements for person in

charge (PIC)

From a mariner’s perspective, I believethis is one of the most positive developmentsto come out of the STCW review.

The current STCW requirement for aDangerous Liquid (DL) or Liquefied Gas (LG)PIC endorsement, without going into detail,is a formal classroom course and 90 daysonboard the specific type of tanker. The U.S.Coast Guard has added an additional require-ment of five discharges and five loadings. TheCoast Guard will allow a second PIC endorse-ment (e.g. a LG endorsement for someonewho holds a DL PIC), with a formal class-room course, 45 days onboard the appropriatetanker and three discharges and loadings.

The proposal for the new STCW is toallow a mariner to obtain an original PICendorsement with a formal classroom course,30 days of sea time on the appropriate tanker,and a number of loads and discharges to bedetermined—three each is currently the mostlikely number. HOWEVER, in order to qual-ify in this manner, the following conditionsmust be met:

•The 30 days spent on the tanker mustbe under instruction in a formalized, approvedtraining program, which must be documentedin a training book.

•The mariner must be a supernumerarywith no other duties than to complete the for-malized training course under supervision ofqualified officers.

•There may be additional qualificationsrequired for both the officers conducting theonboard training and the ship itself.

The bottom line is, this could benefit amariner trying to obtain a PIC designationbut who is having difficulty meeting currentsea service or transfer requirements.

Safe manning of ships

While this issue addresses an additionto the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) manu-al, and not STCW, it is one of great impor-tance to all mariners. The IMO has decided toreview this proposal again during the nexttwo sessions.

The fundamental problem is there areno standards for how to man a ship. Theshipowners in their drive to reduce manningcosts have generally been able to provide anadministration with what they think they needand get a safe manning document. If theadministration disagreed, the owner could go

AMO National Vice President at Large Michael Murphy, chairman of theInternational Transport Workers’ Federation’s Maritime Safety Committee, leadsa meeting of the committee at STAR Center in December. Committee membershere are (left to right) Christer Lindvall, Sweden, Bill Eglinton, U.S.A., and ITFSecretariat John Bainbridge, U.K.

mum. This will continue to be an ITF fight,even if we have to take it to the diplomaticcouncil and try to shame them into daily restguarantees for the working mariner.

Basic Safety Training

The decision has been made to requirecertain elements of Basic Safety Training(BST) to be formally refreshed every fiveyears. For those of you sailing under govern-ment contracts, this is the same requirementyou have been living with since STCW wasimplemented. For our members sailing onlyin commercial service, this will be a newrequirement.

Since STCW was implemented, theonly requirement to maintain a BST endorse-ment was to show evidence of 360 days of ser-vice in the previous five years aboard a shipcovered by SOLAS and to have participated inregular training and drills.

During IMO’s review of the STCW,it became clear that there were certain ele-ments of BST that cannot, or should not,be duplicated aboard an operating ship.Elements such as actually extinguishingvarious types of fires and jumping into thewater in a survival suit to right a life raft arebest left to a training facility, so the deci-sion was made to make this a five-yearrefresher requirement. These requirementsby themselves would not have been so dif-ficult, but as the review progressed, therehave several proposals to tack on additionaltraining requirements, such as leadership,pollution education, etc. These proposalsgenerally do not receive broad support, butthey still lurk in the background until thenew document is finalized.

as a member of the engineering departmentunder the guidance of the Chief Engineer.These new positions are not solid yet becausethere are a few countries that still oppose theidea. However, there are many of us who sup-port this, so we are hoping it will make thefinal cut.

Medical standards and certificates

This has been another area of con-tention, particularly with the ITF and labor-supplying nations like the Philippines. Thefundamental issues are: which elements of thephysical should be mandatory; how much dis-cretion the examining physician should have,particularly when examining older seafarers;who can issue the two-year medical certificateand an independent appeal process.

The current STCW contains only guid-ance on eyesight and physical capability inthe non-mandatory section of the code.

Several nations want vision, hearingand manual capability tests as part of themandatory section of the code. Some wouldeven prefer that the detailed medical evaluationconducted by a medical professional bemandatory. The European Union, which votesas a unified organization with 26 votes, favorsmaking all physical standards mandatory andproviding little leeway to the medical profes-sional. The United States, represented by theU.S. Coast Guard, is rejecting any proposalthat would impinge on their current system,particularly the issuance of a valid medical cer-tificate to a U.S. mariner by anyone exceptthem. The U.S. also does not support a pro-posal to make it mandatory to maintain a reg-istry of medical professionals approved toissue medical certificates to all mariners. See ITF Committee ◆ Page 7


“The finalization of the provisionsdrafted under the leadership of CongressmenObey and Oberstar saves hundreds of U.S.shipping jobs and thousands more in theindustries that depend on the effective, effi-cient cargo transportation reliably providedby Great Lakes ships,” Cree said.

Had the EPA regulations been enactedas proposed, the steamships would have beenremoved from service in 2012 and the con-tinued operation of the 13 motor vesselswould have been drastically jeopardized orrendered impossible. These vessels are inmost cases manned by licensed deck and engi-neering officers and stewards represented byAMO. The loss of these ships from servicewould have meant the direct loss of hundredsof jobs.

“The initial EPA proposal, which wasincluded in a proposed rule unveiled this sum-mer, simply failed to understand the impacton both the economy and the environment ofthe Great Lakes region,” Rep. Obey said. “Itwould have meant the loss of thousands of

good paying jobs and vital industries to for-eign companies with no improvement and,in fact, a possible deterioration in air quality.That’s because it would have shifted cargo tomore polluting modes of transportation suchas trucks and rail, it would have raised thecost of doing business for the steel industryand others, shifting even more manufacturingto China, and it would have shifted demandfor products like coal and limestone to otherregions.”

AMO, the largest U.S. maritime offi-cers’ union on the Lakes, filed comments withthe EPA critical of the provisions that wouldhave had a devastating and permanent impacton Great Lakes shipping. AMO was the onlymaritime officers’ union present during theinitial Capitol Hill meeting on the proposedEPA regulations and was the only officers’union present at a later meeting thankingCongressman Obey for his leadership in bro-kering the agreement with the EPA.

The EPA regulations to address emis-sions from large ocean-going vessels willrequire these vessels to switch to low-sulfurdistillate fuels beginning in 2012 and toultra-low-sulfur fuels in 2015. These fuelscannot be safely used in the steamships on

the Lakes, and the regulations would havecreated difficult if not insurmountable obsta-cles to the operation of the 13 U.S.-flaggedlakers powered by category 3 engines. Theagreement exempts the steamships from theregulations and provides a waiver option forthe motor vessels under certain conditions,allowing their operators time to makeinformed business decisions.

“After hearing from the maritime com-munity, a bipartisan group of members ofCongress, including Jim Oberstar andmyself, agreed to help explain to EPA theunintended consequences and to bring the twosides together to negotiate a way forward thatwould preserve jobs while reducing toxicemissions,” Rep. Obey said.

“That’s what we did and I am pleasedthat we were able to bring the parties togeth-er,” he said. “Whenever someone is trying topromote environmental cleanup, we haveheard people say it will cost jobs. That wasnot true when those charges were being madein the 1970s over the Clean Water Act, and itis not true today. This agreement shows thatwe can move forward to promote jobs andeconomic growth at the same time that weare cleaning up our environment.”

EPA AgreementContinued from Page 1

Michigan MSPContinued from Page 1

AMO on this important program andwe anticipate that AMO will providethe Michigan with the highest levelsof operational excellence,” said HershKohut, senior vice president of ArgentMarine Operations and formerly thepresident of ARCO Marine during thetime it operated Alaska North Slopetankers.

The Maersk Michigan isexpected to operate in the PersianGulf. The MSP fleet consists of 60U.S.-flagged ships that typicallyoperate in international commercialtrades and are made available to theDepartment of Defense for militarysealift operations during times ofwar, conflict and crisis.

In addition to the Maersk

Michigan, AMO represents alllicensed officers working aboardeight car carriers, four containershipsand two heavy-lift ships in theMaritime Security Program fleet.

Rep. Abercrombie running for governor of HawaiiCongressman Neil Abercrombie (D-

HI) has announced he will resign his seatin the House of Representatives represent-ing the Hawaii’s 1st CongressionalDistrict. He is resigning to focus full-timeon campaigning to become Hawaii’s nextgovernor.

“Neil Abercrombie stands as one ofthe strongest proponents of U.S.-flag ship-ping in Congress. He is a great friend ofAMO and to U.S. merchant mariners,” saidAMO National President Tom Bethel. “Hisleadership and passion in support ofAmerican maritime and the Jones Act are

strong and unwaver-ing. His presencewill be missed inCongress and wewish him well inhis state’s upcom-ing gubernatorialelection.”

Rep. Aber-crombie’s resigna-tion from Congresswill prompt a spe-cial election for his office. “This is anextremely difficult decision for me, but I

must do this to continue with the direc-tion I’ve chosen for the future,” Rep.Abercrombie said. “Accordingly, I’ve con-cluded that I must resign myCongressional seat and allow someone tobe elected who will carry on the work ofthis office. The effective date of my resig-nation will be announced soon.”

Rep. Abercrombie is chairman ofthe House Armed Services Subcommitteeon Air and Land Forces and he serves as amember of the Readiness Subcommittee,which considers issues such as buildingand maintaining the U.S. military’s state

of readiness. Rep. Abercrombie is also amember of the House Natural ResourcesCommittee and its Fisheries, Wildlife andOceans Subcommittee.

He began his political career in theHawaii State Legislature in 1974. After twoterms in the State House, he served in theState Senate for eight years. He also servedon the Honolulu City Council from 1988 to1990. Rep. Abercrombie representedHawaii’s 1st Congressional District forthree months in 1986, returned to Congressin 1991 and has continuously representedthe district since then.

President Obama nominates DavidMatsuda for Maritime Administrator

President Obama has tapped DavidMatsuda, currently the acting adminis-trator of MARAD, for the position ofmaritime administrator.

“I am grateful that such talentedindividuals have joined my administra-tion at this important moment in ournation’s history. I look forward to work-ing with them in the coming monthsand years,” President Obama said in anannouncement of various nominations,including Matsuda’s.

M a t s u d ajoined the MaritimeAdministration inJuly as deputyadministrator andacting administrator.He has more than adecade of experiencein federal transporta-tion policy, pro-grams and oversight.For seven years, he

served as senior counsel and primarytransportation advisor to Sen. FrankLautenberg (D-NJ), who is the chairmanof the Surface Transportation andMerchant Marine Subcommittee.

Matsuda’s confirmation hearingbefore the Senate Commerce, Science andTransportation Committee had beenscheduled for Dec. 15; however, the hear-ing was postponed as, according to pub-lished reports, the Executive Branchassembled additional routine paperwork.

Vice Adm. Pappnominated forcommandant ofCoast Guard

The WhiteHouse in Decembernominated ViceAdm. Robert PappJr. to succeed ThadAllen as comman-dant of the U.S.Coast Guard. ViceAdm.Papp currentlyserves as commanderof the Coast GuardAtlantic Area andDefense Force East, functioning as the oper-ation commander for all Coast Guard mis-sions within the eastern half of the globe.Prior to his current command, he served aschief of staff of the Coast Guard inWashington, D.C.

Vice Adm. Papp served as the NinthDistrict commander from 2004 to 2006, andwas previously promoted to flag rank inOctober 2002 and appointed director ofreserve and training. His career includes sev-eral tours on land and at sea, including ser-vice on six Coast Guard cutters.

Vice Adm. Papp graduated from theU.S. Coast Guard Academy and holds amaster’s degree in national security andstrategic studies from the U.S. Naval WarCollege and a master’s in management fromSalve Regina College.

ITF CommitteeContinued from Page 6

hours, etc. The process would have to beapproved, the ship would have to carry thecalculations aboard, and it would have to beauditable during port state inspections.

Having standardized safe manningdocuments would ensure all ships have ade-quate crew aboard and stop the practice ofshopping for the lowest manning docu-ment—essentially leveling the playing fieldfor all owners. Properly applied, this wouldbegin to require additional manning to meetthe ever-increasing burden of new regula-tions and paperwork that have stretchedmariners’ capabilities beyond safe limits. Ipersonally believe we would also finally seea downward trend in accidents.

The meeting at STAR Center allowedthe delegates to fully discuss the issues, likethose I have outlined, and formulate posi-tions for the upcoming IMO meeting. Sinceall of the attendees are also ITF delegates to

“shopping” for a friendly administration thatwould provide a flag and necessary documen-tation. In fairness, most industrialized nationsat least make an attempt to ensure the shipcan meet basic navigation requirements andthat common emergencies can be handled.Only one or two of the Nordic countries havea formalized process.

The latest proposal put forward (therehave been several unsuccessful ones) wouldmake it mandatory to use IMO’s previouslypublished guidelines to develop a processthat is transparent and auditable. The IMO’sguidelines are comprehensive and address thefull spectrum of a ship’s operations, includ-ing trade, cargo, frequency of port calls, indi-vidualized emergencies, paperwork, rest

IMO, we also made working group anddrafting group assignments, so there will beno confusion on the day of arrival at IMO.Because the upcoming session is only fivedays, the working groups and draftinggroups normally have to work late into thenight after the main meeting. These groupsare where the details are worked out for pre-sentation to the full membership.

As I have repeated many times, itimportant that AMO has a voice in theseinternational sessions because once the con-vention is formalized we have little choicebut to implement it in national law or reg-ulation in order to meet our obligations. Ialso think it is important for all of us, bothas mariners and members of this country’slargest officers’ union, to be aware of whatis happening internationally. I will continueto report on international events as theyhappen.


American Maritime Officers Simulation, Training, Assessment & Research Center2 West Dixie Highway • Dania Beach, FL 33004 • (954) 920-3222

GENERAL COURSES

ISO 9001:2000 LeadAuditor Training

5 days Please Call

ABS NS5 FleetManagement Software

3 days 22 March 28-June

Advanced Fire Fighting 5 days 18 January 1 February 1 March 5 April 3 May 7 June 5 July

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

5 days 25 January 8 February 15 March 10 May 19 July

Personal SurvivalTechniques (Monday-Tuesday)

1 1/2 days Basic Safety Training8 March - For GreatLakes Engineers

Personal Safety & SocialResponsibility (Tuesdayp.m.)

1/2 day Basic Safety Training9 March - For GreatLakes Engineers

Elementary First Aid(Wednesday)

1 day Basic Safety Training

Fire Fighting & FirePrevention (Thursday-Friday)—Not required if“Combined Basic &Advanced Fire Fighting”completed within 12 months

2 days Basic Safety Training

Basic Safety Training -Refresher

3 days 27 January 10 February 17 March 12 May 21 July

Crowd Management 1 day Please Call

Crisis Management &Human Behavior

1 day Please Call

Effective Supervision 2 1/2 days 8 February

Fast Rescue Boat 4 days 19 January 1 March 12 April 6 July 30 August

GMDSS 10 days 16 August

Tankerman PIC LNG 8 days 1 March 19 July

LNG Simulator Training—Enrollment priority in the LNG simulator course isgiven to qualified member candidates for employment and/or observation oppor-tunities with AMO contracted LNG companies. Completion of the TankermanLNG PIC classroom course is a prerequisite.

5 days 18 January 22 February 22 March 17 May

Ocean Ranger Program 6 days Please Call

Proficiency in Survival Craft (Lifeboat) 4 days 22 February 29 March 23 August

Tankerman PIC DL -Classroom

5 days 8 February 15 March 12 July 23 August

Tankerman PIC DL -Simulator

10 days 25 January 26 April 21 June 30 August

Train The Trainer—Requires after hours homework 5 days 25 January 22 February 8 March 12 April 21 June 16 August

Vessel/Company/PortFacility Security Officer

2 days 21 January 18 February 5 April 27 May 7 July

DECK COURSES

Advanced BridgeResource Management

5 days 22 February (P.M.class) 26 July

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

5 days 15 February 5 April 24 May 16 August

Advanced Shiphandling for Third Mates—(60 days seatime equivalency forThird Mates)

10 days 1 February (P.M. class) 12 April 10 May 21 June 9 August

Advanced (or emergency)Shiphandling for FirstClass Pilots, Great Lakes

5 days Please Call

Bridge ResourceManagement Seminar

3 days 24 May

Integrated Bridge System/Podded Propulsion 5 days 7 June

Locking & Docking—FirstClass Pilots, Great Lakes

5 days 11 January

STCW Deck OfficerRefresher

3 days Please Call

Towing Officer Record Assessment—Third mate (Unlimited or Great Lakes)or 1600-ton master license

5 days 5 April 24 May 14 June

Tug Training 5 days 15 March 23 August

Visual Communications(Flashing Light)—test only

1 day Please call

ENGINEERING COURSES

Advanced Slow Speed Diesel 10 days 8 March 17 May

Basic Electricity 10 days 26 October 8 February 10 May 30 August

Diesel Crossover 4 weeks 8 February 7 June

Electrical, Electronic, Control Engineering 4 weeks 1 March 7 June

Engine Room Resource Management 5 days 1 March (P.M. class) 19 April 9 August

Environmental Awareness (includes Oily Water Separator) 3 days 19 January 15 March 17 May 12 July

Gas Turbine Endorsement 10 days 26 April 16 August

High Voltage Safety 3 days 29 March 14 July

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)—An understanding of electricity isrequired. Priority will be afforded to 2 AEs and 3 AEs.

5 days 22 February 12 April 24 May 19 July

Steam Crossover 4 weeks 12 July

Welding & Metallurgy—course is open to eligible chief mates and masters ona space-available basis. Applications will only be confirmed two weeks prior tostart of course.

2 weeks 15 March 14 June

MSC TRAINING PROGRAM—includes self-study courses Afloat Environmental Protection Coordinator, Anti-Terrorism Level 1 and Crew Endurance Management (see that section).

CBRD Orientation 1 day 15 January 28 January 25 February 18 March 30 April 27 May, 18 June 29 July, 27 August

Damage Control 1 day 29 January 26 February 29 April 17 June 30 July 26 August

Heat Stress Afloat /Hearing ConservationAfloat

1 day 25 January 14 June

Helicopter Fire Fighting 1 day 19 March 28 May

Marine Sanitation Devices 1/2 day 22 January 18 March 20 May 15 July

Medical PIC Refresher—Note: Not MSC approved.

3 days 22 February 7 April 10 May

Small Arms - Initial & Refresher Training—Note:Open to members/applicants eligible for employmentthrough AMO within one year on MSC or MARADvessels

3 days 25 January 15, 29 March 12, 26 April 24 May 14, 28 June

Water Sanitation Afloat 1/2 day 12 November 22 January 18 March 20 May 15 July


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

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: The Center For Advanced Maritime Officers Training (CAMOT) and Simulation Training Assessment and Research Center (STAR), established under the auspices of theAmerican Maritime Officers Safety and Education Plan, admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin or sex to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the Center.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 Center.

DECK LICENSE UPGRADE: SECOND OFFICER TO CHIEF MATE / MASTER—Successful completion of this program will satisfy the training requirements for STCW certification as Master or Chief Mate onvessels of 500 or more gross tonnage (ITC). This program will complete ALL 53 Control Sheet assessments of the training requirements for STCW. Course completion certificates do not expire. Operationallevel officers (3/M and 2/M) interested in advancing to Chief Mate/Master (Management) Level are encouraged to start obtaining the required courses as soon as practical after acquiring OICNW experience.Advanced Navigation and a USCG approved ECDIS course must be completed within 12 months of each other to satisfy the Management Level upgrade course and assessment requirements.

Cargo Operations 9 days 19 January 8 March 26 April 21 June 23 August

Celestial Navigation—Note: A thorough review and understandingof the topics covered in Parts 4 & 5 of Pub. Number 9, The

American Practical Navigator (Bowditch), is a prerequisite.5 days 22 February 12 April 7 June 9 August

Marine Propulsion Plants 5 days 1 February 22 March 10 May 19 July

Shipboard Management 5 days 1 February 22 March 10 May 19 July

Upgrade: Advanced Meteorology 5 days 1 March 19 April 14 June 16 August

Upgrade: Advanced Navigation - ECDIS—Advanced Navigationand a USCG-approved ECDIS to be completed within 12 months ofeach other

5 days 15 February 5 April 24 May 16 August

Upgrade: Advanced Navigation (Includes Simulator) 5 days 8 February 29 March 17 May 9 August

Upgrade: Shiphandling at the Management Level 10 days 18 January 8 March 26 April 21 June

Upgrade: Stability—Note: It is recommended that chapters 1-13 inthe book Stability and Trim for the Ship’s Officer be reviewed prior toattending this course

5 days 8 February 29 March 17 May 26 July

Watchkeeping 1 (Bridge Resource Management)—Note:Watchkeeping Weeks 1 and 2 MUST be completed within 12 monthsof each other.

3 days 24 February 14 April 9 June 28 July

Watchkeeping 2 (COLREGS)—Note: Watchkeeping Weeks 1 and 2MUST be completed within 12 months of each other.

5 days 1 March 19 April 14 June 2 August

OFFICER IN CHARGE OF A NAVIGATIONAL WATCH—Successful completion of this program will satisfy the training requirements for STCW certification as third mate and second mate on vessels of500 or more gross tonnage (ITC)

Terrestrial Navigation 10 days 15 March

Ship Construction & Stability 5 days 1 February

Electronic Navigation 5 days 8 March

Meteorology 5 days 15 February

Watchkeeping 10 days 29 March

Cargo Handling & Stowage 5 days 22 February

Basic Shiphandling at the Operational Level 5 days 12 April

Emergency Procedures and SAR 4 days 8 February

Celestial Navigation 10 days 18 January

Magnetic & Gyro Compass 3 days 1 March

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

Afloat Environmental Protection Coordinator (CD) Anti-Terrorism Level 1 (Online) DoT - Hazardous Materials Transportation Training (CD)

Crew Endurance Management (CD) Prudent Mariner’s Guide to Right Whale Protection (CD) EPA Universal Refrigerant Certification Examination

RADAR COURSES

Radar Recertification 1 day 1 February 26 April 9 July

ARPA 4 days 2 February 27 April

Western Rivers Recertification 1 day Please Call

Radar Recertification & ARPA 5 days 1 February 26 April

ECDIS 5 days 1, 15 March 10 May 14 June 12 July

Original Radar Observer Unlimited 5 days 29 March 19 April

MEDICAL COURSES

Heat Stress Afloat / Hearing ConservationAfloat

1 day 25 January 14 June

Elementary First Aid—Note: Prerequisite forMedical Care Provider within preceding 12months

1 day 19, 26 January 16 February 2 March 20 April 24 May 15 June 27 July

Medical Care Provider—Note: Prerequisite forMedical Person In Charge within preceding 12months. Please fax EFA certificate when regis-tering

3 days 20, 27 January 17 February 3 March 21 April 25 May 16 June 28 July

Medical Person In Charge—Note: PleaseFAX Medical Care Provider certificate whenregistering

5 days 1 February 8 March 26 April 21 June 2, 30 August

Medical PIC Refresher—Note: Not MSCapproved.

3 days 22 February 7 April 10 May

Urinalysis Collector Training 1 day 8 February 15, 29 March 9 August

Breath Alcohol Test 1 day 9 February 16, 30 March 10 August

Saliva Screening Test — QEDs only 1/2 day 10 February 17 March 31 March 11 August

OICNW— Additional required courses with priority to students enrolled in the OICNW program — GALLEY COURSES

Original License (Great Lakes) Courses (Deck &Engine)

As Required 11 January Basic Safety Training 5 days 15 March, 19 April

RFPNW Assessments 1 day 4 March GMDSS 10 days 15 March, 12 April

Marlin Spike 1 day 5 MarchGALLEY COURSES

40-Hour Able Seaman 5 days 19 April

EFA/MCP 4 days 22 March 12 April Food Safety, Sanitation & Nutrition (ServSafe) 5 days 25 January

Proficiency in Survival Craft (Lifeboat) 4 days 29 March 26 April Culinary Fundamentals 10 days 1 February

Original Radar 5 days 29 March 19 April Advanced Steward Course 5 days 15 February

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 11 days. 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)—Note: Open to members/applicants eligible foremployment through AMO within one year onMSC or MARAD vessels

3 days 22 February 28 June

Elementary First Aid 1 day 25 February 1 July

Drug Collector Training 1 day 26 February 2 July

Breath Alcohol Test Collector 1 day 27 February 3 July

Advanced Fire Fighting 5 days 1 March 5 July


HEADQUARTERS

DANIA BEACH, FL 330042 West Dixie Highway(954) 921-2221 / (800) 362-0513Thomas J. 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 Z. Gremelsbacker, National Vice President, Deep Sea([email protected])John K. Hafner, National Executive Board Member At Large([email protected])Charles A. Murdock, National Executive Board Member, Inland Waters ([email protected])FAX: (954) 920-3257Dispatch: (800) 345-3410FAX: (954) 926-5126Brendan Keller, Dispatcher ([email protected])Robert Anderson, Dispatcher ([email protected])Member Services: Extension 1050 ([email protected])

PORTS

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

PHILADELPHIA, PA 191132 International Plaza, Suite 422Robert J. Kiefer, National Executive Vice President ([email protected])(800) 362-0513 ext. 4001 / 4002Mobile: (215) 859-1059FAX: (610) 521-1301

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

GALVESTON, TX 775512724 61st Street, Suite BPMB 192David M. Weathers, National Executive Board Member At Large([email protected])(800) 362-0513 ext. 2001Mobile: (409) 996-7362

NORWOOD, NJ 07648463 Livingston Street, Suite 102PMB 60Donald R. Nilsson, National Executive Board Member, Deep Sea([email protected])(800) 362-0513 ext. 3004Mobile: (201) 913-2209

WASHINGTON, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024490 L’Enfant Plaza East SW, Suite 7204(202) 479-1166 / (800) 362-0513 ext. 7001J. Michael Murphy, National Vice President At Large([email protected])Paul Doell, Legislative Director ([email protected])Phree Baker, Assistant Legislative Director ([email protected])FAX: (202) 479-1188

STAR CENTER

STUDENT SERVICES/LODGING AND COURSE INFORMATION2 West Dixie HighwayDania Beach, FL 33004(954) 920-3222 ext. 201 / (800) 942-3220 ext. 201Course Attendance Confirmation: (800) 942-3220 ext. 200FAX: (954) 920-314024 Hours: (954) 920-3222 ext.7999

TRAINING RECORDS SYSTEM:Lisa Marra(954) 920-3222 ext. 7118 FAX: (954) [email protected]

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]

Hubert Richardson, who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died April 9, 2009, atage 80. He was survived by MaryRichardson.

Franklin Reid Jr. , who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died April 1, 2009, atage 94.

Robert Peterson, who sailed onthe Great Lakes with AMO, died March 28,2009, at 57.

Michael Goodrich, who sailed onthe Great Lakes with AMO, died March 21,2009, at age 56.

Richard Baker, who sailed deep-sea with AMO, died March 21, 2009, atage 84.

Machel Monley Jr. , who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died March 18, 2009,at age 60.

Glynn Smith, who sailed inlandwaters with AMO, died March 15, 2009, atage 70. He was survived by Mary Smith.

Raymond Barringer, who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died March 15, 2009,

at age 74. He was survived by BerniceBarringer.

Engve Jussi la, who sailed on theGreat Lakes with AMO, died March 11,2009, at age 80.

Michael Vogt, who sailed deep-seawith AMO, died March 3, 2009, at age 73.He was survived by Jo Anne Vogt.

Danilo Galindo , who sailed deep-sea with AMO, died Feb. 17, 2009, at age62. He was survived by Nancy Galindo.

Pasquale de Michele, who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died Feb. 14, 2009, atage 92.

Andrew Carlsson, who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died Feb. 9, 2009, atage 77. He was survived by MiroslawaGnoinska.

Dennis Shenk, who sailed deep-sea with AMO, died Feb. 5, 2009, at age66.

James Benson, who sailed on theGreat Lakes with AMO, died Feb. 5, 2009,at age 87. He was survived by Marjorie

Benson.Robert Martin, who sailed deep-sea

with AMO, died Jan. 26, 2009, at age 85.Henry Ewers , who sailed on the

Great Lakes with AMO, died Jan. 23,2009, at age 83. He was survived byDonna Ewers.

Wil l iam Holman, who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died Jan. 18, 2009, atage 96.

Leo Boudreau Jr. , who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died Jan. 2, 2009, atage 62.

Lyman Nipher III, who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died Jan. 1, 2009, atage 42.

Franci s Crowley , who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died Dec. 22, 2008, atage 85.

Louis Roberts , who sailed on theGreat Lakes with AMO, died Dec. 21,2008, at age 84. He was survived byVirginia Roberts.

John Dolan, who sailed deep-sea

with AMO, died Dec. 18, 2008, at age 66.He was survived by Carol Dolan.

Loren Perciful , who sailed inlandwaters with AMO, died Dec. 16, 2008, atage 81.

Elmer Kutie, who sailed on theGreat Lakes with AMO, died Dec. 9, 2008,at age 83. He was survived by Rita Kutie.

John Larson, who sailed on theGreat Lakes with AMO, died Dec. 8, 2008,at age 85.

Frank Kemery Jr. , who saileddeep-sea with AMO, died Dec. 3, 2008, atage 59.

Raymond Jewel l , who sailedinland waters with AMO, died Nov. 1,2008, at age 85.

Michael Oprea, who sailed on theGreat Lakes with AMO, died Oct. 23,2008, at age 90. He was survived by AnnOprea.

Lewis Brown, who sailed inlandwaters with AMO, died Oct. 17, 2008, atage 84.

Obituaries


Regular monthly membership meetings for AMO will be held during the week

following the first Sunday of every month at 1 p.m. local time. Meetings will be

held on Monday at Headquarters in Dania (on Tuesday when Monday is a

contract holiday) and on Wednesday in Toledo. The next meetings will take

place on the following dates:

DANIA BEACH:TOLEDO:

February 8, March 8February 10, March 10

AMO members in STAR Center deck upgrade program

Radar Recertification courses nowavailable to AMO members in Toledo

AMO members completing the Marine Propulsion Plants training and assess-ment course in November as part of the STCW chief mate/master upgrade pro-gram at STAR Center with Instructors Terry Russell (left) and Andrew Davis(right) included Ethan Walling, Kaitlin O’Brien and A.J. Quinn.

AMO members completing the Marine Propulsion Plants training and assess-ment course in November as part of the STCW chief mate/master upgrade pro-gram at STAR Center, here with Instructor Rosemary Mackay, included PaulSzalus, Jon Phillips and Erich Doll.

STAR Center has formalized an agreement with the Toledo Maritime Academy to pro-vide Radar Recertification courses to eligible participants of the AMO Safety & EducationPlan. Although the courses are open to all eligible members of American Maritime Officers,STAR Center developed this program specifically for the convenience of members sailingon the Great Lakes.

Interested participants should apply to Student Services in Dania Beach, which willcoordinate enrollment with the academy. A STAR Center Radar Recertification certificatewill be issued upon successful completion of the course. All enrollment applications mustbe received and processed at least two days prior to each class, and walk-ins will not beaccepted.

Initial 2010 dates have been scheduled as follows: Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 18, March 4and March 18.

Enrollment questions or applications should be directed to Student Services at (800)942-3220 Ext. 201 or via e-mail to [email protected].


S/S Curtiss recognized for support role in Operation ByzantineAMO member ChiefMate Scott Kreger wasone of the officers andcrew of the S/S

Curtiss presented witha plaque by theCanadian NationalDefense for the ship’soutstanding perfor-mance duringOperation Byzantine.The Curtiss is operat-ed in the ReadyReserve Force fleet byCrowley LinerServices and mannedin all licensed posi-tions by AMO.

President Obama Dec. 16 approved anomnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2010(H.R. 3288), combining appropriations billsfor a number of federal departments, includ-ing the Department of Transportation. Thebill contains full funding for the MaritimeSecurity Program and $5 million for newTitle XI shipbuilding loan guarantees.

With its pressing work on healthcare,Congress was unable to complete its work onindividual spending measures. The bill wassigned into law just two days before a contin-

uing resolution funding the federal govern-ment expired.

The legislation appropriates $174million for the Maritime Security Program,the total requested by the MaritimeAdministration. Designed to serve thenational security needs of the nation, theMaritime Security Program maintains mil-itary access to commercial tonnage andallows the military to move equipment andgoods quickly and efficiently at minimalcost. All MSP vessels are U.S.-flagged

and manned by U.S. citizens.The Title XI shipbuilding loan guaran-

tee program received $5 million in new fundsand $4 million for the administration of loansguarantees. These funds are in addition to$30 million provided to the program for fiscalyear 2010 in the National Defense SealiftFund of the Department of Defense appropri-ations bill signed into law in December.

Created by Congress to encourage con-struction of merchant cargo ships in the U.S.,Title XI provides small and medium-sized

companies access to affordable financing toreplace aging vessels. Title XI is not a sub-sidy program. Instead, the MaritimeAdministration can guarantee private sectorfinancing for ship construction projects inU.S. shipyards at up to 87.5 percent of a givenloan’s value. The program fosters new con-struction of Jones Act qualified vessels andeases access to commercial credit for U.S.ship owners that qualify for Title XI loanguarantees.

The approved legislation also appropri-ates $15 million for Small Shipyards Grants,a program designed to aid small shipyards inupdating and expanding their facilities. Underthe American Recovery and ReinvestmentAct, $98 million was made available forSmall Shipyard Grants.

President approves full funding for MSP,$5 million for new Title XI loan guarantees

AMO aboard RRFships Gopher State,Cornhusker State

RRF ship Flickertail State tests experimental craneOn an unseasonably warm day in

November at Cheatham Annex nearNorfolk, Va., the Flickertail State rockedback and forth in port, a 40-foot containersuspended over the side by a futuristiccontraption.

“We’ve been getting a lot of e-mailsabout it,” said Chief Engineer ScottStilianos. “People are wondering whatthat thing is on our ship. It’s prettyimpressive.”

As a device designed to simulate seaconditions rocked the ship back and forth,the experimental crane installed on theFlickertail State performed its first testunder motion. The crane retrieved contain-ers from the dock, fit them perfectly intoplace on the deck, and removed others fromthe deck and deposited them on the ground.It passed the test with flying colors.

The crane installed on the Flickertail

State represents a $45 million investment by

the Office of Naval Research, TRANSCOMand the Strategic and Theatre SealiftProgram Office (PMS 385). Weighing in at18 tons, the crane is 75 percent the size of theintended finished product, placed on the ves-sel as a “technical demonstration,” saidStilianos. It is the first of its kind to beinstalled on an ocean-going vessel.

If everything goes well on theFlickertail State, the experimental craneprototype may be a major step toward thedevelopment of a sea basing program. Seabasing exploits the ocean as a maneuveringspace, utilizing vessels as platforms andallowing military operations at sea. Movingcargo between vessels at sea is a majorcomponent of the concept.

The Flickertail State is operated byInterocean American Shipping Corporationfor Military Sealift Command and mannedin all licensed positions by AmericanMaritime Officers.

AMO members working aboard the Cornhusker

State (left) and Gopher State (right) in Novembergather in front of their ships docked in NewportNews, Va. From the Cornhusker State and Gopher

State are (in no particular order): Chief EngineerMichael McDermott, Third Assistant EngineerWarren Carroll, Second A.E. Chris Gilman, FirstA.E. Mark Harvey, Chief Mate Todd Cooper, FirstA.E. Jon Sprague, Third A.E. Anthony Neathery,Chief Engineer Tim Stagg, Chief Mate Joe Gargiuloand Second A.E. Matt Campbell. The Cornhusker

State and the Gopher State are operated byInterocean American Shipping Corp.

AMO members working aboard the Flickertail State in November, here in Norfolk,Va., included First Assistant Engineer Jim Schwartz, Capt. Joe Regan, Third A.E.Antoine Jennings, Chief Engineer Scott Stilianos and Third A.E. John Clemons.

AMO member ChiefEngineer Roy Silliker

was one of the officersand crew of the S/S

Curtiss presented witha plaque by the

Canadian NationalDefense for the ship’soutstanding support

during OperationByzantine, in which

the Curtiss participat-ed during the first twoweeks of October nearVancouver, B.C., pro-viding a training plat-

form for Canadian mili-tary forces.

M/T Maersk Michigan joins MSP fleet

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