Keel laid for second Commitment Class ship to serve Puerto Rico in

Keel laid for second Commitment Class ship
to serve Puerto Rico in Jones Act trade lane
Volume 45, Number 9
The following was excerpted from an
article released August 25 by Crowley.
American Maritime Officers will represent
all licensed officers aboard the
Commitment Class ships.
(PASCAGOULA, Miss.) — The keel
for the second Commitment Class liquefied
natural gas (LNG)-powered, combination
container and roll-on/roll-off (ConRo) ship
for Crowley Maritime Corp.’s liner services
group was laid during a ceremony at shipbuilder VT Halter Marine, Inc.’s facility in
Pascagoula, Miss. The keel laying ceremony marked the next step in the construction
of Crowley’s two Commitment Class ships,
which will exclusively serve the U.S.Puerto Rico trade lane.
“The keel laying marks the ceremonial beginning of the construction and formation of the backbone of a ship,” said
Crowley’s Todd Busch, senior vice president and general manager, technical services. “Today’s event symbolizes how far
we’ve come in delivering on our commitments to our customers in Puerto Rico. We
are very excited to continue the construction process for these technically
advanced ships.”
VT Halter Marine and Crowley
entered into a contract for the pair of Jones
Act ships in November 2013 and construction of the second ship began with steel cut-
September 2015
ting in Pascagoula on May 27, 2015. With
the first section set in place, the ship will
now begin to take shape as it is built around
the keel.
The first ship’s keel laying took place
in January 2015.
Photo: Crowley Maritime Corp.
AMO-manned Reliance Class ships
install Hibernia Express Cable System
Page 12: The Reliance Class cable ships Reliance, Responder,
Resolute, Dependable and Decisive have been working this spring and
summer on a new fiber optic cable system running from Halifax, Nova
Scotia to Ireland and the United Kingdom.
“Once again we are very proud to
announce that another significant milestone
has been met,” said Jack Prendergast, CEO,
VT Halter Marine. “We are very pleased
with the progress the team is making in the
construction of this fine vessel. We are
proud of our long association with Crowley
and the commitments both companies are
making toward the successful completion of
this great project.”
The Commitment Class ships have
been designed to maximize the carriage of
53-foot, 102-inch-wide containers, which
offer the most cubic cargo capacity in the
trade. The ships will be 219.5 meters long,
32.3 meters wide (beam), have a deep
draft of 10 meters, and an approximate
deadweight capacity of 26,500 metric
tons. Cargo capacity will be approximately 2,400 TEUs (20-foot-equivalent-units),
with additional space for nearly 400 vehicles in an enclosed roll-on/roll-off garage.
The main propulsion and auxiliary
engines will be fueled by environmentally
friendly LNG.
The Commitment Class Jones Act
ships will replace Crowley’s towed tripledeck barge fleet in the South Atlantic trade,
which has served the trade continuously and
with distinction since the early 1970s. These
new ships, which will be named El Coquí
(ko-kee) and Taíno (tahy-noh), are scheduled for delivery during the second and
fourth quarter 2017, respectively.
AMO jobs maintained as M/V Norfolk
enters service in U.S.-flag fleet
Page 3: Argent Marine recently reflagged the heavy-lift ship M/V Norfolk
into U.S. registry, maintaining the jobs of American Maritime Officers
members in the Maritime Security Program fleet. The Norfolk was built
in 2009 and is replacing the Alliance Fairfax.
Pages 4, 10: AMO Plans FY 2014 Summary Annual Reports
Copyright © 2015 American Maritime Officers
■
editorial@amo-union.org
A West Coast tour and a call to conversation
2 • American Maritime Officer
By Paul Doell
National President
My
first
ship
tour
as
national president
of
American
Maritime Officers
on the West Coast
in August went
smoothly,
with
lively and candid
exchanges
between seagoing
AMO members
and an administrative delegation that also
included
AMO
National
Vice
President/Government Relations Mike
Murphy, National Assistant Vice
Presidents Christian Spain and Danny
Shea and AMO Plans Executive Director
Steve Nickerson.
I had visited many deep-sea, Great
Lakes and inland waters vessels in different capacities with AMO officials and representatives over many years, but that
ended when I began serving as our union’s
legislative director in Washington DC in
April 2007 — not many cargo vessel port
calls along the Potomac and Anacostia
Rivers (although there were times when
AMO members visiting the capital made
rounds with me on Capitol Hill). So I
looked forward to getting out of the headquarters office and talking with AMO
members in Bremerton, Tacoma, Portland,
San Francisco, Alameda, Los AngelesLong Beach and San Diego.
With one exception, the AMO
engine and deck officers we spoke with
worked aboard vessels operated for
Military Sealift Command — the large,
medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships USNS
Bob Hope, USNS Brittin and USNS Fisher
AMO members participating in an
informational meeting in San
Francisco, Calif. in August included
Second Assistant Engineer John
Melcher (Cape Horn), First A.E.
Gwan Kim (Cape Horn), Second A.E.
Marcelino Cayabyab (Cape Hudson),
Chief Engineer Andrew Centala
(Cape Hudson), Chief Mate Kim
Daug (Cape Horn) and Third A.E.
Juan Martinez (Cape Horn). With
them are Kings Point Engineering
Cadets Alejandro Mata and Jordan
Kendall; AMO Plans Executive
Director Steve Nickerson; AMO
National Assistant Vice President
Daniel Shea; AMO National Vice
President, Government Relations,
Mike Murphy; AMO National Assistant
Vice President Christian Spain; and
AMO National President Paul Doell.
September 2015
and the Mobile Landing Platform USNS
John Glenn — or aboard the diverse fleet
of roll-on/roll-off, fast sealift and auxiliary
crane ships that comprise the Maritime
Administration’s Ready Reserve Force.
No surprise, then, to find much of
the conversation focused on the intricacies
of federal government “Requests for
Proposals” (RFPs), the MSC shift from
dependence on commercial merchant
mariners for most military support services
to greater reliance on civil service merchant marine officers and crews employed
directly by the Navy agency, the MSC and
MARAD
budgets,
the
Defense
Department’s “mobility study” as part of
the Quadrennial Defense Review, and the
“tripartite agreement” concept under
which AMO, the Marine Engineers’
Beneficial
Association
and
the
International Organization of Masters,
Mates & Pilots provide identical total labor
costs to employers bidding for specific
MSC and MARAD service contracts in
response to RFPs (the tripartite approach
had been conceived by the late AMO
President Ray McKay).
But there was wide open, free flowing discussion with AMO members on
other topics every bit as varied and compelling as the skills AMO engine and deck
officers bring to their jobs each day.
In each vessel visit, the AMO members appeared comfortable with the administrative changes resulting from the AMO
election in 2014 and pleased with my summary of the financial reforms adopted by
this administration since January 2015.
They were open to my comments on the
merit of compromise on union policy and
the incalculable value of honest disagreement among officials as a strong safeguard
against complacency and the impulse to
“go along to get along.” AMO members
asked me thoughtful, sometimes pointed
questions, and many of them offered
encouraging, supportive comments.
Murphy and Spain provided perhaps the most practical presentations
along the way, supplementing their comments on defense shipping issues with
clear and detailed reports on what is
required of AMO members and seafaring
professionals worldwide under increasingly complex and daunting domestic
and international regulatory regimes.
Merchant mariner credentials, medical
certificates, “gap training” and STCW
compliance, and license renewal and
upgrading were among the subjects.
Shea addressed collective bargaining
issues and offered thorough, forthright
answers to difficult questions about specific contracts and about the current and
potential consequences of federal spending
cuts for the Ready Reserve Force.
It would be inaccurate of me to
report that Nickerson “briefed” the ship
officers on the state of AMO Plans, the
benefit funds that serve all deep-sea, Great
Lakes and inland waters AMO members
and their families. He spoke in critical
detail about each fund, tracked the continuing recovery of the defined benefit AMO
Pension Plan and explained the funding
method that drives the AMO Defined
Contribution Plan. He spoke privately with
individual AMO members who had personal questions, and he often contacted
AMO Plans personnel in Dania Beach,
directing them to address specific matters
raised in these one-on-one talks.
As I noted earlier, we visited only
one commercial ship — the Marjorie C,
a new combination container-rollon/roll-off ship built by VT Halter
Marine in Mississippi and operated by
Pasha Hawaii between California and
Hawaii. The AMO members aboard
appeared content in their fresh gigs and
digs, and the agenda this time expanded
briefly to include the Jones Act.
Signed into law as Section 27 of the
1920 Merchant Marine Act, the Jones Act
holds all domestic waterborne commerce
for merchant vessels built, owned, documented and crewed in the U.S. The law
represents billions in private capital investment, sustains more than 500,000 private
sector jobs in several industries and generates federal, state and local tax revenues.
Which brings me to what was a
fitting end to the West Coast tour — the
August 29 christening and launch of the
Perla
del
Caribe
by
TOTE
Shipholdings at the General Dynamics
NASSCO yard in San Diego.
The Perla del Caribe joins the Isla
Bella to complete TOTE’s revolutionary
Marlin class of dual-fueled containerships
ordered for Jones Act service between
Florida and Puerto Rico. The Isla Bella,
which was undergoing sea trials when her
sister ship was launched, will begin service this month as the first ship of its kind
anywhere in the world to be fueled by liquefied natural gas; the Perla del Caribe is
expected to join the Isla Bella early next
year. Our next edition of American
Maritime Officer will include complete
coverage of the christening and launch of
the Perla del Caribe.
Meanwhile, I encourage AMO
members we missed on the West Coast —
and all AMO members working elsewhere
— to join the continuing conversation until
we can arrange additional tours and meet
aboard your deep-sea, Great Lakes and
inland waters vessels. I can be reached
anytime for any reason at 954-921-2221,
on the toll-free line at 800-362-0513, or on
my cell at 954-881-5651.
AMO members participating in an
informational meeting in Alameda,
Calif. in August included First A.E.
Jasper Brown (Keystone State), First
A.E. Sterling Pearson (Grand Canyon
State), Chief Mate Alex Butler
(Keystone State), Chief Engineer
Jordan Foss (Grand Canyon State),
Chief Engineer Adrian Pasion (Gem
State), Third A.E. Larry Hearn (Gem
State), Chief Mate Jonathan Leck
(Capella), Chief Mate Gary Kohlbach
(Gem State) and Second A.E. Walter
Rood (Grand Canyon State). With
them are AMO officials Doell, Murphy,
Shea and Spain, and Plans Executive
Director Nickerson. Meetings were
held in California, Oregon and
Washington State.
AMO jobs maintained as M/V Norfolk
enters service in U.S.-flag fleet
September 2015
Argent Marine recently reflagged the
heavy-lift ship M/V Norfolk into U.S. registry, maintaining the jobs of American
Maritime Officers members in the Maritime
Security Program fleet.
The Norfolk was built in 2009 and is
replacing the Alliance Fairfax, which was
to have left the MSP fleet in September.
The M/V Norfolk was reflagged in Norfolk, Va. in July.
As part of the MSP fleet, the Norfolk
will operate in international trades transporting a diverse array of military and
commercial cargo, as well as food-aid and
manned by U.S. mariners.
The Jones Act has no influence whatsoever over the ability of foreign-flagged
ships carrying “cars from Japan, engines
from Germany, food from South America,
medicine from Canada” or any cargo or
commodity from any foreign port to deliver
their cargo to Puerto Rico. The Jones Act
has no bearing whatsoever on the ability of
foreign-flagged ships to carry export cargo
from Puerto Rico to any foreign port.
As noted by the American Maritime
Partnership (AMP) in a report published
online in July regarding the Jones Act and
Puerto Rico: “Merchandise can be imported and exported from anywhere in the
world, and traded with anyone at any time.”
In 2011, the GAO concluded two-thirds of
the ships serving Puerto Rico are foreign
ships, and 55 different foreign carriers provided imported cargo to Puerto Rico in a
single month. Foreign shipping companies
compete directly with the American shipping companies in an intensely competitive
transportation market.
The assertion injected by Denis and
others, although completely false, has
made it into the bloodstream of the mainstream media.
An Associated Press report dated
August 7 stated the Jones Act “mandates
that only ships owned, built and operated in
a U.S. state can carry cargo to and from the
island.” A PBS Newshour report dated
August 13 stated: “The Jones Act, which
requires everybody in Puerto Rico to buy
goods from an American-made ship with
an American crew, limits business owners
and jacks up prices.”
In his op-ed, Denis conflates the
U.S. cabotage law with separate trade
requirements and import-export costs
that have no relationship whatsoever to
the Jones Act. “A foreign-flagged vessel
may directly enter Puerto Rico — but
only after paying taxes, customs and
import fees that often double the price
emergency cargoes.
At a length of more than 400-feet, the
19,000 dwt Norfolk features two 400-ton
cranes and one 120-ton crane.
On its maiden voyage under the U.S.
flag, the Norfolk carried military equipment,
cargo generated through the activity of the
Export-Import Bank, and food aid.
Argent Marine is operating the M/V
Norfolk for Teras Cargo Transport. AMO
represents all licensed officers on the ship.
AMO members working aboard the M/V Norfolk in July, here in Norfolk, Va.,
included Chief Mate Tomas Malo, Third Mate Edward Suhovsky, Third Assistant
Engineer Frank Guillen, Captain Timothy English, Chief Engineer Jim Plourde,
Second Mate Paul Szalus, Second A.E. Eric Knies and First A.E. Lynn Bell. With
them is AMO National Vice President, Inland Waters, David Weathers.
Jones Act critics inject false assertions
into coverage of Puerto Rico’s debt crisis
When there is a problem, people
often seek someone or something to blame.
Business interests with a stake in
opening U.S. domestic markets to foreign
shipping, along with political opportunists
who have an ideological hand to play, are
working overtime to capitalize on this truism by heaping false blame for Puerto
Rico’s debt crisis on the Jones Act and the
U.S. maritime industry.
The persistently shrinking tax base in
Puerto Rico and the commonwealth’s
inability to pay more than $70 billion in
pubic debt have many causes, but the Jones
Act is not one of them.
The
U.S.
Government
Accountability Office (GAO) in an extensive study of the Jones Act and Puerto
Rico’s maritime trade found, among other
things, the Jones Act “has helped to ensure
reliable, regular service between the United
States and Puerto Rico — service that is
important to the Puerto Rican economy.”
Faced with this fact, Jones Act critics
are injecting false assertions and baseless
claims into the public discussion of Puerto
Rico’s debt crisis, cynically seizing a new
platform from which to attack the time-tested statute that is vital to U.S. commerce,
national security and defense.
In an op-ed published August 6 by
The New York Times, Nelson Denis stated:
“The most unfair law of all is the
Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known
as the Jones Act, which requires that every
product that enters or leaves Puerto Rico
— cars from Japan, engines from
Germany, food from South America, medicine from Canada — must be carried on a
United States ship.”
In this context, the Jones Act only
affects cargo transported directly
between the continental U.S. and Puerto
Rico, requiring that vessels serving in
this specific trade be owned and operated by U.S. companies, built by U.S.
shipyards, registered in the U.S., and
American Maritime Officer • 3
of the goods it carries,” he wrote.
Duties and import fees could apply
to any foreign cargo imported to Puerto
Rico, regardless of the registry of the ship
carrying it.
The GAO in its study noted foreignflagged ships carrying imported cargoes to
Puerto Rico are not subject to U.S. taxation, U.S. immigration, U.S. safety and
other U.S. laws. Should the Jones Act be
modified or repealed, foreign-flagged vessels operating in the U.S. domestic trades
could be subject to many of the same laws
as U.S.-flagged vessels, drastically affecting any perceived cost savings. The GAO
found that: “Foreign carriers operating in
the U.S. coastwise trade could be required
to comply with other U.S. laws and regulations, which could increase foreign carriers’ costs and may affect the rates they
could charge.”
The media reports cited, as well as
others in circulation, suggest, imply or
directly state the Jones Act should be
altered or repealed. Denis, in his op-ed,
goes farther with the baseless claim: “From
1970 through 2010, the Jones Act cost
Puerto Rico $29 billion.”
However, in its study published in
2013, the GAO stated: “So many factors
influence freight rates and product prices
that the independent effect and associated
economic costs of the Jones Act cannot be
determined.”
According to the GAO, the loss of
the Jones Act and the dedicated U.S.-flag
service it sustains for Puerto Rico would
probably produce less reliable, less timely
and less consistent service, resulting in
“difficult trade-offs” — including the need
for warehousing more goods for longer
periods at higher expense.
As noted by the AMP report published in July, many goods imported by
Puerto Rico are perishables requiring ontime delivery. Jones Act carriers meet the
just-in-time delivery demands of import
inventory managers who rely on prompt
shipping to stock shelves and limit costly
warehousing in Puerto Rico.
According to the GAO study: “If the
Jones Act were exempted, foreign carriers
that currently serve Puerto Rico as part of a
multiple-stop trade route would likely continue this model to accommodate other
shipping routes to and from other
Caribbean destinations or world markets
rather than provide dedicated service
between the United States and Puerto Rico,
as the current Jones Act carriers provide.”
Longer multi-port trade routes make
it difficult to ensure the reliability and consistency of scheduled service. International
carriers are more likely to experience
lengthy weather delays or delays at ports,
and could even intentionally bypass ports
on occasion to make up lost travel time,
AMP noted.
The GAO also observed modifications to the Jones Act would cause “uncertain” impacts, with some being highly negative, and could lead to the “loss of convenient and inexpensive backhaul service”
from Puerto Rico to the mainland.
The media reports critical of the
Jones Act do not touch upon the essential
roles served by the cabotage law in national
security, U.S. sealift strategy, U.S. military
operations and domestic commerce. These
reports do not mention American companies are currently spending billions of dollars building state-of-the-art ships in
American shipyards specifically to provide
the most efficient and environmentally
friendly cargo service possible in the
Puerto Rico trade.
Either due to ignorance or intent, the
reports cited supply hollow blocks for the
construction of a specious case against a
vital U.S. law that sustains an American
industry employing nearly 500,000 and
generating an annual economic impact of
nearly $100 billion.
As pointed out by AMP Chairman
Thomas Allegretti in a letter to the editor
published August 13 by The New York
Times: “To blame the domestic American
maritime industry for the financial woes of
Puerto Rico is wrong. The reality is that the
domestic American maritime industry supports the people of Puerto Rico.”
4 • American Maritime Officer
September 2015
American Maritime Officers Plans Summary Annual Reports: Fiscal Year 2014
Pension Plan
This is a summary of the annual report for American Maritime Officers
Pension Plan, EIN 13-1936709, Plan No. 001, for period October 01, 2013 through
September 30, 2014. The annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits
Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, as required under the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
Basic Financial Statement
Benefits under the plan are provided by insurance and a trust fund. Plan
expenses were $40,137,291. These expenses included $3,566,909 in administrative expenses, and $36,570,382 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries.
A total of 5,338 persons were participants in or beneficiaries of the plan at the
end of the plan year, although not all of these persons had yet earned the right to
receive benefits.
The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was
$455,620,723 as of September 30, 2014, compared to $427,420,290 as of October
01, 2013. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of
$28,200,433. This increase includes unrealized appreciation and depreciation in the
value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at
the end of the year and the value of the assets at the beginning of the year or the
cost of assets acquired during the year. The plan had total income of $68,337,724,
including employer contributions of $28,011,408, realized gains of $20,810,045
from the sale of assets, and earnings from investments of $19,516,271.
Minimum Funding Standards
An actuary’s statement shows that enough money was contributed to the plan
to keep it funded in accordance with the minimum funding standards of ERISA.
Defined Contribution Plan
This is a summary of the annual report for American Maritime Officers Defined
Contribution Plan, EIN 27-1269640, Plan No. 001, for period October 01, 2013 through
September 30, 2014. The annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits
Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, as required under the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
Basic Financial Statement
Benefits under the plan are provided by a trust fund. Plan expenses were
$2,907,534. These expenses included $504,917 in administrative expenses, and
$2,402,617 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. A total of 3,385 persons
were participants in or beneficiaries of the plan at the end of the plan year, although not
all of these persons had yet earned the right to receive benefits.
The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $55,913,750
as of September 30, 2014, compared to $39,033,589 as of October 01, 2013. During the
plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $16,880,161. This increase
includes unrealized appreciation and depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the
difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of
the assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year. The
plan had total income of $19,787,695, including employer contributions of $16,544,452,
and earnings from investments of $3,243,243.
Your Rights To Additional Information
You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on
Medical Plan
This is a summary of the annual report of the American Maritime Officers Medical Plan,
EIN 13-5600786, Plan No. 501, for period October 01, 2013 through September 30, 2014. The
annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 (ERISA).
Insurance Information
The plan has a contract with Companion Life to pay stop loss claims incurred under the
terms of the plan. The total premiums paid for the plan year ending September 30, 2014 were
$116,054.
Basic Financial Statement
The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $15,042,310
as of September 30, 2014, compared to $21,403,511 as of October 01, 2013. During the
plan year the plan experienced a decrease in its net assets of $6,361,201. This decrease
includes unrealized appreciation and depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the
difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of
the assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year.
During the plan year, the plan had total income of $34,296,468, including employer contributions of $33,453,449, employee contributions of $221,660, earnings from investments of $469,263, and other income of $152,096.
Plan expenses were $40,657,669. These expenses included $6,378,898 in
administrative expenses, and $34,278,771 in benefits paid to participants and
beneficiaries.
Your Rights To Additional Information
You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof,
on request. The items listed below are included in that report:
• an accountant’s report;
• financial information;
• assets held for investment;
• transactions in excess of 5% of the plan assets;
• insurance information, including sales commissions paid by insurance carriers;
• information regarding any common or collective trusts, pooled separate
accounts, master trusts or 103-12 investment entities in which the plan participates;
• actuarial information regarding the funding of the plan.
To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the
office of The Board of Trustees American Maritime Officers Pension Plan at 2 West
Dixie Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004, or by telephone at (954) 922-7428. The charge
to cover copying costs will be $0.15 per page.
You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at
no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes,
or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If
you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to
cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.
You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main
office of the plan (The Board of Trustees American Maritime Officers Pension Plan, 2
West Dixie Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004) and at the U.S. Department of Labor in
Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment
of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure
Room, Room N1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of
Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.
request. The items listed below are included in that report:
• an accountant’s report;
• financial information;
• information on payments to service providers;
• assets held for investment;
• information regarding any common or collective trusts, pooled separate accounts,
master trusts or 103-12 investment entities in which the plan participates.
To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the
office of Board of Trustees American Maritime Officers Defined Contribution Plan at 2
West Dixie Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004, or by telephone at (954) 922-7428. The
charge to cover copying costs will be $0.15 per page.
You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at
no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes,
or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If
you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to
cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.
You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at
the main office of the plan (Board of Trustees American Maritime Officers
Defined Contribution Plan, 2 West Dixie Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004) and
at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from
the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the
Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N1513,
Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.
Your Rights To Additional Information
You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on
request. The items listed below are included in that report:
• an accountant’s report;
• financial information;
• information on payments to service providers;
• assets held for investment;
• transactions in excess of 5% of the plan assets;
• insurance information, including sales commissions paid by insurance carriers.
To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of
Board of Trustees of the American Maritime Officers Medical Plan at 2 West Dixie Highway,
Dania Beach, FL 33004, or by telephone at (954) 922-7428. The charge to cover copying costs
will be $0.15 per page.
You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no
charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a
copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given
above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these
portions are furnished without charge.
You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office
of the plan (Board of Trustees of the American Maritime Officers Medical Plan, 2 West Dixie
Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004) and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C.,
or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs.
Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N1513,
Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.
The SAR for the AMO Vacation Plan for fiscal year 2014 is on Page 10. The 401(k) Plan SAR for calendar year 2014 will be printed at a later date.
Dumped foreign steel cuts Lakes cargo float in July
September 2015
With the nation awash in dumped foreign steel, iron ore cargoes carried by U.S.flagged lakers fell again in July. Loadings
totaled 4.7 million tons, a decrease of 10
percent compared with a year ago. The
slump comes on the heels of a 10 percent
decrease in June, the Lake Carriers’
Association reported.
Total cargo movement in U.S. hulls
totaled 10.9 million tons in July, a decrease
of 4 percent compared to a year ago.
American Maritime Officer • 5
U.S.-flagged lakers’ coal float
increased 6.4 percent in July, but shipments
of limestone dipped by 5.6 percent. The
stone trade is also feeling the impacts of
unfair trade in steel. Steel production is the
primary driver behind demand for fluxstone
and metallurgical stone, LCA reported.
The failure of the MacArthur Lock
at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. on July 29 did
not play a major role in the month’s totals,
but six U.S.-flagged lakers and 250,000
AMO members working aboard the M/V Edgar B. Speer, here in Two
Harbors, Minn., included Third Assistant Engineer Andrew McFall, Chief
Engineer Aaron Pitrago and First A.E. Bryan Kwiatkowski. With them is AMO
Senior National Assistant Vice President Brian Krus and Key Lakes Fleet
Engineer William Keyes, a retired AMO member. AMO represents the engineers and stewards aboard the Key Lakes vessel.
tons of cargo were delayed for about 13
hours between the lock’s closure and midnight July 31. The lock reopened on
August 17. In total, 79 U.S.-flagged lakers and 1.9 million tons of cargo were
delayed for approximately 160 hours during the 20-day closure.
Year-to-date, U.S.-flag carriage stood
at 42.5 million tons at the end of July, an
increase of 10.7 percent compared to a year
ago. Iron ore, coal and limestone all regis-
tered increases over their end-of-July totals
in 2014, but those increases in part reflected
the catastrophic ice conditions that prevailed for the first five months of that year.
Heavy ice so delayed the resumption of the
ore trade in March 2014 that at least one
steelmaker had to curtail production and
normal transit times did not become routine
until early May. The ice was formidable
again this spring, but had largely cleared by
late April, the LCA reported.
AMO aboard the M/V Edgar B. Speer
The M/V Edgar B. Speer, departs the ore dock in Two Harbors, Minn. in July.
LCA reports progress on issues key to Great Lakes shipping
Although shipping numbers on the
Great Lakes have dipped in recent years,
developments in the halls of Congress are
signaling a brighter future, according to the
annual State of the Lakes 2015 report issued
by the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA).
Increased funding for much-needed
dredging and a push to build new icebreaking capacity dedicated to the Great Lakes
could translate into larger loads and more
trips for U.S.-flagged lakers, the report said.
“Great Lakes shipping faces significant challenges in 2015, but never before in
my 12 years as President of LCA have I
been able to report more progress on issues
that will decide the future of this industry,”
LCA President James H.I. Weakley said.
Major challenges remain for the
Great Lakes fleet. Severe winters have
resulted in heavy ice delays on the Lakes,
which translated into damaging reductions
in the amount of cargo moved.
Cargo carried during the JanuaryApril timeframe was down nearly 3.1 million tons compared to the long-term average
and, as a result, the region lost another
2,000 jobs and $356 million in economic
activity, according to the report.
Adding to the cargo crisis are the 17
million cubic yards of sediment clogging
ports and waterways on the Great Lakes,
causing vessels to take on lighter loads,
leaving a significant amount of cargo at
the docks.
However, a recent legislative mandate passed that requires more of the Harbor
Maintenance Trust Fund to be used every
POSTMASTER—Send Address Changes To:
American Maritime Officers — ATTENTION: Member Services
P.O. Box 66
Dania Beach, FL 33004
year on dredging and improvement projects
on the Lakes should slowly begin to remedy
the problem.
A provision in a recently approved
House bill also authorizes the construction
of a new U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker to
help carve routes for ships, adding more
optimism for potential improvement in
shipping conditions on the Lakes.
“Challenges will remain, and new
ones will appear, but the State of Lakes
in 2015 is proof positive that our efforts,
some of which have required years and
years of engagement, are paying off, and
the future is brighter because of that,”
Weakley said.
AMO aboard tug
Eagle in Seabulk
Towing fleet
American Maritime Officers members working aboard the tug Eagle
in May, here in Port Canaveral,
Fla., included Engineer Keith
Capizzi, Captain J.B. Buthker and
Deckhand Jacy Webb. The Eagle
is operated by Seabulk Towing
and manned by AMO.
American Maritime Officer
(USPS 316-920)
Official Publication of American Maritime Officers
601 S. Federal Highway
Dania Beach, FL 33004
(954) 921-2221
Periodical Postage Paid at
Dania Beach, FL and Additional Mailing Offices
Published Monthly
ISO 9001:2008
Certificate #33975
September 2015
6 • American Maritime Officer
SOLAS container weight regulations affecting vessel
masters, operating companies take effect July 1, 2016
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted amendments to the
Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention that will require shippers to verify and provide
the gross container weight for each packed unit to be shipped, effective July 1, 2016.
Under the amendments to SOLAS, vessel operators and terminal operators will be
required to use verified container weights in vessel stowage plans and will be prohibited
from loading a packed container onboard a vessel for shipment if the container does not
have a verified container weight.
As reported by the World Shipping Council, the SOLAS amendments were adopted
in November 2014. All regulated parties need to be prepared to implement and abide by the
container weight verification requirements by July 1, 2016. This period should allow time
for regulated parties to prepare for required process and documentation changes and to test
information transmission enhancements in advance of the effective date.
“This issue has been a long and hard-fought battle where the International Transport
Workers’ Federation and the World Shipping Council worked together for a common
cause,” said American Maritime Officers National Vice President, Government Relations,
Mike Murphy, who serves as chairman of the International Transport Workers’ Federation
(ITF) Maritime Safety Committee.
“With the exception of containers originating in the United States, containers worldwide are not weighed right now,” Murphy said. “Shippers estimate the weight of goods they
AMO in the Crescent Towing fleet
The Crescent Towing and Salvage tug Angus R. Cooper operates on the
Mississippi River near New Orleans, La. in July.
are shipping and the calculations are sometimes inaccurate to the point that some containers
are so heavy as to cause stability problems with the ship, and/or crush containers below
them, causing cargo losses at sea.
“Although we wanted the sealed container with its contents to be weighed before it
was loaded on the ship, we ended up with a compromise,” Murphy said of the amendments
to SOLAS. “Under the compromise, the shipper has to either weigh the full container and
obtain a verified weight from the scales, or they have to perform a calculation of verified
weights of all the contents and add them to the tare weight of the container for a ‘verified’
weight.”
Murphy said there is little evidence that adequate preparations are being made by
shippers during the transition period to be in compliance with the new regulations when
they take effect.
This is cause for concern because “the masters will ultimately be put in the middle
when a container arrives without a verified weight,” Murphy said.
An explanation of the SOLAS cargo weight amendments is available on the World
Shipping Council website: www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/cargo-weight.
A summary document, Guidelines for Improving Safety and Implementing the SOLAS
Container Weight Verification Requirements, can be downloaded directly from the World
Shipping Council website.
American Maritime Officers members working in the Crescent Towing and
Salvage fleet in New Orleans, La. in July included Engineer L.J. Sandras
(second from left), Captain Keith Scheider (AMO delegate), Captain Steve
Fazekas, Relief Captain Chip Kline, Captain Frank Arnona, Captan Mike
Domangue and Relief Captain Kyle Ledet. With them is AMO National
Assistant Vice President Daniel Robichaux.
SCA launches national KNOW YOUR SHIP campaign
The Shipbuilders Council of America
has launched KNOW YOUR SHIP, a
national campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of the shipbuilding
and repair industry and the critical role it
serves in maintaining America’s national
and economic security.
“KNOW YOUR SHIP will tell not
only the stories of the many military and
commercial ships that are so integral in
maintaining our economic and national
security, but also the hundreds of thousands of men and women who support the
industry,” said Shipbuilders Council of
America President Matthew Paxton. “This
industrial base is critical for our ability to
protect ourselves and to facilitate com-
merce. Without it, our nation’s capability
to build and repair military and commercial vessels — essentially our ability to
control the fate of our way of life —
would disappear. By showcasing the
incredible stories of these national assets,
and the over 400,000 people who build
and repair them, we will exhibit just how
strong, vibrant and critical this industry is
to the health and safety of our nation.”
In addition to the stories of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who
support the industry, the KNOW YOUR
SHIP campaign will provide real time and
relevant facts and stories behind the U.S.
fleet, and will showcase the significant historical and modern components of the ship-
yard industry, including the breadth of the
fleet and the components that make the
ships that are unique to the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry, the Shipbuilders
Council of America (SCA) reported.
The KNOW YOUR SHIP campaign will serve as a resource to members of Congress, their staffs and the
media to provide information on the
necessity of American-built vessels for
national and economic security and to
showcase the validity for robust and
consistent federal shipbuilding and
repair funding, the SCA reported.
Republican and Democratic candidates alike have made U.S. economic and
national security the cornerstone of their
campaigns, and the shipbuilding and repair
industry is proud to be a solid provider of
family-waged American jobs that help
support the nation’s industrial base.
According to the U.S. Maritime
Administration, the U.S. shipbuilding and
repair industry supports more than 400,000
jobs from coast to coast and is critical to
the nation’s infrastructure — moving millions of goods and people everyday.
Additionally, for every one job in the shipbuilding and repair industry, there are two
jobs created across the nation — in both
the commercial and military sectors.
Overall, the shipbuilding and repair industry contributes $36 billion every year to the
U.S. economy, the SCA reported.
NMC announces upcoming credential production improvements
The following article was released July 30 by the U.S. Coast Guard’s National
Maritime Center.
Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMCs) are currently created using a labor-intensive process. The National Maritime Center (NMC) will soon begin using automated
printers for MMC production, which will significantly improve the quality and security
of the credentials.
The automated process will include a new laminate and improved print quality. The
new laminate will contain the Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast
Guard, and the United States Merchant Marine seals as well as other features.
All currently issued and active credentials will remain valid until their printed expiration dates. There will be no change in the way endorsement labels are issued and applied
to MMCs.
In the coming months, the NMC will also introduce an updated MMC booklet that,
while retaining the same form, fit, and function, will include new graphics on the credential
pages. Additional information will be provided prior to their issuance.
Check the NMC website (http://www.uscg.mil/nmc) periodically for updated information. If you have questions, please contact the NMC by using our online chat or ticketing system, by e-mail (IASKNMC@uscg.mil), or by calling 1-888-IASKNMC (1-888-427-5662).
Officers, crew of USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams
provide aid in aftermath of Typhoon Soudelor
September 2015
American Maritime Officer • 7
When Typhoon Soudelor struck
Saipan on August 2, several members of
American Maritime Officers and the
Seafarers International Union working
aboard the USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams
sprang into action to provide assistance
under the leadership of Chief Engineer Don
Baetge, a resident of Saipan.
The USNS Williams, a Military
Sealift Command Maritime Prepositioning
Force ship, is stationed in Saipan.
The crew of the USNS Williams cut
down and removed fallen tree trunks and
limbs at a school, according to a report from
Bosun Brian Guiry. “First Assistant
Engineer Clark Deloach and SIU QEE
Morris Jeff repaired electrical lines to two
classrooms. QMED Freddie Malbas reconnected a water line to one of the classrooms,
as well,” Guiry said.
The crew had to work fast because
another storm was projected to hit the area,
Guiry said.
“A particular point of personal pride
for me aboard the Williams is how well the
three different departments work together
on a daily basis, and this was no exception,” he said. “There is still more to do,
and we will likely return in the near future
to continue giving back to the shoreside
community that our crews call home for
four months.”
More than 55,000 people live on
Saipan, the largest island of the 300-mile
archipelago that makes up the Northern
Mariana Islands.
Totem Ocean announces shipyard for
conversion to natural gas power
The following article was released
August 4 by Totem Ocean Trailer Express.
American Maritime Officers represents all
licensed officers aboard the Midnight Sun
and North Star.
Tacoma, WA — Totem Ocean
Trailer
Express
(Totem
Ocean)
announced that it has signed a contract
with Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd.
(Keppel O&M)’s wholly owned subsidiary Keppel Shipyard Ltd. for the conversion of the Midnight Sun to dual fuel
liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion.
This is the world’s first major conversion
of a large RO/RO vessel to LNG. The
work will begin in December and is
expected to be completed in 90 days.
Once complete, the Midnight Sun
will emit fewer air and greenhouse gas
emissions, reducing emissions of particulate matter by 91 percent, NOx by 100 percent, SOx by 90 percent and carbon dioxide by 35 percent. Her sister ship, the
North Star, is expected to be converted in
the 2016/2017 time frame.
Totem Ocean will be the first in
North America to begin the conversion to
natural gas. Totem Ocean is part of the
TOTE and Saltchuk organization that is
leading the maritime industry into LNG
with the introduction of the world’s first
LNG-powered containership into the
Puerto Rico trade later this year.
Image: TOTE, Inc.
“Totem Ocean is excited to partner
with Keppel for the conversion of the
Midnight Sun, enabling her to operate on
natural gas,” stated John Parrott, President
of Totem Ocean. “The removal and
replacement of the four engines, adding
At left: Officers and crew members of
the USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams
providing assistance on Saipan following Typhoon Soudelor included (in
no particular order) ETO Rich Felkey,
OS Caliph Johnson, Third Assistant
Engineer William Dickey, GUDE
Walid Nasser, ABG Vlad Bendus, OS
Ahmed Al Arashi, Chief Engineer Don
Baetge, First A.E. Clark Deloach,
QEE Morris Jeff, QMED Freddie
Malbas, Bosun Brian Guiry, SKE Joss
Zolina and ABG Chris Dionio.
2,200 cubic meters of LNG capacity along
with the addition of 47 kilometers of new
cabling is a complex undertaking, and we
are confident that Keppel will provide
safe, timely, high-quality work to ensure
the best outcome for Totem Ocean and our
customers.”
Mr. Michael Chia, managing director (marine & technology), Keppel
Offshore & Marine, said, “We are happy to
start a new partnership with Totem Ocean
who has entrusted us with the conversion
of their first RO/RO vessel to run on both
diesel and natural gas. Due to natural gas’
cleaner burning properties, more and more
vessel owners are choosing to have their
ships powered by LNG. Leveraging our
strong track record and experience in ship
modification and conversion work, Keppel
is well positioned to capture this growing
market to meet the industry’s needs for
environmentally friendly solutions.”
Puget Sound Energy, in partnership
with Totem Ocean and the Port of Tacoma,
has plans to construct an LNG liquefaction
terminal at the Port that will serve Totem
Ocean, residents of Puget Sound and the
broader transportation industry in the
Pacific Northwest. This facility is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2018.
In the short term, TOTE and its partner WesPac are building North America’s
first LNG bunker barge to deliver fuel to
the ships once converted.
NMC announces implementation of updated CG-719 series forms;
USCG to cease stocking CG-719 series forms in paper format
The following article was released August 3 by the U.S. Coast Guard’s National
Maritime Center.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the CG-719 series of forms
(B, K, K/E, P, S, and C) that will replace the forms displaying a June 30, 2012, expiration
date. These forms are used within the Mariner Credentialing Program (MCP) during the
application process. The data collected on the updated forms is nearly identical to data collected on the previous forms, with some notable exceptions. The K and K/E forms reflect
the introduction of the Medical Certificate. The K also has a significant reduction in the
number of conditions to be checked by the medical provider. The C is a new non-mandatory
form that standardizes the disclosure of conviction information. Users will note formatting
changes that are designed to streamline the burden on the mariner and improve data entry.
Updated instructions are provided with each form as well.
The Coast Guard will not stock the CG-719 series of forms in paper format.
Beginning October 1, 2015, these forms may be obtained electronically in a fillable PDF
format by selecting the forms link on the National Maritime Center (NMC) website
(http://www.uscg.mil/nmc). Additional updates to the NMC website will occur as quickly
as possible to reflect the new forms.
The Coast Guard encourages providers and applicants to purge the old forms from
inventory and to begin using the new forms as soon as possible after October 1, 2015. In
order to avoid penalizing mariners who have already completed their forms, the NMC will
continue to accept the old forms for a period of time.
Implementation of the new forms will commence on October 1, 2015. With the exception of the K and K/E, the Coast Guard will no longer accept outdated forms after April 1,
2016. For the K and K/E, forms signed by a physician after December 31, 2015, must be the
new form version. In accordance with 46CFR10.304(d) the K or K/E must be submitted within 12 months of the date signed by the licensed medical professional; therefore, the Coast
Guard will no longer accept outdated K or K/E forms after December 31, 2016.
Mariners and other providers should contact the NMC Contact Center using our chat
function, by e-mail (IASKNMC@uscg.mil), or calling 1-888-IASKNMC (888-427-5662)
with any questions regarding these forms.
September 2015
8 • American Maritime Officer
AMO Safety and Education Plan — Simulation, Training, Assessment & Research Center
(954) 920-3222 / (800) 942-3220 — 2 West Dixie Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004
STCW 2010 Gap Closing Courses — Required by all existing STCW credentialed officers by 1 January 2017
Leadership & Management (required by ALL management level Deck
and Engine officers by 1 Jan 2017)
5 days
14, 21, 28 Sept
Management of Electrical, Electronic Controllers (Engineers) (Required
by ALL management level Engine officers by 1 Jan 2017)
5 days
14, 28 Sept
5 days
Basic Training & Advanced Fire Fighting Revalidation (Required by first
credential renewal AFTER 1 Jan 2017)
Engine Room Resource Management — Classroom (Engineers)
(Required by ALL Engine officers by 1 Jan 2017)
5, 12, 19, 26
October
2, 9, 16, 30
November
12, 26 October
7, 14 Dec
9, 30 November 14 December
4, 11, 18, 25
Jan
11, 25 January
8, 22 Feb
7, 28 March
2, 16 November 7 December
1 day
Leadership & Teamworking assessments, in the few cases required, should be completed and signed off onboard.
2 days
22 Oct
1, 2 Feb
25, 26 April
EFA (Scheduled with Basic Training Revalidation BUT NOT REQUIRED
FOR STCW 2010)
1 day
21 Oct
3 Feb
27 April
IGF Code Training
5 days
11 January
2 November
7 December
18 January
8 Feb
28 March
Basic Safety Training — All 4 modules must be completed within 12
months: Personal Safety Techniques (Mon/Tues — 1.5 days), Personal
Safety & Social Responsibility (Tues pm — .5 days), Elementary First Aid
(Wed — 1 day), Fire Fighting & Fire Prevention (Thurs/Fri — 2 days) — not
required. if Combined Basic & Adv. Fire Fighting completed within 12 months
5 days
14 September
12, 26 October
16 November
14 December
25 January
15, 29 February 25 April
Basic Safety Training — Refresher
3 days
18 November
16 December
27 January
2 March
ECDIS
5 days
14 September
2 November
7 December
4 January
8 February
7 March
18 April
30 November
5 January
8 February
29 March
18 April
18 April
9 November
11 January
21 March
Advanced Fire Fighting
Chemical Safety — Advanced
Environmental Awareness (includes Oily Water Separator)
Fast Rescue Boat
5 days
8 February
5 days
3 days
19 October
20 January
7 December
15 February
5 October
4 days
GMDSS — Requires after-hour homework
10 days
LNG Simulator Training — Enrollment priority in the LNG simulator course
is given to qualified member candidates for employment and/or observation
opportunities with AMO contracted LNG companies. In all cases successful
completion of the LNG PNC classroom course is prerequisite.
5 days
11 April
Proficiency in Survival Craft (Lifeboat)
4 days
21 September
Tankerman PIC DL — Classroom
5 days
9 November
LNG Tankerman PIC
Safety Officer Course
30 March
8 days
2 days
12 November
17 March
21 September
19 October
30 November
25 January
22 February
14 December
11 January
29 February
14 March
Tankerman PIC DL — Simulator
10 days
Train the Trainer
5 days
5 October
16 November
3 days
9 November
14 March
Tankerman PIC DL — Accelerated Program
Train the Trainer — Simulator Instructors
Vessel/Company Security Officer — Includes Anti-Piracy
Deck Courses
10 days Please call
Please call
5 days
Advanced Bridge Resource Management — Meets STCW 2010
Leadership & Management gap closing requirements
5 days
Advanced Shiphandling for 3rd Mates — 60 days seatime equiv. for 3rd
Mates
10 days 7 December
Bridge Resource Management Seminar
3 days
Advanced Shiphandling for Masters — (No equivalency) Must have
sailed as Chief Mate Unlimited
Advanced & Emergency Shiphandling — First Class Pilots, Great Lakes
14, 28 Sept
1 February
Dynamic Positioning — Basic
5 days
2 November
Integrated Bridge System (IBS) / Prodded Propulsion Training
5 days
STCW Deck Officer Refresher — Great Lakes
TOAR (Towing Officer Assessment Record) — Third Mate (Unlimited or
Great Lakes) or 1600T Master License required AND OICNW required
Tug Training — ASD Assist (Azimuthing Stern Drive)
Engineering Courses
Basic Electricity
Diesel Crossover
Gas Turbine Endorsement
High Voltage Safety Course (Classroom)
Hydraulics/ Pneumatics
Ocean Ranger Program
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)
Refrigeration (Operational Level)
Refrigeration (Management Level)
7 December
29 February
1 February
25 April
3 days
Please call
9 November
18 January
14 March
Please call
21 September
5 days
14 September
18 April
10 days
26 October
10 days
9 November
4 weeks
3 days
8 February
16 November
30 November
12 October
5 days
9 November
15 February
2 November
14 December
6 days
5 days
5 days
4 weeks
Instrumentation (Management) — NEW
10 days
1 week
Please call
26 October
11 January
7, 14 December 18, 25 January
8 February
1 February
28 March
7 December
7 March
14 March
Please call
Please call
Welding & Metallurgy Skills & Practices — Open to eligible Chief Mates and Masters on a space available
basis. Interested participants should apply and will be confirmed 2 weeks prior to start date.
2 weeks
14 September
30 November
1 February
4, 18 April
4, 25 April
22 February
5 days
Steam Endorsement
Electronics (Management) — NEW
4 January
29 February
Please call
5 days
5 days
2 November
30 November
5 days
5 days
Dynamic Positioning — Advanced
26 October
14 March
11, 25 April
5, 19 October
General Courses
1, 15, 29 Feb
4, 11, 18, 25
April
7, 14, 28 March
21 September
Leadership & Teamwork (Engineers) (Only required by those Engineers
who completed old ERM class)
4, 18 January
1, 8, 15, 22
Feb
25 April
7 March
18, 25 April
September 2015
American Maritime Officer • 9
Deck Upgrade — STCW 2010 — Management Level (NVIC 10-14)— If sea service or training towards management level (Chief Mate/Master) upgrade started ON OR AFTER 24 March 2014 you must adhere
to this new program of training. Completion of both required and optional courses listed below will include all Task Assessments required by NVIC 10-14 , providing ECDIS, GMDSS and ARPA have been previously completed.
Upgrade: Shiphandling at the Management Level
10 days
12 October
4 January
Advanced Stability
5 days
2 November
25 January
Upgrade: Advanced Meteorology — Requires after-hours homework
Search & Rescue
Management of Medical Care
Leadership & Management
Advanced Cargo — Optional for task sign-off
Marine Propulsion Plants — Optional for task sign-off
Advanced Celestial — Optional for task sign-off
Advanced Navigation — Optional for task sign-off
5 days
2 1/2 days
1/2 day
5 days
5 days
5 days
5 days
5 days
26 October
4 April
18 January
9 November
11 November
1 February
3 February
16 November
8 February
30 November
22 February
30 November
14 December
14 September
18 April
25 April
15 February
29 February
7 December
7 March
Deck Upgrade at the Management Level (Policy Letter 04-02) — This upgrade program is for those who started sea service or training towards management level (Chief Mate/Master) upgrade BEFORE 24
March 2014. Failure to complete by 31 December 2016 will most likely result in significant delays and additional training or assessment requirements. Successful completion of this program will satisfy the training requirements for
STCW certification as Master or Chief Mate on vessels of 500 or more gross tonnage (ITC) under previous. This program will complete ALL 53 Control Sheet assessments of the training requirements for STCW under policy letter
04-02. Course completion certificates and control sheets expire 12/31/16. Anyone using the previous regulations to upgrade in this manner must complete all requirements ,including USCG testing, by 12/31/16. Deck Management
Level gap closing training must also be completed by 12/31/16 in order for the new credential to valid after this date. SPECIFIC GUIDANCE CAN BE FOUND ON THE STAR CENTER WEBSITE AT https://www.star-center.com
Celestial Navigation — Requires after-hour homework
5 days
14 December
Cargo Operations
9 days
Please call
Upgrade: Advanced Meteorology — Requires after-hour homework
Marine Propulsion Plants
Upgrade: Stability
5 days
5 days
26 October
29 February
18 January
18 April
NOT required for 04-02 compliance.
2 November
25 January
11 November
22 March
5 days
5 October
16 November
28 March
Upgrade: Shiphandling at the Management Level
10 days
12 October
4 January
4 April
Shipboard Management
5 days
21 September
15 February
ECDIS
5 days
21 September
14 December
Watchkeeping 1: BRM
Watchkeeping 2: COLREGS
Search and Rescue
Upgrade: Advanced Navigation (includes Simulator)
MSC Training Program
5 days
3 days
30 September
2 days
Please call
5 days
14 September
Basic CBR Defense
1 day
22 September
Heat Stress Afloat / Hearing Conservation Afloat
1 day
20 April
Damage Control
Helicopter Fire Fighting
1 day
1 day
Marine Environmental Programs (with CBRD)
1/2 day
Medical PIC Refresher — Note: MSC approved
3 days
Marine Sanitation Devices
MSC Readiness Refresher — Must have completed full CBRD & DC once in
career.
MSC Watchstander — BASIC — Once in career, SST grads grandfathered
MSC Watchstander — ADVANCED — Required for all SRF members
1/2 day
5 days
2 days
1 day
21 September
17 November
22 September
Please call
Please call
7 December
7 March
8 December
26 February
7 December
26 January
8 December
14 March
25 February
26 February
16 November
25 January
18 September
16, 30 October
4 December
15 January
19 February
4, 18 March
15, 29 April
12, 26 October
16, 30 Nov
14 December
11, 25 January
15, 29
February
14, 28 March
22 October
MSC Ship Reaction Force — Required every three years for SRF members
3 days
Small Arms — Initial & Sustainment (Refresher) Training — Open to
members & applicants eligible for employment through AMO (w/in 1 year) or
MSC on MARAD contracted vessels.
4 days
14, 28 Sept
Water Sanitation Afloat
1/2 day
Please call
Medical Courses
25 April
2 November
21 April
22 February
Heat Stress Afloat / Hearing Conservation Afloat
1 day
20 April
Medical Care Provider — Prerequisite for MPIC within preceding 12
months. Please fax EFA certificate when registering
13, 27 October
1 December
5 January
23 February
5 April
3 days
14, 28 October
2 December
6 January
24 February
6 April
Medical PIC — Please fax MCP certificate when registering
Urinalysis Collector Training
5 days
2 November
7 December
11 January
29 February
Breath Alcohol Test (BAT) — Alco Sensors 3 and 4 only
1 day
19 October
1 day
15 December
8 March
Elementary First Aid — Prerequisite for MCP within preceding 12 months
Saliva Screening Test — QEDs only
Medical PIC Refresher — Note: MSC approved
Radar Courses
1 day
1/2 day
3 days
26 October
16 December
9 March
12, 13 Nov
Please call
Radar Recertification
1 day
10, 11, 28 Sept
ARPA
1 day
4 days
Please call
Original Radar Observer Unlimited
5 days
5 days
28 September
Radar Recertification at Toledo Maritime Academy — Non-Resident
Training, apply to Student Services, Dania Beach
Radar Recertification & ARPA
30 November
14 December
22 February
21, 22 January
29, 30, 31
March
7 March
Advanced Fire Fighting
11 April
29 September
Please call
Engine STCW / Original Engineer Training Routes — Engine STCW training routes are aimed at Great Lakes members wishing to transition to deep sea.
applicants and sponsored students seeking an original license.
5 days
Original engineer training is available to members,
2 November
11 January
27 October
4 January
Basic Safety Training
5 days
16 November
Proficiency in Survival Craft (Lifeboat)
4 days
9 November
19 January
A/R
14 December
15 February
EFA/MCP
Basic Electricity (original engineers only)
Original 3 A/E Preparation and Exams
11, 25 April
4 days
10 days
30 November
25 January
1 February
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 the
school 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 the
American 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.
September 2015
10 • American Maritime Officer
AMO NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
DANIA BEACH, FL 33004-4109
601 S. Federal Highway
(954) 921-2221 / (800) 362-0513
Paul Doell, National President
(pauldoell51@yahoo.com)
Extension 1001 / Mobile: (954) 881-5651 / FAX: (954) 926-5112
Charles A. Murdock, National Secretary-Treasurer
(cmurdock@amo-union.org)
Extension 1004 / Mobile: (954) 531-9977 / FAX: (954) 367-1025
Joseph Z. Gremelsbacker, National Vice President, Deep Sea
(jgremelsbacker@amo-union.org)
Extension 1009 / Mobile: (954) 673-0680 / FAX: (954) 367-1029
Marie Doruth, Special Assistant to the National President
(mdoruth@amo-union.org)
Extension 1017 / Mobile: (954) 290-8109 / FAX: (954) 926-5112
Dispatch: (800) 345-3410 / FAX: (954) 926-5126
Brendan Keller, Dispatcher (bkeller@amo-union.org)
Extension 1061 / Mobile: (954) 817-4000
Robert Anderson, Dispatcher (randerson@amo-union.org)
Extension 1060 / Mobile: (954) 599-9771
Member Services: Extension 1050 / FAX: (954) 367-1066
(memberservices@amo-union.org)
OFFICES
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024
490 L’Enfant Plaza East SW, Suite 7204
(202) 479-1166 / (800) 362-0513 ext. 7001
Paul Doell, National President
(pauldoell51@yahoo.com)
Extension 7004 / Mobile: (954) 881-5651
J. Michael Murphy, National Vice President, Government Relations
(mmurphy@amo-union.org / mikemurphy68@aol.com)
Extension 7013 / Mobile: (202) 560-6889
T. Christian Spain, National Assistant Vice President, Government Relations
(cspain@amo-union.org)
Extension 7010 / Mobile: (202) 658-9635
FAX: (202) 479-1188
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19113
2 International Plaza, Suite 336
Robert J. Kiefer, National Executive Vice President
(rkiefer@amo-union.org)
(800) 362-0513 ext. 4001 / Mobile: (215) 859-1059 / FAX: (610) 521-1301
Chris Holmes, Contract Analyst
(cholmes@amo‐union.org)
(800) 362‐0513 ext. 4002 / Mobile: (856) 693‐0694
UPDATE CREDENTIALS, DOCUMENTS, TRAINING RECORDS
Secure File Upload: https://securetransfer.amo-union.org/
E-mail: memberservices@amo-union.org
Questions: (800) 362-0513 ext. 1050
TOLEDO, OH 43604
The Melvin H. Pelfrey Building
One Maritime Plaza, Third Floor
(800) 221-9395 / FAX: (419) 255-2350
John E. Clemons, Special Assistant to the National President (Great Lakes)
(johnclemons@amo-union.org) / Mobile: (419) 205-3509
Brian D. Krus, Senior National Assistant Vice President
(bkrus@amo-union.org) / Mobile: (216) 571-9666
Michelle Moffitt, Dispatcher
(mmoffitt@amo-union.org) / Mobile: (419) 481-3470
GALVESTON, TX 77551
2724 61st Street, Suite B, PMB 192
David M. Weathers, National Vice President, Inland Waters
(dweathers@amo-union.org)
(800) 362-0513 ext. 2001 / Mobile: (409) 996-7362 / FAX: (409) 737-4454
SAN FRANCISCO / OAKLAND, CA 94607
1121 7th Street, Second Floor
Oakland, CA 94607
Daniel E. Shea, National Assistant Vice President
(dshea@amo-union.org)
(510) 444-5301 / (800) 362-0513 ext. 5001 / Mobile: (415) 269-5795
FAX: (954) 367-1064
NEW ORLEANS / COVINGTON, LA 70434
P.O. Box 5424
Covington, LA 70434
Daniel J. Robichaux, National Assistant Vice President
(drobichaux@amo-union.org)
(954) 367-1036 / Mobile: (985) 201-5462
STAR CENTER
STUDENT SERVICES/LODGING AND COURSE INFORMATION
2 West Dixie Highway
Dania Beach, FL 33004-4312
(954) 920-3222 ext. 201 / (800) 942-3220 ext. 201
Course Attendance Confirmation: (800) 942-3220 ext. 200
24 Hours: (954) 920-3222 ext.7999 / FAX: (954) 920-3140
SERVICES
FINANCIAL ADVISERS: THE ATLANTIC GROUP AT MORGAN STANLEY
(800) 975-7061 / www.morganstanleyfa.com/theatlanticgroup
MEDICAL CLINIC
2 West Dixie Highway
Dania Beach, FL 33004-4312
(954) 927-5213
FAX: (954) 929-1415
AMO Coast Guard Legal Aid
Program
Michael Reny
Mobile: (419) 346-1485
(419) 243-1105
(888) 853-4662
MikeReny@BEX.NET
AMO PLANS
2 West Dixie Highway
Dania Beach, FL 33004-4312
(800) 348-6515
FAX: (954) 922-7539
LEGAL
Joel Glanstein, General Counsel
David Glanstein
437 Madison Ave. 35th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 370-5100
(954) 662-9407
FAX: (212) 697-6299
AMO Vacation Plan summary annual report for fiscal year 2014
This is a summary of the annual report of the American Maritime Officers Vacation
Plan, EIN 11-1929852, Plan No. 501, for period October 01, 2013 through September 30,
2014. The annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration,
U.S. Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974 (ERISA).
Basic Financial Statement
The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $1,273,868 as of
September 30, 2014, compared to $1,526,808 as of October 01, 2013. During the plan year
the plan experienced a decrease in its net assets of $252,940. This decrease includes unrealized
appreciation and depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the
value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of the assets at the beginning of
the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year. During the plan year, the plan had total
income of $76,247,649, including employer contributions of $76,096,947, earnings from
investments of $147,763, and other income of $2,939.
Plan expenses were $76,500,589. These expenses included $1,366,175 in administrative expenses, and $75,134,414 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries.
Your Rights To Additional Information
You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on
request. The items listed below are included in that report:
• an accountant’s report;
• financial information;
• information on payments to service providers;
• assets held for investment;
• transactions in excess of 5% of the plan assets.
To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of
Board of Trustees American Maritime Officers Vacation Plan at 2 Dixie Highway, Dania
Beach, FL 33004, or by telephone at (954) 922-7428. The charge to cover copying costs will
be $0.15 per page.
You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no
charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a
copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given
above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these
portions are furnished without charge.
You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office
of the plan (Board of Trustees American Maritime Officers Vacation Plan, 2 Dixie Highway,
Dania Beach, FL 33004) and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to
obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests
to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N1513, Employee
Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20210.
September 2015
American Maritime Officer • 11
Lloyd A. Ciszewski, 62, third assistant engineer on the Great Lakes
Lloyd Anthony Ciszewski, age 62, of
Rosebush passed away unexpectedly
Friday, July 31, 2015.
Lloyd was born on November 21,
1952 in Chicago, Ill., the son of Stanley and
Loretta Ciszewski. He married Katherine
McClain on June 19, 2009. Lloyd worked
as a maritime officer in the Great Lakes.
Lloyd is survived by wife, Katherine.
Lloyd was preceded in death by his
parents and brothers, Roger and Gary.
Remembrances from shipmates
First and foremost, Lloyd was a really
good shipmate. He was diligent in his work
and was very industrious performing his
Lloyd Ciszewski at home with his wife,
Katherine McClain.
duties. He was always ready and willing to
lend a hand and would not let a repair go
until he knew it was really fixed. Lloyd was
always ready with a good laugh and was
sometimes the butt of jokes, all of which he
did with much grace.
He drank copious amounts of coffee, he was always busy (as the Day
Engineer) and he had a great sense of
humor. I especially liked how he joked
about taking it easy on Sundays, and how
he had to get up to his room to watch the
Gaither Gospel Hour. In actuality, he
worked long days — 7 days per week. He
was also a good shipmate and friend. He
helped people on and off the boat with
Lloyd Ciszewski — nicknamed “Super
Lloyd” — dons a costume created by
his shipmates on the Joseph L. Block.
their luggage when guys went on vacation
or came back from vacation. Last year,
when I was driving back home from
Toledo, my car broke down near where he
lived and I called him. He came without
delay to come help me fix it. That was the
kind of person he was. I’m going to miss
that old coot!
— Joyce Greenisen
Lloyd had overcome many of life’s
battles, starting in his youth. He would
share some of his stories of his youth,
whether it was about living on the Southside
of Chicago, working for Purple Martin with
his cape, driving illegally with a bag over
his head or having a special Thanksgiving
dinner that just screamed meow. He had us
in stitches. I worked with him often. He was
methodical in his troubleshooting efforts
and sometimes would zap me good. In the
past few years, he had found his love, Kat,
and together they enjoyed long Harley rides
and the peacefulness of just being together.
Lloyd, you are sorely missed.
— Joe Parsons
Good roads and fair weather on
your last ride. Godspeed, fair winds and
following seas.
In this file photo from 2011, Lloyd Ciszewski (right) joins AMO Senior National
Assistant Vice President Brian Krus and shipmates Chief Engineer Basil
Friend, Second Assistant Engineer Dennis Zeigler, Third A.E. Joyce
Greenisen and First A.E. Joseph Parsons for a photograph aboard the
Joseph L. Block in Duluth, Minn.
AMO-manned Reliance Class ships
install Hibernia Express Cable System
12 • American Maritime Officer
By Captain Carl Winter
Master, C.S. Responder
Transoceanic Cable Ship Company,
LLC, the ship operation and management
arm of TE Subcom has entered a period of
full utilization of its fleet of seven AMOmanned cable ships.
The cable ships Durable and Global
Sentinel are both working on cable maintenance projects in the Pacific region.
The Reliance Class cable ships
Reliance, Responder, Resolute, Dependable
and Decisive have been working this spring
and summer on a new fiber optic cable system running from Halifax, Nova Scotia to
Ireland and the United Kingdom. The
Hibernia Express Cable System follows a
great circle across the Grand Banks of
Newfoundland and the North Atlantic into
the Irish Sea and Bristol Channel.
The five Reliance Class ships that
have participated in the project have had
their fair share of challenges thus far:
storms, icebergs and fog have been a few of
the elements that have made life interesting
thus far.
The Decisive and the Responder both
had to shuffle their work routines to avoid the
high concentrations of icebergs and floes on
the Grand Banks this spring and summer.
The Dependable was faced with
extremely hostile bottom terrain, which
caused severe damage to the sea plow. The
ship’s crew rallied and salvaged the damaged plow off the seabed, and with the aid
of a support vessel, was able to get the plow
back aboard, repaired, and back working in
short order.
The marine program of the Hibernia
Express installation began with route clearance. This is where one of the cable ships
runs the installation route dragging a specialized set of grapnels behind her. This
ensures that any out of service cable systems, abandoned fishing gear, abandoned
rigging, etc. are removed from the sections
AMO members working
aboard the C.S. Resolute
in August included Second A.E. Larry Pascua.
of the route where the cable system will be
buried in the seabed.
The Hibernia Express Cable System
has three landing points: Halifax, Nova
Scotia; Cork Ireland; and Brean, United
Kingdom. The landings in Halifax and Cork
are direct landings. This is where the cable
ship maneuvers into shallow water, close
the beach, and floats the end of the cable
ashore on inflatable floats. The landing in
Brean was a pre-laid shore end. This is
where a smaller vessel or barge installs a
section of cable from the beach out to a
point where the cable ship can recover the
cable end and splice it into the cable they
have aboard.
Once the connections are made to the
beach, the cable ship begins moving offshore. The owners of the Hibernia Express
Cable System desired maximum protection
of their investment, so the cable was buried
in the seabed in areas of high fishing activity. This is done using a sea plow. This is a
large device towed behind the cable ship
with the fiber optic cable threaded through
it. As the ship tows it, the plow cuts a furrow
in the seabed, burying the cable 1.5 meters
below grade. Maximum speed for the ship
and plow is 1 knot, but due to the hard bottom conditions on this project there were
many days spent going at .3 knots.
Once clear of the shallower waters
where fishermen work the bottom, the sea
plow is recovered and now the cable is
simply deployed over the stern of the
cable ship to lay on the seabed below.
Speeds during this portion of the installation can reach 6 knots.
Once the installation is complete, the
ships are tasked with performing post-lay
inspection and burial operations. This is
where the vessel will deploy its remotely
operated vehicle (ROV) to descend to the
seabed and inspect the cable for proper
installation and burial to the required specifications. The ROVs use a combination of
cameras and magnetic and electronic sen-
sors to ensure the cable is buried to specification. Additionally, any areas required to
be buried where the sea plow could not be
used or had to be recovered to deck for
maintenance can be buried by the ROV
using a high powered water jet system.
September 2015
The Hibernia Express Cable System
should be ready to carry communications
traffic across the Atlantic this fall.
The Reliance Class ships are manned
by AMO officers in all licensed positions. In
addition to the traditional roles for mates
and engineers, the operation of the plow
handling equipment, cable installation
machinery, specialized rigging, and DP
operations are accomplished by the AMO
officers. The ships have also hosted cadets
from the various maritime academies and
the AMO TECH Program.
Photo: Provincial Aerospace Ltd.
The C.S. Responder works on the Hibernia Express Cable System project on
the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.
Photo courtesy of Captain Eric Clark
American Maritime Officers members working aboard the C.S. Resolute in
August included Third Mate Tyler Reszoly, Third Mate Alysia Johnson, and Chief
Mate Chris Gabrielson. With them is Cadet Doug Strassburg.
Photos courtesy of Chief Engineer Steve Miller
AMO members working
aboard the C.S. Resolute
in August included Third
A.E. Adam Wood.
AMO members working
aboard the C.S. Resolute
in August included Third
A.E. Kristopher Smith.
Photo courtesy of Captain Eric Clark
The C.S. Resolute deploys its QT-800 remotely operated vehicle off County
Cork, in Courtmacsherry Bay, Ireland.
Photo courtesy of Captain Carl Winter
The Sea Stallion III sea plow on the C.S. Responder.
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 AMO National Headquarters (on
Tuesday when Monday is a contract holiday). The next meetings will
take place on the following dates:
AMO National Headquarters: October 5, November 2