New jobs in place under Faststream agreement

Transcription

Volume 38, Number 3
March 2008
New jobs in place under Faststream agreement
Unique base developing quickly with new seagoing opportunities for AMO officers
The number of new jobs directly or
indirectly generated through the pioneering
agreement between American Maritime
Officers and Faststream Recruitment Inc.,
signed in December 2007, is fast approaching 40, and more opportunities through
Faststream are now available to members of
the union.
Faststream’s involvement was a significant factor in the recent award of a contract by the State of Alaska to Crowley
Liner Services to provide 35 ocean rangers
to work aboard international cruise ships in
Alaskan waters. AMO engineers are now
being recruited and trained for these positions. Employing its experience with and
knowledge of the international cruise industry, Faststream collaborated with Crowley
on the development of their response to
Alaska’s request for proposals.
Additionally, one AMO member now
has covered employment in a shore-based
ship surveying position through the union’s
agreement with Faststream. Currently, three
more shoreside opportunities are available
to AMO officers through Faststream,
including two site superintendent positions
overseeing newbuilds for an oil major, and
one position as a health, safety and environmental team leader.
The AMO online dispatching system is currently being adapted to display
all positions available through Faststream
to AMO members with access to the Web
site. For the time being, AMO officers
interested in available positions can send
their resumes to AMO Director of New
Business Development Tom Laird at
tlaird@amo-union.org. Hiring for positions available through Faststream is on a
competitive basis.
The union’s agreement with
Faststream is multi-faceted, although the
primary thrust is new seagoing employment
for AMO members with international
owner/operators not typically accessible to
American unions. Nonetheless, AMO’s
unique agreement with Faststream provides
for these jobs to be covered employment for
AMO officers, with all required contributions to the AMO Plans.
“Our primary job at Faststream is to
open up doors for AMO in the international
AMO Essentials
N RTM STAR Center, Florida
schedule: Pages 8-9
N RTM STAR Center, Ohio
schedule: Page 9
N RTM STAR Center
application: Page 11
N AMO directory: Page 10
AMO membership meeting
N schedule: Page 10
seagoing market,” said Faststream Vice
President Craig Johnson. “The shoreside
employment for AMO members is the
added bonus.”
Faststream is a leading recruitment
firm for the U.S. and international maritime
industries, with a broad network of contacts,
a deep portfolio of experience and an extensive track record of success and excellence
in placing qualified personnel in key shoreside positions throughout the industry.
The company’s experience and reputation with international owner/operators
places both it and AMO in an ideal position
to meet the surging demand for qualified
officers in emerging growth markets, such
as liquefied natural gas transportation.
Faststream’s collaboration with
Crowley on the ocean ranger proposal
marks the first major foray on behalf of
AMO, as well as the first success.
“I’m very encouraged that we’re seeing so much interest from chief engineers
and first assistant engineers, since the minimum requirement for these positions is a
third assistant engineer’s license,” said
Faststream Cruise Consultant Roy Sunden
of the strong response from AMO officers
to the Alaska ocean ranger program. “This
will make it easier for the cruise lines to
cooperate because they will be getting engineers with much more experience. It will be
a win-win.”
Similar ocean ranger programs are
expected to develop in the future in other
U.S. states that serve as international cruise
hubs, and California has already followed
Alaska’s lead in introducing legislation to
require ocean rangers aboard cruise ships
while they are in Californian waters.
Another productive aspect of the
AMO agreement with Faststream is marketing and employer-recruitment.
AMO continues to invest time and
effort in developing relationships with
owner/operators in the international energy transportation trades, particularly
LNG shipping. The AMO team is working with a select group of quality companies and is focusing its efforts on negotiations with the potential to secure new
direct and indirect contracts.
See Faststream N Page 2
New AMO jobs
as APL Balboa
enters service
under U.S. flag
AMO members Chief Engineer Roy
Graham (left) and Capt. Noah Myrus
(right) aboard the APL Balboa as
Coast Guard Inspector Scott
Chroninger presents the certificate of
inspection to APL Maritime Limited
Vice President Brian Constable in
Singapore in February.
The APL Balboa has been reflagged into U.S. registry. The 397foot containership operates in a
commercial feeder service in the
Arabian Gulf for APL's liner fleet carrying containerized cargo. The APL
Balboa is operated by APL Maritime
Limited and manned in all licensed
positions by American Maritime
Officers. Built in 1998, the ship has
been operating in the company's
international fleet.
Maritime
Washington
I want to be an
ocean ranger
Page 7: Maritime
Administrator Sean
Connaughton goes to the roots
of U.S. maritime policy with
the presidency of George
Washington and the laws enacted by our nation’s first
President and Congresses in a
column authored for American
Maritime Officer.
Page 2: American Maritime
Officers is building a base of
qualified ocean rangers, and is
actively seeking members who
are licensed engineers and are
interested in working as ocean
rangers aboard international
cruise ships in Alaska. The
training requirements and job
description are included.
Great Lakes News
Page 5: AMO’s annual area
meetings provide forums for
open, informative discussion.
Copyright © 2008 American Maritime Officers I 2 West Dixie Highway I Dania Beach, FL 33004 I (800) 362-0513 I editorial@amo-union.org
2 • American Maritime Officer
March 2008
AMO seeking resumés for Alaska ocean ranger jobs
American Maritime Officers is actively recruiting AMO members who are
licensed engineers for the State of Alaska’s
Ocean Ranger Program. Ocean rangers will
serve as independent observers monitoring
compliance with state and federal requirements pertaining to marine discharge and
pollution on large passenger vessels.
Faststream
international conference. Working together,
they will be able to meet directly with company representatives and discuss the advantages of hiring AMO officers, who are wellexperienced and already have access to
established and sound benefit programs and
the most comprehensive quality maritime
training institution in the U.S.
While AMO cultivates new opportunities for it membership in international
seagoing trades, and in shoreside employment in the U.S. and international maritime
industries, the union will maintain its drive
and dedication in expanding existing job
bases in U.S. commercial, military sealift
and government charter fleets.
“Our commitment to the U.S. fleet
and our leadership in American maritime
policy will not waver,” said the AMO
national president. “This is simply a new
avenue of expansion for AMO and of
opportunity for the membership.”
Continued from Page 1
At the same time, Faststream will be
attending and marketing at Gastech 2008 in
Bangkok, the largest gas conference in the
world. The conference is well attended by
international owner/operators in the energy
transportation trades, and Faststream will be
promoting the employment of American
officers through its agreement with AMO
with companies to which an American
union would not traditionally have access.
“Gastech is a strong potential source
of seagoing employment in the LNG
trades,” Johnson said. More information is
available online at www.gastech.co.uk.
Following Gastech, representatives
of AMO, Faststream and RTM STAR
Center will be attending the Connecticut
Maritime Association’s Shipping 2008
Kings Point superintendent
visits RTM STAR Center
Employment will be from April through
September. This is covered employment
through Crowley Liner Services, with full
contributions to the AMO Plans.
Employment involves:
•Assignment to various cruise ships
while in Alaskan waters
•Rotating ship assignment every one
to four weeks
•Overnight stays in shore side hotels
during ship transfers
•Assignment duration from May
through September
•Rangers will carry a Transportation
Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
•A sea service letter will be provided
documenting sea time (one for three)
Ocean Ranger Job Description
Using the provided examination guide
and checklist produced by Crowley, the
ocean ranger will observe waste streams and
inspect waste management systems to verify
compliance and report possible violations of
state and federal environmental regulations.
Ocean rangers independently perform
technical work as Crowley representatives
in monitoring the performance of LCPV
(Large Commercial Passenger Vessel) officers and crew concerning their actions to
comply with State of Alaska and federal
marine discharge and pollution requirements. Ocean rangers will be responsible for
observing and detecting suspected violations
and assisting in investigations of suspected
violations for enforcement actions in accordance with the ADEC Enforcement Manual.
Ocean rangers must:
•Be a U.S. Coast Guard licensed third
AMO members Greg Stuart (class of 1987) and John Evans (class of 2000)
greet U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Joseph
Stewart at a South Florida Kings Point Alumni Association function held March
4 in RTM STAR Center at AMO headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla.
assistant engineer or higher
•Pass pre-employment questionnaire to include disclosure if the ocean
ranger applicant has had a DUI/DWI conviction within the last ten years—major
felonies would be identified during the
TWIC investigation
Once selected for the program,
ocean rangers must complete a customized five-day training course at RTM
STAR Center. This course will include
training in:
•State of Alaska and ADEC administrative and enforcement procedures
•Inspection and verification of the
systems and procedures onboard large
commercial passenger vessels required to
meet state and federal marine discharge
and pollution requirements
•Occupational safety and health
•Maritime security awareness
•Professional and ethical conduct
All AMO members interested in
applying for this program should immediately send their resumé to:
Roy Sunden
Faststream Inc. Cruise Division
1500 Cordova Rd.
Suite 210
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
FAX: (954) 467-9616
oceanranger@faststream.us
AMO members should direct all
salary and benefit inquiries to:
The AMO national executive board
member for inland waters
(954) 367-1012
oceanranger@amo-union.org
American Maritime Officer (USPS 316-920)
Official Publication of American Maritime Officers
2 West Dixie Highway
Dania Beach, FL 33004
(954) 921-2221
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Published Monthly
American Maritime Officers National Executive Board
Brian Long, director of STAR Center in Dania Beach, demonstrates the
capabilities of the 360-degree bridge simulator for Vice Adm. Stewart.
Thomas Bethel, National President
José Leonard, National Secretary-Treasurer
Daniel Smith, National Executive Vice President
Joseph Gremelsbacker, National Vice President, Deep Sea
Donald Cree, National Vice President, Great Lakes
Brian Krus, National Assistant Vice President, Great Lakes
Edward Kelly, National Vice President At Large
Robert Kiefer, National Assistant Vice President At Large
Paul Cates, National Executive Board Member At Large
Daniel Shea, National Executive Board Member At Large
David Weathers, National Executive Board Member At Large
Donald Nilsson, National Executive Board Member, Deep Sea
John Hafner, National Executive Board Member, Inland Waters
Representatives: Stan Barnes, Charles Murdock
Editor: Matt Burke
Assistant Editor: Phree Baker
Long and Bruce Fuchs, department leader of modeling and research, conducted a tour of STAR Center for Vice Adm. Stewart and U.S. Merchant
Marine Academy Vice President for Development Nick Vendikos.
POSTMASTER—Send Address Changes To:
American Maritime Officers
ATTN: Member Services
P.O. Box 66
March 2008
American Maritime Officer • 3
USNS Algol
delivers for
U.S. troops
in rapid
activation
The fast sealift ship USNS Algol
departed Wilmington, N.C., in early
February carrying about 66,000 square
feet of Marine Corps cargo destined for
Afghanistan and more than 50 mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs)
destined for Iraq, Military Sealift
Command reported in Sealift.
The Algol, operated by Maersk Line
Limited and manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers,
received activation orders Jan. 23. Four
days later, the ship left its layberth in
Louisiana and traveled to South Carolina
to load the MRAPs, Sealift reported.
Following that, the Algol arrived in
North Carolina Jan. 31, and in 18 hours
loaded 600 pieces of equipment, including
vehicles, weapons and containers, Sealift
reported.
The abbreviated timeline for this
sealift operation was due to a change in
the deployment orders of the 24th Marine
Expeditionary Unit, Sealift reported.
The Algol shipped the cargo for the
24th MEU to the United Arab Emirates
and off-loaded in late February. The rapid
delivery ensured the Surface Deployment
and Distribution Command would be able
to deliver the equipment to the Marines in
Afghanistan when they needed it, Sealift
reported.
From there, the ship continued to a
nearby port in the Persian Gulf and delivered the MRAPs, Sealift reported.
The USNS Algol is one of eight fast
sealift ships operated by Maersk Line
Limited for the Maritime Administration
and manned in all licensed positions by
AMO. The other seven ships are the USNS
Altair, USNS Antares, USNS Bellatrix,
USNS Capella, USNS Denebola, USNS
Pollux and USNS Regulus.
American Maritime Officers members
Third Mate Phil McFarland, Lt. S.
Plunket and Capt. Mike Ryan on the
bridge of the USNS Algol with the U.S.
Army Central Command G4. Lt.
Plunket was serving reserve duty when
this photo was taken. The Algol departed North Carolina in early February for
Afghanistan with a shipment of Marine
Corps cargo and mine-resistant,
ambush-protected vehicles destined
for U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Photo courtesy of Capt. Mike Ryan
The facts on the new Maersk ships
The following article is provided to
address questions from American
Maritime Officers members regarding
vessels recently re-flagged by Maersk
Line Limited for the Maritime Security
Program.
Despite perceptions to the contrary,
Maersk Line Limited (MLL) has not
given Masters, Mates and Pilots (MMP)
or the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial
Association (MEBA) a single job that
they did not already have jurisdictional
rights to through existing, valid collective
bargaining agreements. That being said,
MLL has acquired companies who
already had collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) in place with these other
officer associations that MLL was obliged
to honor. However, to put things in perspective, the number of MMP/MEBA
jobs have actually decreased significantly
since MLL acquired those companies
(U.S. Ship Management went from 19 to
15 ships and E-Ships went from six to five
ships).
The Maritime Security Program
(MSP) requires militarily and commercially useful vessels, as determined by the
Department of Defense and the Maritime
Administration, with certain age requirements depending on the type of vessel.
Some companies with vessels enrolled in
the first MSP were “grandfathered” into
the new program with the requirement
that they replace any vessels facing age
restriction by March 31, 2008, with tonnage that met the new requirements.
Waterman Steamship Company
(WSC), an MMP/MEBA contracted company, held MSP Operating Agreements for
two such “grandfathered vessels”—the
Buenos Aires and Santa Cruz. WSC timechartered the vessels to Farrell Lines, a
U.S.-flag liner company formally owned by
Royal P&O Nedlloyd, which was acquired
by Maersk in 2006. Farrell had a contractual obligation to WSC to replace the Buenos
Aires and Santa Cruz by March 31, 2008,
with tonnage that meets the new MSP
requirements.
MLL owns the Maersk Alabama and
Maersk Arkansas, which are enrolled in the
MSP. These vessels replaced two former
USSM vessels, which were facing MSP age
restriction and as such have MMP/MEBA
contracts.
MLL and WSC reached an agreement
whereby MLL is demise (bareboat) chartering the Maersk Alabama and Maersk
Arkansas to WSC. WSC, the holder of the
MSP operating agreements for the Buenos
Aires and Santa Cruz, is enrolling them as
suitable replacement vessels. DOD and
MARAD have approved the application.
MLL must therefore replace the
Maersk Alabama and Maersk Arkansas and
is purchasing and in-flagging two suitable
vessels—the Agnette Maersk and Christian
Maersk, to be renamed Maersk Arizona and
Maersk California. These names were
selected because they are known to the customer and in the trading area, and as such
have commercial value. DOD and MARAD
have approved this as well.
The above transaction results in no
new jobs for the MMP/MEBA.
MLL acquired E-Ships Inc. in
2007. E-Ships was the ship management
company for Farrell Lines. E-Ships held
collective bargaining contracts with the
MMP/MEBA/SIU and NMU. Two of the
ships were manned in all licensed positions by MEBA. These two ships were
built by the MEBA pension trust and are
now trading as the Maersk Nebraska and
Maersk Nevada. These ships were
enrolled in the MSP and were also facing
age restriction. DOD requested they be
replaced with roll-on/roll-off tonnage.
MLL in-flagged two RO/ROs to replace
the Maersk Nevada and Maersk
Nebraska. The officers and crews from
the Maersk Nevada and Maersk Nebraska
transferred to the two RO/ROs.
The ships now trading as the
Maersk Nebraska and Maersk Nevada
were under MEBA contract before the
MSP existed and are still under MEBA
contract now that they are no longer in the
MSP.
The CBA for the officers and crew
remains between E-Ships and MEBA for
the MSP RO/ROs. The Maersk Nevada
and Maersk Nebraska are no longer eligible for MSP. The CBA between E-Ships
and the MEBA contains a job preservation
clause while the vessels are trading under
the U.S. flag. E-Ships and the MEBA and
the SIU negotiated new wage conditions
commensurate with the non-MSP bulk
grain trade, where the ships are currently
employed on a voyage-to-voyage basis.
AMO members with any questions
can contact the AMO National President.
Membership report from the AMO National Executive Board meetings
In my opinion
By Susan McKenna
From February 5 to 8, 2008, I was
privileged to be an AMO member observer
during the AMO Executive Board and
AMO Plans Board of Trustees meetings. I
have been a member of AMO for many
years and previously a member of SIU.
Prior to the onset of the meetings, I
thought that I was aware of most of the
highlights of the inner workings of our
union. I have used the Medical Plan. I am
invested in a 401(k) and Pension Plan, and
I attend classes and have upgraded all of
my deep-sea licenses at the STAR Center.
I could not have believed how much
goes on during these meetings and how
completely transparent and open the meetings are. I have learned how hard the executive board members and the members at
large work on a daily basis at making AMO
the strongest maritime officers’ union in the
country. This union is complex and controls millions of dollars. This is serious
business.
The lobbying which goes on
in Washington,
D.C., for our jobs
is done by members and staff who
have spent years
and years building
relationships with
the political parties, and have
probably been the least understood. How
many members think about the VPAF? Do
you know how it works? It is so important
to support it.
Our Medical, Pension and 401(k)
Plans are very well funded. The people in
charge of these departments are also well
versed in their responsibilities and have
been diligent in their fiduciary duties. Most
have been with AMO for years also. The
Plans are in very good shape and getting
better all the time.
I met various members of AMO and
SIU counsels. Litigation is a constant deterrent to our strength as a cohesive body.
Some litigation is inevitable, but some is
frivolous, and costs us hundreds of thousands of dollars unnecessarily. That is just
shameful.
As an observer, I attended the meetings with the Plans trustees from the various shipping companies that AMO has contracts with. Once again, these folks are people who have been on the board for many
years, some upwards of 20 years. The contracted companies have a vested interest in
what goes on in our union. After all, they
are putting their reputation on the line when
they hire AMO officers. Their name is
linked with us, and it is important that we
conduct ourselves as professionally as we
can.
The board had the pleasure of being
addressed by an executive of MMP and by
the president of SIU. Both of these gentlemen spoke of unity, strength, proper leadership, integrity and openness in our dealings
with each other and with our members. It
was very impressive to hear our union
receive commendation from these other
unions and to hear of their commitment to
a strong future for all of us.
AMO is making strides to keep our
members employed for the future. These
are hard times that we are in now. I know. I
lost my job on an LMSR ship. However,
after attending these meetings, I feel even
more encouraged and hopeful that AMO is
moving in the right direction. We have
some hard work ahead, but the dedication
by our board is unquestionable. At present
we have a board that is made up of a great
mix of newly elected and seasoned members who are fully committed to positive
change for AMO. In just a year, the results
of their efforts are coming to fruition. It is
truly refreshing! Remember that the industry and other unions are keeping a very
close eye on us. We can’t afford to be irresponsible. We can’t afford to be divided.
I would encourage any member of
AMO to attend an Executive Board and
Plans trustees’ meeting as an observer. It
will open your eyes to the highly complex
workings of our union and benefit plans. I
can truly say that I came away from the
meetings extremely proud to be a member
of AMO—now, more than ever.
March 2008
MEBA Article XX violation on M/V Cort upheld by
subcommittee of AFL-CIO Executive Council
A subcommittee of the AFL-CIO
Executive Council in February upheld the
ruling of an impartial umpire that the
Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association
violated Article XX of the AFL-CIO
Constitution by manning the M/V Stewart J.
Cort for Interlake Leasing III after
American Maritime Officers members
working aboard the vessel refused to switch
unions and were terminated by the company.
The AFL-CIO has already imposed
sanctions on MEBA for its prior and continuing violation on the Interlake tug/barge
Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder. MEBA violated
Article XX when it claimed to represent the
officers working aboard that vessel, despite
the fact that AMO was their exclusive collective bargaining agent. Under Article XX,
one AFL-CIO affiliated union cannot
encroach upon the established bargaining
and/or work jurisdiction of another affiliated union.
In a report dated Jan. 7, 2008,
Impartial Umpire Howard Lesnick determined MEBA had violated Article XX a
second time by manning the M/V Cort for
Interlake Leasing III.
MEBA, led by current President Don
Keefe, appealed Lesnick’s ruling. A subcommittee of the Federation’s Executive
Council considered the appeal, and upheld
the ruling of the impartial umpire.
“The determination of the impartial
The Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) sent its members to work
for Interlake Leasing III on the M/V Stewart J. Cort behind the AMO and
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers picket line last year.
umpire will go into full force and effect as
provided in Section 13(a) of Article XX,”
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney wrote in
a letter dated Feb. 13. “President Keefe
shall advise me, within 14 days of receipt of
this letter, what steps MEBA intends to take
to comply with the determination.”
Under sanctions from the AFL-CIO,
MEBA no longer has protection or recourse
under Article XX if its fleets are “raided” by
rival unions.
AMO represented the officers and
stewards aboard the M/V Cort under a full-
bodied agreement with Interlake Leasing
III. The agreement expired in 2006 and was
extended indefinitely while a successor
agreement was negotiated. In February
2007, Interlake and AMO reached an oral
agreement on a contract covering the M/V
Cort.
Early in March of 2007, Interlake
held a company meeting at a resort in
Florida and had senior officers of the M/V
Cort and their families attend. At the resort,
Interlake Chief Executive Officer James
Barker told AMO members they would
have to sever ties with AMO and join
MEBA to keep their jobs on the ship.
Interlake offered $10,000 bonuses to some
AMO members to switch unions, and
offered others more. In the end, all except
one refused and were fired by Interlake.
In a letter dated March 5, 2007,
Interlake notified AMO that it would not
sign the agreed-upon contract.
AMO went on strike against Interlake
Leasing III March 10, 2007, and MEBA
sent its members to work on the M/V Cort
behind the AMO and International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers picket
line.
In his report on the M/V Cort, Lesnick
determined MEBA had violated Section 2
of Article XX. He cited MEBA’s claim that
“AMO could have made a different offer
than the one it made” and “Interlake chose
to go another route.” Lesnick pointed out
that “Section 2 seeks to prevent a rival affiliate from making it possible for an employer to ‘go another route’ while remaining a
union shop.”
The Seafarers International Union of
North America, of which AMO is an affiliate, had also appealed a portion of the determination on behalf of AMO, and sought to
expand the ruling for the M/V Cort to
include a violation of Section 3 of Article
XX. The Federation subcommittee upheld
the impartial umpire’s determination as it
was written without granting either appeal.
Wisconsin & Michigan sells David Z, Earl W, Wolverine
Wisconsin & Michigan Steamship
Company has sold the three vessels
American Maritime Officers had been
striking since last year.
Rand Logistics purchased the
David Z, Earl W and Wolverine from
Wisconsin & Michigan. One of the three
vessels, the Wolverine, will be transferred
from U.S. to Canadian registry.
The three vessels had been operated
for Wisconsin & Michigan by Rand subsidiary Lower Lakes Transportation. The
sale was made as Rand posted a $2.2 million loss in the fourth quarter, compared
with earnings of $232,000 during the
same period the previous year, according
to a report in Trade Winds.
The ships themselves contributed
just $1.8 million to Rand’s earnings in the
second quarter of 2007. During the second quarter of 2006 the ships had contributed $5.5 million to Rand revenues,
according to Trade Winds.
AMO went on strike against
Wisconsin & Michigan in May 2007
when contract negotiations stalled during
economic re-opener discussions for the
three vessels. AMO’s contract provided
the union the right to strike under these
circumstances.
Although the company accepted
most provisions of the AMO pattern
agreement, it would not sign a contract
that included the union’s standard Great
Lakes successor language. This language
ensures AMO’s continued jurisdiction on
a ship if it is sold.
For officers and stewards working
aboard AMO-contracted vessels on the
Great Lakes, the successor language
ensures that, if a vessel is sold, the officers and stewards will continue to work
aboard it under AMO contract at the same
pay and benefit levels.
“We knew Wisconsin & Michigan
was trying to sell these vessels, and they
even informed us that our successor
clause would make selling the boats difficult,” said the AMO National Vice
President for the Great Lakes. “Our contract language is the only reason AMO
members kept their jobs on these three
vessels when Wisconsin & Michigan
bought them from Oglebay.
“Under the circumstances, preserving this clause in our pattern agreement
became more important than ever,” he
said. “Despite the difficulties of a prolonged strike, we refused to compromise
the interests of the membership and the
integrity of our pattern agreement to
obtain a short-term concessionary contract with Wisconsin & Michigan.
“With the support of the officers
and stewards from these vessels, AMO
was able to protect job and benefit security for all AMO members sailing on the
Great Lakes,” he said.
Rand Logistics exercised a purchase option in the operating charter with
Lower Lakes Transportation to buy the
three 20,000-ton vessels, according to
Trade Winds. Rand subsidiary Grand
River Navigation paid a total of $20 million for the three vessels, which were all
built in the early 1970s.
Federal budget proposal for fiscal year 2009 would cut
funding for critical Great Lakes dredging operations
The Bush administration’s $3.1 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2009
would cut funding for the maintenance of
Great Lakes maritime infrastructure, including dredging, by 35.5 percent.
The proposed reduction in the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers budget comes at a
time when water levels on the Great Lakes
are at near-to-record lows. Combined with
years of inadequate funding for dredging
operations, now shallow harbors and channels are forcing the fleet of Great Lakes bulk
reduce their loads significantly on each voyage.
The Great Lakes Maritime Task Force
warned that chronically declining cargo
movement on the lakes will result in a farreaching economic impact throughout the
region. The dredging crisis has placed a
tremendous burden on the Great Lakes
waterborne transportation system, markedly
reducing its efficiency and increasing supply-chain costs.
Congressman James Oberstar (DMN), chairman of the Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee, criticized the
administration’s budget proposal for transportation projects, remarking it presents little that is new, and much that is disappointing.
“We got the same old, stale proposals—the same neglect of our nation’s infrastructure needs,” he said.
Rep. Oberstar was the principal sponsor of the Water Resources Development
Act of 2007 and spearheaded the
Congressional effort to successfully override
the President’s veto of the legislation and
enact it into law.
Among other things, the Water
Resources Development Act directs the government to expedite dredging operations to
restore Great Lakes navigational features
and connecting channels to project depths.
The law authorizes approximately $23 billon worth of studies and construction projects by the Army Corps of Engineers.
However, the administration’s 2009
budget request seeks only $89.3 million for
Great Lakes dredging. This compared with
the nearly $140 million approved by
Congress and the President in 2008.
“The Great Lakes have been plagued
by inadequate funding for maintenance for
decades,” said the AMO National Executive
Vice President, who serves as first vice president of the Maritime Task Force. “Some
vessels were forfeiting 15 percent of their
carrying capacity by the end of 2007. For a
1,000-foot-long vessel, that’s more than
10,000 tons of cargo. We thought we had
turned the corner with the increase in dredging funds for 2008 that our Congressional
delegation won after much hard work. It is
totally irresponsible for the administration to
propose any cut in Great Lakes maintenance
funds at this or any foreseeable time.”
Cargo movement on the Great Lakes
and St. Lawrence Seaway can approach 250
million tons per year, the Task Force reported. The Army Corps of Engineers acknowledged it needs more than $215 million to
clear the backlog of dredging projects
throughout the Great Lakes navigation system.
“Any reduction in the Corps dredging
budget for the lakes would be a double
whammy of the worst kind,” said Patrick J.
See Dredging N Page 5
March 2008
Great Lakes
AMO area informational meetings: a tradition of service
During the 2008 Great Lakes area
meetings, American Maritime Officers
members received a thorough briefing on
developments with the union and AMO
Plans over the past year and participated in
discussions of issues currently facing AMO
and its membership.
The series of Great Lakes area meetings are held each year in Tampa, Fla.; Green
Bay, Wis.; Duluth, Minn.; Traverse City,
Mich.; Alpena, Mich.; Cleveland/Ashtabula,
Ohio; and Toledo, Ohio. The various locations of the Great Lakes area meetings provide opportunities for AMO members who
do not live near AMO offices in Toledo,
Dania Beach or Brooklyn, and are not easily
able to attend regular AMO membership
meetings, to receive comprehensive reports
on union affairs and developments with benefit plans, as well as to have any questions
answered directly by the administration of
AMO and the directors of AMO Plans.
The meetings were led by the AMO
national vice president for the Great Lakes,
and included a presentation on all major
developments with the AMO fleet, as well as
those within the industry that affect AMOmanned vessels. Among other things, he
reported the shipping companies’ order
books for the upcoming season are full and
activation of the entire AMO-manned Great
Lakes fleet is anticipated.
Also attending, making presentations
and answering questions at the area meetings
were the AMO national president—who had
also attended and addressed the 2007 Great
Lakes area meetings—the AMO national
secretary-treasurer and the AMO national
executive vice president, who participates in
the meetings each year.
AMO Director of Government
Relations Mike Murphy addressed the area
meetings, discussing the status of federal
policies and regulations that affect American
Dredging
Continued from Page 4
O’Hern, president of the Great Lakes
Maritime Task Force, and vice president of
Bay Shipbuilding Company. “The Lakes are
already suffering with extremely low water
levels.
“An adequately-funded maintenance
program doesn’t solve the problem, but it
certainly helps offset the impacts of falling
water levels,” O’Hern said. “Now is
absolutely the worst imaginable time for any
reduction in Great Lakes dredging funds.”
James Weakley, second vice president
of the Task Force and president of the Lake
Carriers’ Association, pointed out that the
money for dredging operations is available
in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.
“Instead of cutting dredging funds, the
Administration must establish a Great Lakes
navigation improvement fund in this and
future budgets,” Weakley said. “Unless we
are funding the Great Lakes marine transportation system with $170 million a year,
we are contributing to its decay and putting
American manufacturers and power producers at a competitive disadvantage.
“Dredging of deep-draft ports and
waterways is funded by a tax on cargo
movement, yet the Harbor Maintenance
Trust Fund has a surplus of more than $3.5
billion and continues to grow,” he said. “It’s
time to apply those trust fund dollars to their
intended purpose. If we don’t restore the
lakes navigation system to project dimensions, the industry will not be able to meet
the needs of commerce.”
AMO members attend the area informational meeting in Toledo, Ohio.
AMO members attend the Great Lakes area meeting in Duluth, Minn.
mariners working in all trades.
AMO Plans Executive Director Steve
Nickerson made presentations at each area
meeting this year, as he has in the past.
Nickerson provided a detailed report on the
strong financial and operational status of the
benefit plans, provided an overview of the
potential impact and complex ramifications
of the Pension Protection Act for AMO Plans
participants—the exact effect of which AMO
Plans is still working to gauge—and fielded
questions from members on AMO benefits.
Larry Goldstock, a vice president with
Smith-Barney whose investment team manages the AMO 401(k) Plan and Money
Purchase Benefit, discussed the thriving state
of these benefit plans, the immediate effect of
the recent downturn in the market and the
long-term outlook for market investments.
Attorney Mike Reny of the AMO
Coast Guard Legal Aid Program discussed
the program’s cost-free coverage for AMO
members and the benefits it provides. Reny
also reminded AMO members to apply for
their Transportation Worker Identification
Credential as soon as possible.
Based on the proven benefit to the
membership provided by the annual Great
Lakes area meetings, the union has
expanded the tradition to include area
informational meetings for AMO members in all sectors in various locations
around the nation. The first series was
held in 2007 and included Baltimore, Md.;
Portsmouth, Va.; New Orleans, La.;
Houston, Texas; Oakland, Calif.; Tacoma,
Wash.; and South Portland, Maine.
AMO members train at RTM STAR Center, Toledo
American Maritime Officers members working for American
Steamship Company and completing Bridge Resource Management
at RTM STAR Center in February
with instructor Larry Reimer included Ralph Yanik, Scott Powell, Barry
Prosak, Dan Fischer and John
Sarns, here with Helmsmen Mike
Larson and Orville Hill.
American Maritime Officers member
Steve Yogler practices administering injections during the Medical
Person In Charge course at RTM
STAR Center in Toledo, Ohio, with
Instructor Sheila Hayes in February.
American Maritime Officers members completing Basic Welding at
RTM STAR Center in Toledo, Ohio,
in February with Instructor Bob
Woda were Ralph Gittinger, Tim
O’Connell, Jim Mayhew, Rodney
Halterman and Gary Brannon.
March 2008
American Tern, Gianella deliver in Deep Freeze ‘08
The M/V American Tern and icestrengthened tanker USNS Lawrence H.
Gianella in February completed the annual re-supply mission to the National
Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station
in Antarctica for Operation Deep Freeze
2008.
The American Tern is operated by
APL Maritime Limited and the USNS
Gianella is operated by Ocean Ships Inc.
Both ships are manned in all licensed
positions by American Maritime Officers.
The Gianella arrived at McMurdo’s
ice pier Jan. 28 and delivered nearly 6 million gallons of fuel to power the station’s
generators, vehicles, helicopters and research
boats. The Gianella departed Feb. 3.
The American Tern arrived Feb. 8,
and 12 million pounds of equipment and
supplies were offloaded for the station’s
1,500 researchers and support personnel.
“Without the cargo delivered by our
ships each year, McMurdo would not be
able to function,” said Rick Appling of
Military Sealift Command’s Sealift
Logistics Command Pacific.
MSC vessels deliver more than 70 percent of the dry cargo and 100 percent of fuel
that is taken to the continent each year.
Equally important is the backhaul
cargo from Antarctica. This year, nearly 5
million pounds of cargo, ranging from ice
core samples to the waste that McMurdo
Station has accumulated over the past
year, were loaded onto American Tern
before it departed.
Additionally, fuel was successfully
transferred to the Swedish icebreaker
Oden, which arrived in the area in
advance of the two MSC ships and broke
a channel through about 18 miles of ice
that blocked the ships’ access to
McMurdo.
Rep. Taylor
to receive
Salute to
Congress
Award
The Propeller Club has selected
Congressman Gene Taylor (D-MS) to
receive the Salute to Congress Award for
2008. The award will be presented April 29.
Rep. Taylor was selected for the 2008
award for his strong and consistent support
of the U.S. maritime industry. The award
ceremony honoring Rep. Taylor will be
attended by members of Congress,
Executive Branch officials, maritime industry leaders and members of the Propeller
Club of the United States.
Rep. Taylor, of Bay St. Louis, served
in the Coast Guard Reserve from 1971 to
1984 as the skipper of a search and rescue
boat. He received the commandant’s letter
of commendation for fire fighting, and a letter of commendation for saving the life of a
crew member.
Prior to his election to Congress in
1989, he served as a member of the Bay St.
Louis City Council and the Mississippi
State Senate.
In the U.S. House of Representatives,
Rep. Taylor serves on two major committees, the House Armed Services Committee
and the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee.
At left: The American Tern en route
to McMurdo Station
Photo courtesy of Michael Thomas
Above: The Gianella pitches into a
head sea in the Southern Ocean during Operation Deep Freeze 2008.
At left: The USNS Gianella discharges cargo and refuels the
research vessel Nathanial Palmer
during Operation Deep Freeze 2008.
Below: Orcas swim alongside the
USNS Gianella.
photos courtesy of Capt. Robert Lee
USNS Gianella fuels operations at
McMurdo Station for another year
By Capt. Robert Lee
February 21, 2008
The USNS Lawrence H. Gianella
is now returning to the U.S. after participating in Operation Deep Freeze 2008.
The crew of the Gianella brought down 6
million gallons of fuel that will keep the
U.S. operations at McMurdo Base and
the South Pole station running for another year.
The pack ice was very thick this
year and never opened completely until
late February. Also, the Southern Ocean
storms were active, as usual, serving up
30-foot seas almost daily. The conditions
were harsh, but the AMO-SIU crew was
up to the task. Some appeared a bit green
around the gills coming through the
storm belt of the Southern Sea, but that’s
expected in the roughest ocean of the
world. None complained and all continued to do their job in a very professional
manner.
This was the first such trip for
many in the crew and their eyes were
wide open as we pulled into the ice channel that was full of penguins, orcas,
whales and seals. Upon arriving at
McMurdo Station, the hectic schedule of
discharging cargo, refueling other vessels, cleaning tanks, loading storm ballast
and giving ship tours to scientists and
local workers all occurred efficiently and
without incident.
When you venture to Antarctica by
sea, your mind always contemplates the
experiences the early explorers enjoyed,
or just endured. You consider the bonechilling experience of surfing down 30
foot seas in 33-degree water, with 45
The AMO and SIU crew aboard the USNS Lawrence H. Gianella during
Operation Deep Freeze 2008 included Capt. Robert Lee, Ice Pilot Robert Mills,
Chief Mate Patrick Rathbun, Second Mate James Cunningham, Third Mate
Amanda Roberson, Third Mate Timothy Beaugard, Bosun Trevorous Ellison,
Assistant Bosun James Hall, Assistant Bosun Yves Marcel Goiset, Assisstant
Bosun Clifton Doonis, Assisstant Bosun Stag Rye, Assisstant Bosun Ronald
Williams Jr., Chief Engineer George Arsenault, First Assisstant Engineer
Casey Cooper, Third A.E. Jamie Landeira, Pumpman Darrell McDonald,
QMED James Summers, QMED Lamar Parker, DEU Victor Stewart, DEU
Enrique Nunez, Steward Mary Brayman, Chief Cook Alfonsa Eligio, GSU Ali
Salim, GSU Regina Flores Miguel, Engine Cadet David Hume, Deck Cadet
Laura Ladd and SIU Apprentice Christopher Shivalier. Photo courtesy of Capt.
Robert Lee
knots of wind trying to blow the rigging off
the bare poles of a large square rigger. All
the while, a helmsman struggles against the
hydraulics of it all, and a captain fears the
icebergs surely hidden in the cool fog. They
were truly iron men and wooden ships.
The soft sweep of the radar and clicking of the gyro repeater remind me how
much things have changed. Today much of
the iron is in the ship and her machinery,
but I still see some iron in their eyes after
pulling lines in a blizzard, wrenching out
the Gieslinger, hand-steering for days
through the ice or putting out meals in a
rolling galley—a job well done, indeed.
Capt. Robert Lee is master of the
USNS Gianella, which is operated by
Ocean Ships Inc. for Military Sealift
Command and manned in all licensed
positions by American Maritime Officers.
March 2008
Maritime Washington
By Maritime Administrator Sean
Connaughton
Every year on President’s Day, the
Mount Vernon Ladies’Association opens the
doors of Mount Vernon, waives admission
fees and stages a daylong celebration of the
life and achievements of our first President,
George Washington. Mount Vernon was the
beloved home of George and Martha
Washington from the time of their marriage
in 1759 until Washington’s death in 1799.
The manor home and the grounds are meticulously kept, and a new visitor center and
museum have recently been opened. In
accordance with his will, George and Martha
Washington both rest in peace in the tomb on
the estate, even though a crypt was built
specifically for him in the U.S. Capitol.
Even though the crowds are unusually
large that day and parking usually atrocious,
I always try to take my family each year (not
always willingly). I believe that George
Washington, as an individual and a public
servant, is a role model for all of us. He was
a fearless soldier, peerless statesman and
exemplary citizen who viewed public service as an obligation, not a career. He
always responded to the public’s call to service, but he also longed to return to his family, farming and pursuing entrepreneurial
enterprises. We all have much to learn from
this man, but especially those of us who
enter public service today.
What I am struck by every year are the
large crowds that always gather on the south
lawn of the Mount Vernon manor house. No
matter what the weather or time of day, people are drawn to the breathtaking views of
the Potomac River. They marvel at the
beauty but have little comprehension of the
practical aspects of the siting of this and
other colonial plantations.
In Washington’s time, the waterways
were the lifeline of America’s economy. The
overwhelming majority of America’s population lived along the oceans, rivers, harbors
and bays of the Atlantic seaboard. With few
roads and no alternatives, goods and people
depended on the
waterways for personal and commercial transportation.
Mount Vernon’s
exports of wheat,
whiskey and fish,
as well as imports
of finished and
manufactured
products, move by
ship to and from
other parts of
Virginia, the other colonies/states, and
abroad. If one wanted to visit another plantation or nearby town, it was usually easier
and faster to travel via boat. Simply put,
without marine transportation there was no
America.
The significance of the maritime
industry was underscored when Washington
was elected President. The new capital was
New York, then as now a major shipping
center. On April 30, 1789, Washington
boarded a ceremonial barge at Elizabethport,
New Jersey, for his triumphant entrance to
Manhattan Island via a harbor filled with
merchant vessels of all sorts firing salutes to
the new President. The celebration was
organized in part by The Marine Society of
the City of New York. Six years earlier,
Washington had become a member of The
Marine Society, declaring he was “extremely happy in becoming a member of their
humane and excellent institution.” Try finding a merchant ship anywhere near a modern
day Presidential Inauguration in the City of
Washington!
More important is what Washington
and the first Congresses did once they
assumed office. Some of the first matters
they dealt with directly pertained to the
American maritime industry; in fact, six of
the 26 laws enacted by the First Congress in
its first session were maritime-related. This
preoccupation with maritime matters is even
more impressive given that the First
Congress also had to deal with a multitude
of important issues, such as establishing the
Portrait of George Washington by
Gilbert Stuart, 1795
Executive Departments and passing the first
twelve amendments to the U.S.
Constitution, 10 of which are otherwise
known as the Bill of Rights!
The laws enacted by the First
Congress, as well as those passed by the subsequent Congresses during Washington’s
two terms in office, were precedent setting.
They laid the foundation of federal maritime
programs that were to continue to this day.
Among the most important were:
•An Act for the establishment and
support of lighthouses, beacons, buoys and
public piers (August 7, 1789)—This provided for a federal system for the construction
and operation of aids to navigation and navigation safety; in fact, some of the lighthouses authorized by the law can still be seen,
such as the one at Cape Henry, Virginia.
The Coast Guard and Army Corps of
Engineers administer this program today.
•Pilotage—Section 4 of the Act of
Congress of 7 of August 1789 recognized
the preeminence of state pilotage by explicitly delegating back to the states the right to
regulate pilots.
•Registering and clearing of vessels in
the coasting trade and regulating the coasting trade (September 1, 1789) – This act provided for the registering and recording of
vessels, the predecessor of today’s vessel
documentation program administered by the
Coast Guard. This law also established the
first cabotage rules that led to today’s Jones
Act, which restricts interstate maritime commerce to vessels that are American owned,
American built and American manned.
•Government and Regulation of
Seaman in the Merchant Service (July 20,
1790)—establishing federal oversight of
merchant mariners and seafarer protection
and relief, including requiring shipping
agreements, stipulating the duty and conduct
of masters and seafarers, establishing minimum food provisions and medical care, and
requiring vessels to be seaworthy. Many of
these provisions still exist in modern law.
•Establishment of the Treasury
Department (September 2, 1789)—The following year (1790), Secretary of the
Treasury Alexander Hamilton established
the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the forerunner of the modern day Coast Guard.
•Naval Armament provided (March
22, 1794)—Congress ordered the construction and manning of six frigates to protect
American merchant ships which were being
harassed by the belligerents in Europe and
the Barbary pirates. This Act was the foundation of the United States Navy.
The laws and the programs
Washington and the first Congresses enacted
were intended to foster trade and the
American maritime industry; they succeeded tremendously. In 1790, the percent of
U.S. exports/imports carried by U.S. vessels
was 39.5 percent; by 1796, U.S. vessels carried 92.9 percent. The American shipbuilding industry became one of the largest in the
world. American ships prowled the world.
U.S. international trade increased over 200
percent between 1790 and 1796. The country’s economy was booming.
Today, a little over 200 years later, the
City of Washington is home to the programs
that Washington and the first Congresses
established, and they are constantly under
discussion and revision. The maritime
industry continues to play a vital role in the
American economy and supports the military in times of crisis. However, maritime
transportation is no longer on the minds of
most Americans even though the global
economy makes the industry more important than at anytime since the nation’s founding. Maybe more people need to visit
Mount Vernon to remember!
This article was written expressly for
publication by American Maritime Officers.
USNS Seay responds to save
four lives in Straits of Gibraltar
Capt. Thomas Madden, master of the USNS Seay, commended the officers and crew for their actions and success in the tradition of aiding fellow mariners in distress.
AMO members participating in the rescue operation included
Chief Engineer Maurice Oliver, Third Mate Kevin Zeller, First
Assistant Engineer Paul Ebaugh, Third A.E. Chris Beaton,
Third A.E. John Thompson, Second A.E. James Silcox and
Third Mate Terry Simmons.
The large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off vessel
USNS Seay Feb. 9 provided critical support in the rescue of four people from a fishing boat in harsh weather in the Straits of Gibraltar.
At 0050, the 950-foot military cargo ship was
notified by the Tarifa Rescue Coordination Center
(RCC) in Tarifa, Spain, that a small craft had issued a
distress signal and was in need of assistance. The Seay
turned to the vessel’s last known position, and at 0112
a small wooden fishing vessel was sighted. The
weather included winds of 25 to 25 knots, with gusts
of up to 45 knots, and nine to 12 foot seas, Capt. Tom
Madden, master of the USNS Seay, reported.
The approximately 25-foot boat had four passengers onboard—three adults and one child. Over the
next hour, the Seay maneuvered to shield the vessel
from high winds until a rescue craft from the Tarifa
Rescue Coordination Center arrived to pick up the
four passengers from the boat.
“The rescue boat made contact with the Seay at
0151,” Capt. Madden reported. At “0200 to 0208, the
rescue boat came around the windward to the leeward
side of the Seay, and even with the small boat lit up by
the search light and maxi-beam, they had a tough time
getting a visual on them. By 0210, the rescue boat was
alongside the craft and the personnel transfer was
done.
“The crew performed flawlessly,” Capt.
Madden said. “The bridge team of Third Mate Terry
Simmons, Second Mate Garrett Winner, Helmsman
Greg Johnson and Lookout Ron Poole did what they
were supposed to do. The deck gang, led by Chief
Mate Dave Centofanti, and assisted by Third Mate
Kevin Zeller and Bosun John Wells, rigged all needed
gear for personnel recovery and provided needed situational information. The engineroom, led by Chief
Engineer Mo Oliver, First Assistant Engineer Paul
Ebaugh and Third Assistant Engineer John
Thompson, provided support on such an immediate
request faster than I have ever seen. They had all
aspects of bow thrusters and engines ready for whatever was needed. The Navy force protection team, led
by GM1 Robert Prine and GM1 Carl Ward, were right
with the deck gang to assist in the humanitarian
aspect, as well as being positioned to provide security,
if needed. Their assistance on the bridge was a major
help in keeping the information flow fresh.
“The continued praise by the RCC let everyone
aboard know that the Seay had succeeded in the tradition of the sea to aid a fellow seaman in distress,”
Capt. Madden said.
The USNS Seay is one of nine LMSRs operated
for the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command by
American Overseas Marine Corp. and manned in all
licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
The following day, the Seay arrived at port in
Rota, Spain, to load helicopters and equipment
used by the U.S. Army’s 82nd Combat Aviation
Brigade in Afghanistan. The equipment is being
redeployed to the U.S.
March 2008
The Raymond T. McKay Center For Advanced Maritime Officers Training
2 West Dixie Highway • Dania Beach, FL 33004 • (954) 920-3222
GENERAL COURSES
ISO 9001:2000 Lead Auditor Training
5 days
28 April
ABS NS5 (“Safe Net” update)
3 days
30 June
Advanced Fire Fighting
5 days
14 April
12 May
16 June
Advanced Shiphandling for Masters—(No equivalency)
Must have sailed as Chief Mate Unlimited
5 days
14 April
28 July
20 October
12 May
18 August
23 June
22 September
23 June
22 September
Personal Safety & Social Responsibility (Tuesday p.m.) 1/2 day
24 June
23 September
Elementary First Aid (Wednesday)
Advanced Shiphandling for Third Mates—(60 days
10 days
seatime equivalency for Third Mates)
Basic Safety Training—All 4 modules MUST be completed
5 days
within 12 months
Personal Survival Techniques (Monday-Tuesday a.m.)
1 1/2 days
1 day
14 July
25 June
24 September
Fire Fighting & Fire Prevention (Thursday-Friday)—Not
required if “Combined Basic & Advanced Fire Fighting” com- 2 days
pleted within 12 months
26 June
25 September
Basic Safety Training -Refresher
3 days
25 June
24 September
Bridge Resource Management Seminar
3 days
28 May
Fast Rescue Boat
4 days
31 March
GMDSS
10 days
2-Jun
Integrated Bridge System/Podded Propulsion
5 days
2 June
22 September
Proficiency in Survival Craft (Lifeboat)
4 days
28 April
25 August
Tankerman PIC DL - Classroom
5 days
31 March
16 June
25 August
Tankerman PIC DL - Simulator
10 days
28 April
Tankerman PIC LNG
8 days
7 April
2 June
21 July
15 September
LNG Simulator Training
5 days
12 May
7 July
11 August
6 October
LNG Addendum to SIGTTO Standards
1 day
17 April
12 June
1 August
25 September
Train The Trainer—Requires after hours homework
5 days
3 March
31 March
28 July
27 October
Vessel/Company/Port Facility Security Officer
3 days
27 May
23 July
3 September
15 October
Visual Communications (Flashing Light)—test only
1 days
Please call
Electrical, Electronic, Control Engineering
4 weeks
9 June
8 September
Engine Room Resource Management
5 days
2 June
6 October
Environmental Awareness (includes Oily Water Separator)
3 days
21 April
19 May
25 June
13 August
Gas Turbine Endorsement
10 days
5 May
18 August
27 October
High Voltage Safety Course (Classroom)
3 days
19 May
28 July
15 October
Steam Crossover
4 weeks
7 July
5 May
14 July
18 August
15 September
13 October
29 September
20 October
30 October
ENGINEERING COURSES
20 October
MSC TRAINING PROGRAM—includes self-study courses Afloat Environmental Protection Coordinator, Anti-Terrorism Level 1 and Crew Endurance Management (see below).
Additional courses, including Marine Sanitation Devices and Water Sanitation Afloat will be included soon.
CBRD Orientation
1 day
22 May
24 July
25 September
Damage Control
2 days
24 April
26 June
28 August
23 October
Heat Stress Afloat / Hearing Conservation Afloat
1 day
21 April
27 May
16 June
14 July
15 September
Helicopter Fire Fighting
1 day
22 May
11 August
23 June
21 July
25 August
ICODES Training—For Masters/Chief Mates aboard MARAD
ships and others chartered by MSC. Follows deck upgrade
1 day
cargo class
Please call
Medical PIC Refresher—Note: Not MSC approved.
3 days
19 May
27 August
Small Arms - Initial & Refresher Training
3 days
21 April
19 May
22 September
MARAD TRAINING PROGRAM—(11 day package composed of the courses below) Students will be nominated and assigned by their contracted company and shall attend all 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)
3 days
7 April
5 May
9 June
7 July
11 August
8 September
Elementary First Aid
1 day
10 April
8 May
12 June
10 July
14 August
11 September
Drug Collector Training
1 day
11 April
9 May
13 June
11 July
15 August
12 September
Breath Alcohol Test Collector
1 day
12 April
10 May
14 June
12 July
16 August
13 September
Advanced Fire Fighting
5 days
14 April
12 May
16 June
14 July
18 August
15 September
Elementary First Aid—Note: Prerequisite for Medical Care
1 day
Provider within preceding 12 months
22 April
17 June
15 July
16 September
14 October
Medical Care Provider—Note: Prerequisite for Medical
Person In Charge within preceding 12 months. Please fax
EFA certificate when registering
3 days
23 April
18 June
16 July
17 September
15 October
Medical Person In Charge—Note: Please FAX Medical
Care Provider certificate when registering
5 days
28 April
23 June
21 July
22 September
20 October
Urinalysis Collector Training
1 day
5 May
25 August
29 September
27 October
Breath Alcohol Test
1 day
6 May
26 August
30 September
28 October
Radar Recertification
1 day
18 April
19 May
12 June
3 July
ARPA
4 days
2 September
Radar Recertification & ARPA
5 days
Please Call
ECDIS
5 days
5 May
Original Radar Observer Unlimited
5 days
25 August
MEDICAL COURSES
RADAR COURSES
8 August
29 September
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) Prudent Mariner’s Guide to Right Whale Protection (CD)
Crew Endurance Management (CD)
15 September
10 October
March 2008
The Raymond T. McKay Center For Advanced Maritime Officers Training
2 West Dixie Highway • Dania Beach, FL 33004 • (954) 920-3222
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 on vessels of 500 or more gross tonnage (ITC). This program will complete ALL 53 Control Sheet assessments.
Cargo Operations
9 days
16 June
15 September
Celestial Navigation—Note: A thorough review and
understanding of the topics covered in Parts 4 & 5 of
Pub. Number 9, The American Practical Navigator
(Bowditch), is a prerequisite.
5 days
19 May
28 July
Marine Propulsion Plants
5 days
21 April
28 April
4 August
11 August
15 September
20 October
Shipboard Management
5 days
21 April
12 May
23 June
18 August
25 August
27 October
Upgrade: Advanced Meteorology
5 days
5 May
7 July
29 September
27 October
Upgrade: Navigation
10 days
7 April
12 May
9 June
21 July
8 September
13 October
Upgrade: Shiphandling at the Management Level
10 days
28 April
14 July
1 September
6 October
Upgrade: Stability—Note: It is recommended that chap5 days
ters 1-13 in the book Stability and Trim for the Ship’s
Officer be reviewed prior to attending this course
2 June
25 August
6 October
Watchkeeping 1 (Bridge Resource Management)—
Note: Watchkeeping Weeks 1 and 2 MUST be completed 3 days
within 12 months of each other.
4 June
6 August
24 September
Watchkeeping 2 (COLREGS)—Note: Watchkeeping
Weeks 1 and 2 MUST be completed within 12 months of 5 days
each other.
9 June
11August
29 September
The Raymond T. McKay Center For Advanced Maritime Officers’ Training
One Maritime Plaza • Toledo, Ohio 43604 • (419) 255-3940
ARPA CERTIFICATION
DIESEL ENDORSEMENT
FIRE PREVENTION & FIRE FIGHTING
Course Length—Four Days (Monday-Thursday
April 8
May 20
June 30
Course Length—23 Days
April 21
September 8
Course Length—Two Days
April 17, 24
June 19, 26
ORIGINAL RADAR CERTIFICATION
BASIC SAFETY TRAINING
BASIC WELDING
Course Length—Five Days
May 12
June 23
Course Length—One Week
April 14, 21
June 16, 23
August 4
August 18, 25
RADAR RECERTIFICATION
PROFICIENCY IN SURVIVAL CRAFT
Course Length—One Day
April 4, 7, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28
June 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 27
Course Length—Four Days
May 27
July 21
May 2, 5, 9, 16, 19, 30
July 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28
RECERT & ARPA
April 7
May 19
September 2
Three-Day Course—Open To All Deck Officers
April 14
June 16
August 4
June 2
July 28
ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION
March 31
July 7
8.5-HOUR ELEMENTARY FIRST AID/CPR
BASIC SHIPHANDLING AT OPERATIONAL LEVEL
Course Length—One Day (prerequisite for 24-hour MCP)
April 28
June 30
September 2
April 21
July 21
Course Length—Three Days
April 29
July 1
September 3
September 8
April 28
July 7
May 5
July 7
September 8
November 10
Course Length—Two Weeks
June 9
October 27
40-HOUR ABLE SEAMAN
May 19
July 14
August 25
October 24
TERRESTRIAL NAVIGATION
METEOROLOGY
June 2
September 8
June 9
September 15
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND SAR
December 8
May 27
September 2
WATCHKEEPING
August 20, 27
ELEMENTARY FIRST AID/CPR
RFPNW (Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch)
April 14, 21
June 16, 23
Call for scheduled courses
August 18, 25
April 14
July 28
VESSEL/COMPANY/PORT SECURITY OFFICER
Course Length—4 Hours
April 16, 23
June 18, 25
July 25
PERSONAL SAFETY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
MARLIN SPIKE
April 7
July 14
April 28
August 4
CBRD
ADVANCED SHIPHANDLING FOR THIRD MATES
CARGO HANDLING AND STOWAGE
SHIP CONSTRUCTION AND STABILITY
40-HOUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER
GMDSS
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
of 500 or more gross tonnage (ITC)
Course Length—Three Days (Monday-Wednesday)
24-HOUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER
FAST RESCUE BOAT
July 7
December 1
ECDIS/ECPINS
August 11
BRIDGE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
May 12
August 18
CELESTIAL NAVIGATION
June 9
September 15
PERSONAL SURVIVAL TECHNIQUES
STCW DECK OFFICER REFRESHER
MAGNETIC & GYRO COMPASS
Course Length—12 Hours
April 15, 22
June 17, 24
April 7
September 29
June 23
September 29
August 19, 26
August 21, 28
NOTICE: AMO members planning to attend the union’s RTM Center for Advanced Maritime Officers’ Training/STAR Center in Dania Beach, Florida—either to prepare for license 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 Raymond T. McKay Centers For Advanced Maritime Officers Training (CAMOT) and Simulation Training
Assessment and Research Centers (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 Centers. It does not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, national or ethnic origin or sex in administration of its educational policies, admission policies and other programs administered by the Centers.
March 2008
GALVESTON, TX 77554
13730 FM 3005, SUITE 170
David Weathers, National Executive Board Member At Large
(dweathers@amo-union.org)
(800) 362-0513 ext. 2001 / Mobile: (409) 996-7362
HEADQUARTERS
DANIA BEACH, FL 33004
(954) 921-2221 / (800) 362-0513
Tom Bethel, National President (tbethel@amo-union.org)
José E. Leonard, National Secretary-Treasurer (jleonard@amo-union.org)
Jack Branthover, Special Assistant to the National President
(jbranthover@amo-union.org)
FAX: (954) 926-5112
Joseph Gremelsbacker, National Vice President, Deep Sea
(jgremelsbacker@amo-union.org)
Paul Cates, National Executive Board Member At Large
(pcates@amo-union.org)
John Hafner, National Executive Board Member, Inland Waters
(jhafner@amo-union.org)
Charles Murdock, National Representative (cmurdock@amo-union.org)
FAX: (954) 920-3257
Dispatch: (800) 345-3410
FAX: (954) 926-5126
Brendan Keller (bkeller@amo-union.org)
Robert Anderson (randerson@amo-union.org)
Member Services: Extension 1050 (memberservices@amo-union.org)
PORTS
BROOKLYN, NY 11232
652 Fourth Avenue
(800) 545-9589
Don Nilsson, National Executive Board Member, Deep Sea
(dnilsson@amo-union.org)
FAX: (718) 965-1766
SAN FRANCISCO / OAKLAND, CA 94607
1121 7th Street, Second Floor
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 444-5301 / (800) 362-0513 ext. 5001
Daniel Shea, National Executive Board Member At Large
(dshea@amo-union.org)
FAX: (510) 444-5165
TOLEDO, OH 43604
The Melvin H. Pelfrey Building
One Maritime Plaza
(419) 255-3940 / (800) 221-9395
FAX: (419) 255-2350
Daniel Smith, National Executive Vice President (dsmith@amo-union.org)
Donald Cree, National Vice President Great Lakes (dcree@amo-union.org)
Brian Krus, National Assistant Vice President Great Lakes
(bkrus@amo-union.org)
Stan Barnes, National Representative (wbarnes@amo-union.org)
Phillip Kelley, Dispatcher (pkelley@amo-union.org)
2008 Resolution (2) of the AMO
National Executive Board: Port
of Brooklyn Closing
This resolution was adopted by the
AMO National Executive Board and
approved unanimously by AMO members
at the March regular monthly membership
meetings in Dania Beach, Fla., and Toledo,
Ohio. No quorum was present for the meeting in Brooklyn, N.Y.:
Port of Brooklyn Closing
WHEREAS, the AMO National
Executive Board has become aware of the
fact that the monthly membership meetings
cannot be held on a regular basis in the
Constitutional Port of Brooklyn in the City
of New York, NY, due to a continuing lack
of a quorum, and
Executive Board believes that the designation of a Constitutional Port should only be
maintained where the functions of this
union can be administered with sufficient
membership participation, and
Executive Board hereby determines that
upon adoption of this resolution, the AMO
National Constitution, Article VI, Section
2, be amended to provide as follows effective July 1, 2008. Article VI, Section 2, second sentence, shall state as follows:
“Constitutional Ports shall be located
in Dania Beach, Florida, and Toledo, Ohio.”
Article VI, Section 2, shall, following adoption of the amendment set forth
above, states that,
“National Headquarters shall be
located in Dania Beach, Florida.
Constitutional Ports shall be located in
Dania Beach, Florida, and Toledo, Ohio.
The functions of this union shall be administered at and by National Headquarters
and the Constitutional Ports.”
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19148
2604 S. 4th Street
(800) 362-0513 ext. 4001
Robert Kiefer, National Assistant Vice President At Large
(rkiefer@amo-union.org)
FAX: (215) 755-2574
WASHINGTON, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024
490 L’Enfant Plaza East SW
Suite 7204
(202) 479-1166 / (800) 362-0513 ext. 7001
Edward Kelly, National Vice President At Large (evkamo@erols.com)
Charles Crangle, Director of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
(ccrangle@amo-union.org)
Paul Doell, Special Assistant to the National President
(pauldoell51@yahoo.com)
FAX: (202) 479-1188
RTM CAMOT/STAR CENTERS
STUDENT SERVICES/LODGING
(954) 920-3222 ext.7109
(800) 942-3220 ext.7109
FAX: (954) 920-3140
24 Hours: (954) 920-3222 ext.7999
COURSE INFORMATION
(954) 920-3222 ext.7112
(800) 942-3220 ext.7112
FAX: (954) 920-3140
CAMOT/STAR TOLEDO
One Maritime Plaza
Toledo, Ohio 43604
(419) 255-3940
FAX: (419) 255-8833
TRAINING RECORDS
SYSTEM MANAGER:
Lisa Marra
(954) 920-3222 ext. 7118
FAX: (954) 925-5681
MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
MARITIME MEDICAL CENTER
(954) 927-5213
FAX: (954) 929-1415
AMO PLANS
(800) 348-6515
FAX: (954) 922-7539
LEGAL
Joel Glanstein, General Counsel
305 Madison Ave. Suite 2240
New York, NY 10165
(212) 370-5100
FAX: (212) 697-6299
Michael Reny
AMO Coast Guard Legal
Aid Program
(419) 243-1105 / (888) 853-4662
Mobile: (419) 346-1485
MikeReny@BEX.NET
RESOLVED THAT, the AMO National
Executive Board hereby proposes, pursuant
to Article XXV of the AMO National
Constitution that the amendment of Article
II, Section 2, second sentence of the AMO
National Constitution be submitted to the
membership at regular monthly member-
ship meetings held in the month of
February 2008, and that, if the proposed
amendment is adopted it shall be effective
July 1, 2008.
Date: February 5, 2008
Adopted: February 5, 2008
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), on Wednesday in Toledo, and on Friday in Brooklyn. The
next meetings will take place on the following dates:
DANIA BEACH:
TOLEDO:
NEW YORK:
April 7, May 5
April 9, May 7
April 11, May 9
March 2008
Celestial navigation — upgrading to chief mate, unlimited
To upgrade from second mate to
chief mate, unlimited, the U.S. Coast
Guard requires that the following six
celestial navigation practical assessment
control sheets be completed in accordance with Coast Guard National
Maritime Center Policy letter 04-02.
The six control sheets are:
•M-1-2A: Ex-meridian Observation
•M-1-2B:
Meridian
Passage
Observation
•M-1-2C: Identifying Unknown
Stars
•M-1-2D: Selecting Stars or Planets
•M-1-2E: Plotting a LOP
•M-1-2F: Plotting a Running Fix
NMC policy letter 04-02 is available
online
at:
www.uscg.mil/stcw/marpers/pag/04-02.pdf.
The required practical assessment
control sheets may be completed in two
ways:
•Complete the sheets onboard a
ship and have them signed in accordance
with NMC Policy Letter 04-02
•Successfully complete the Deck
License Upgrade Celestial Navigation
Course at RTM STAR Center—this
course includes completion of the
required practical assessments, and an
additional written exam as required by
Coast Guard
STAR Center recommends AMO
members complete the control sheets and
have them signed onboard their vessels
whenever possible, as this is the most
efficient method for meeting the requirement. The Coast Guard does not require
that a celestial navigation course be completed, only the practical assessments.
To serve as a shipboard assessor for
a practical demonstration of skills, and to
sign the control sheets, a mariner must:
•Work aboard the vessel upon
which the person seeking to upgrade is
employed
•Hold a chief mate’s or master’s
license
•Attest they have read the Coast
Guard document “Conducting Mariner
Assessments: A Practical Manual For
Assessors”—this document is available
online at: http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/assessorman.pdf
A shipboard assessor who witnesses
a practical assessment must sign the
assessment standard (control sheet) and
indicate they read and followed the guidance in the manual. A shipboard assessor
who has read this document and uses the
assessment standard (control sheet) in
NMC Policy letter 04-02 will ensure a
fair, standardized assessment of an officer’s ability to completely perform the
assessed task.
For AMO members who take the
STAR Center Deck Upgrade Celestial
Navigation class, a thorough review of
the topics covered in Tab 4 (pages 225325) of Pub. No 9, The American
Practical Navigator (Bowditch 1995 edition), is a prerequisite. This five-day
Coast Guard certified course is a fastpaced intensive review with minimal
instruction. In order to receive credit for
the practical demonstrations, all six control sheets and a written assessment
required by the Coast Guard need to be
completed. The control sheets cannot be
signed separately at STAR Center without
the course completion certificate.
For more information, contact Jerry
Pannell, director of member training and
officer development, at (800) 445-4522
ext. 7507 or jpannell@star-center.com.
New Advanced Shiphandling for Masters
course draws rave reviews from AMO officers
AMO officers completing the new
Advanced Shiphandling for Masters
course at RTM STAR Center in
Dania Beach, Fla., with instructors
Larry Reimer (left) and Mark
Rupprecht (third from right) were
Ryan White, Joseph Schwartzstein,
Robert Glover and Eric Beecher. All
officers in the course gave it high
marks and positive feedback, and
one member described it like this:
“for sailing masters, the most
important course one can take
offered at AMO/STAR Center—a
great confidence building course.
Keep in mind a large part of that is
due to the instructors.” The next
course is scheduled for April 14.
March 2008
AMO officers onboard in support of satellite interception
Two vessels manned in all licensed
positions by American Maritime Officers
assisted in the U.S. Navy’s interception and
tracking of a 5,000-pound non-functioning
National Reconnaissance Office satellite
over the Pacific Ocean earlier this month.
The range instrumentation ship
USNS Observation Island provided telemetry information. The ship, which can monitor objects in space, tracked the satellite
and collected data on it both before and
after the missile launch, Military Sealift
Command reported. The Observation
Island is operated by Maersk Line Limited
The SBX platform is manned in all
licensed positions by AMO.
Seabulk Power delivers PL-480
grain cargo for World Food Program
AMO member Capt.
Richard Boone, master of the Seabulk
Power, on a recent
PL-480 grain run, here
with Logistics Officer
Lemma Jembere of
the Mombasa office of
the World Food
Program for Africa
Seabulk Magnachem Chief Engineer Rex kelley (left) and Master Hazen
Dennison with Capt. Boone of the Seabulk Power in Port Sudan
for Military Sealift Command (MSC) and
manned in all licensed positions by AMO.
The guided missile cruiser USS Lake
Erie launched the SM-3 missile to intercept
the satellite, MSC reported.
The Sea Based X-band radar platform (SBX) was deployed in the area to
support independently the discrimination
and tracking of the destroyed satellite.
Other U.S. military sensors and satellites
were deployed in the area and were also
used for evaluation of the intercept, the
Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance reported. The SBX is operated by Interocean
American Shipping Corporation under a
charter from the U.S. Missile Defense
Agency and is manned in all licensed positions by AMO.
In late January, the U.S. government
notified other nations that the satellite was
unresponsive and would make an uncontrolled reentry in late February or early
March, MSC reported.
The President decided to bring down
the satellite because of the likelihood that
the satellite could release hydrazine fuel
upon impact, possibly in populated areas,
MSC reported.
Tug Galveston launched for
second new U.S. Shipping
articulated tug/barge unit
U.S. Shipping Partners in February
announced the launch of the tug portion of
its second new articulated tug/barge unit at
the Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. shipyard in Panama City, Fla.
Outfitting and commissioning of the
tug Galveston will take place in the coming
months and is on schedule. Completion of
the barge portion of the ATB is proceeding
at Manitowoc Marine Group shipyard, and
U.S. Shipping expects to take delivery of
the barge on schedule in August of this year.
The U.S. Shipping fleet includes six
integrated tug/barges, one product tanker,
three chemical tankers and one ATB.
American Maritime Officers represents all
licensed officers working in the fleet and
recently secured a new contract with the
company.
The
ATB
Freeport/Chemical
Transporter is the first in the series of new
ATBs being built by U.S. Shipping, and
entered service in the Jones Act trades in
July 2007. The company is also building a
series of tankers.
Construction began in January on the
second new tanker in the series being built
for U.S. Shipping at National Steel and
Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, Calif.
The 600-foot, 49,000-deadweight-ton
product carrier is due to be delivered in the
second quarter of 2009. The ships in the
series will have a cargo capacity of 331,000
barrels each, and are designed to carry
petroleum and chemical products in the
Jones Act trades. The first is slated for delivery in early 2009.
U.S. Shipping has secured charters
for four of the nine new tankers being built.
Two of the charters are with major oil companies and the other two are with Military
Sealift Command, replacing two T-5
tankers expected to reach the end of their
service life in 2010.
AMO members probe modern piracy in new documentary
A new documentary has been released that explores 21st century
piracy and exposes both the audience and its principals—American
Maritime Officers members Michael Rawlins and Bob Duke Jr.—to a
group of pirates operating on the Malacca Straits and the resurgence of
an epidemic in recent years.
The Green Ray Films documentary, “Porampo: Pirates of the
Malacca Straits,” was produced and directed by Rawlins, and follows
both Rawlins and Duke through Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia on
a search for answers on the elusive subject modern piracy.
The documentary, filmed entirely on location in Southeast Asia,
focuses its lens on one of the world’s busiest waterways. As film
points out: in the straits and on the streets, piracy is a subject that is avoided by many of its victims. As Rawlins
and Duke discover, officials and residents of the region
are also reluctant to discuss it.
Their journey takes them to Aceh Province in
Northern Sumatra Island, and despite their pursuit
of a taboo topic, Rawlins and Duke are able to
interview an ex-Porampo (the Indonesian word
for pirate).
Their search then leads them to a pirate
camp and the filming of an attempted pirate
attack on a ship in the straits in infrared
light, as well as interviews with the
pirates on the raid.
The
documentary
cites
International Maritime Bureau
(IMB) statistics, stating in 2003
there were 445 reported pirate
attacks worldwide, with 21 sailors
killed and 71 missing. Of those, 150
were in the Malacca Straits. That
year, the straits were considered a
“hotspot” of pirate activity, an area
where crew members on vessels
under attack may face heavily-armed
pirates who board vessels with grappling
hooks from fast boats, seeking a bounty from the ship’s safe
and often victimizing mariners.
“At sea, we would get these piracy reports every
day from the Piracy Reporting Center in Kuala
Lumpur,” Rawlins said. “Story after story of crew
members robbed, beaten and killed in the areas we
went to. And they’re expected to defend themselves with what, a charged fire hose versus an
AK-47? So I said: ‘someone needs to look
into this.’ It might as well be me.”
The IMB has reported attacks on
ships numbered 263 during 2007, compared with the 239 attacks recorded
in 2006, based on statistics compiled by the Piracy Reporting
Center in Kuala Lumpur.
According to the film, it is estimated that fewer than 10 percent
of pirate attacks are reported to
authorities.
Green Ray Films has
announced broadcast deals with
Belgian and Danish television,
and
that
Canamedia
Productions of Toronto is
developing a television series,
“Pirate Hunters,” based on
Porampo. Green Ray also
announced an agreement with
History Channel Malaysia to
broadcast Porampo, and that
an article about the film will
appear in an upcoming edition of
Professional Mariner.
More information and a trailer
of the film are available online at
www.porampo.com.

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