The Metro Group MARITIMER february 2008 the issue insider’s guide to DOCKSIDE new york DINING

REMEMBERING the WHITEHALL CLUB

Blurring FRONT office BACK office lines

MARITIME ART in PUBLIC PLACES

MARITIMER  February 2008 WELCOME photo by Tania Savayan photo by Tania

GR OUP MA O R R I T T I M E E Metro Group Maritime 61 New York, NY M www.mgmus.com (212) 425-7774 The Metro Group

february 2008 MARITIMER n e w y o r k i ss u e The Metro Group MARITIMER 6 The Whitehall Club Vol. 2 No.1 8 portside restaurants Publisher Marcus L. Arky lunar new year preview Associate Publisher 11 CARPE Victoria Medeiros Q&A with new york artist terrence maley Editor In Chief 12 Alia Mansoori Research Editor 14 blurring the lines between front office and back office Kemal Kurtulus

COPY Editor insider’s guide to nyc Emily Ballengee 16

Art Director PER Courtnay Loch no offset rule 19

contributors Michael Arky 20 maritime art in public places Kate Ballengee Benjamin Kinberg Filip Kwiatkowski new mgm customizable interface Tania Savayan 22 DIEM 23 book review: pete hamill’s north river

61 Broadway Suite 1410 16 New York, NY 10006 GR OUP MA O R phone (212) 425-7774 R I T fax (212) 425-8103 8 T I M E [email protected] E Please visit www.mgmus.com 12 M

Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright © 2008 Metro Group Maritime Publishing to make way for luxury condominiums. The items will be displayed in the 12th Floor corridor of 17 Battery Place where both men still work. The relics, however, do not take the place of their favorite lunchtime haunt. “I used to love watching the ships in the river,” said McNamara wistfully as he recalled his fond- Among its many legacies, downtown is In 1910 the Whitehall Club opened its doors at est memories of the club. “In 1966, when the The counted as being one of the shipping industry’s 17 Battery Place and welcomed distinguished Queen Mary left on her last voyage, she sailed at greatest hubs. Under Lady Liberty’s stoic gaze, New members from the McAllister and Morgan families, noon from up at Pier 90, and there was a big party York Harbor was crowded with passenger and cargo goliaths like John Jacob Astor IV, Jay Gould and at the Whitehall Club celebrating the last trip of ships. Millions of dollars worth of goods floated up John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and other prominent men of the Queen Mary. Now, with all these Battery City Whitehaand down New York’s waterways on any given day. Clubcommerce. Membership grew, and the club became buildings you can no longer see all those wonderful Thirty stories above the harbor and its daily mari- the unofficial clubhouse of the maritime industry. ships that passed in front of our windows.” time parade, members of the shipping industry con- “It was such an elegant place and the people— The industry’s geographic decentralization and gregated in the legendary Whitehall Club. the head of the ILA was there, the head of steam- the near disappearance of large American-based ship companies, people from Cunard liner businesses make the resurrection of the Lines, United States Lines, Holland Whitehall Club or something similar unlikely, says American—to see so many shipping McNamara. There Was No Better Place To Watch executives in one place was just amaz- “It was a wonderful, wonderful, learning experi- What Was Happening In The Harbor. ing,” said Captain James J. McNamara, ence,” said Sappio. “I wish I had been older, joined president of the National Cargo Bureau, A page from the Whitehall Club’s promotional booklet. the industry sooner, I wish I could have experienced captain james j mcnamara who was first introduced to the club in more of the history of the industry and the White- the 1960s while sailing with the States and could see what ships came in or if one was at hall Club and its tremendous camaraderie.” Marine Lines. anchorage waiting to get in,” said Pouch of his real- Don’t we all. “Lower Manhattan was really the nucleus of the Outfitted with coffered ceilings, walnut paneled time status reports. “You could view your operations shipping business,” said Robert Sappio, senior vice walls, stained-glass panes depicting various ship- and see not only what your operation was doing, but – ALIA MANSOORI president of APL, who was introduced to the club ping lines’ smoke stacks, detailed ship models and what your competitors were doing.” right out of college towards the end of the indus- breathtaking views of Lower Manhattan, the club During the club’s early days there was a sepa- try’s height in Lower Manhattan. “The Whitehall was the perfect backdrop for entertaining clients rate dining room for women guests, but according Club was certainly a regular haunt for many of the from out of town or settling situations in an amicable to Pouch, who served a stint as director of the club, managers and executives of the shipping industry manner. women were allowed their own membership in the downtown.” “People were able to talk to each other in an 1970s and held their own among the well-seasoned “A busy day, in the old days, starting at noon- unofficial setting about things that were troubling major maritime players. time, maybe even earlier, the bar would be three them or problems they had and sometimes prob- “When the club became co-ed a lot of distin- people deep,” said Robert H. Pouch, director of lems would get solved because there was a jury of guished women in business, politics and the law the Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State executives and management people who had a po- were invited to become members,” said Pouch. of New York from his office, located just 18 floors lite interest in each other’s business,” said Pouch. “Congresswoman Helen Bentley, Elaine Chao, who below the famed lunch club, overlooking Pier A in Formal yet friendly, the club’s atmosphere lent was deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of New York Harbor. “You would go in and there would itself to conversation where even “your archest com- Transportation and is now secretary of labor…all of be a roar coming out of the room.” petitors in the business” became friends and busi- the women who were going into business and mov- The roars would ness issues could be discussed and resolved in a ing into the senior ranks were all engrafted into the soon give way to cordial manner, according to Pouch. But sometimes club.” the growls of hun- matters were settled in a more simplistic manner. With changes in the shipping industry including gry stomachs as “As some rumors go, there were times that con- electronic customs filings, taxation, regulation, and patrons would put tracts were signed based on which guy could out rent hikes many steamship lines moved out of lower down their cock- drink the other,” said Edward J. Kelly, executive Manhattan in the mid-90s and left what was once tails and finalize director of the Maritime Association of the Port of the nucleus of the maritime industry with only rel- their games of New York and New Jersey. ics of a bygone era. dice on the high- While the bar was the stage in which anecdotes The Whitehall Club, a not-for-profit establish- hat tables sur- were exchanged and deals made through clouds of ment, was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1995. rounding the ele- cigar smoke and the sound of ice rattling in a shak- “The Whitehall Club shuttered because its mem- gant bar and head er, its windows gave some of the best insight into bership base aged and its corporate base went away,” into one of three what was going on in the business. said Pouch who, along with McNamara, salvaged dining rooms to “When I went up to the bar, I could look right items from the club such as menus, seals, photos, A page from the Whitehall Club menu, December 16, 1994 (left) and a detail of the An interior view of The Whitehall Club dining room. have lunch. down on top of the two piers we rented in Brooklyn and postcards before wrecking crews demolished it menu cover (right).

 MARITIMER MARITIMER  February 2008 February 2008 Portside Restaurants

A Guide to Dining on the Docks in NY & NJ Alma 187 Columbia Street Brooklyn, NY (718) 643-5400 BROOKLYN by alia mansoori Alma blazed a culinary trail when it opened over five years ago on an industrial stretch of the Carroll Gar- dens waterfront. Today, that street is home to doz- Hope and Anchor ens of restaurants, cafes and boutiques. 347 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY Porthole windows dot the two-story brick façade (718) 237-0276 and give the Mexican restaurant a nautical touch Sautéed veal liver in an orange garlic rosemary re- that is heightened by the breathtaking views of New duction and hot wings seem like unlikely items to York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline that can be see on the same menu (not to mention a diner’s seen from the rooftop, al fresco, dining patio. ALMA menu), but Brooklyn’s Hope and Anchor is not your While sweeping vistas are difficult to compete typical diner. with, Alma’s crispy pork empanadas, jumbo shrimp F ilip Kwiatkowski In a once dodgy part of Red Hook, within earshot coated in shredded coconut and fajitas made with of the Brooklyn-Port Authority Marine Terminal, the grilled, marinated, black angus steak or chipotle diner, outfitted in red vinyl and blackF ormica, serves chicken breast more than hold their own against up gourmet creations and classic diner delights to a FERDINANDO’S FOCACCERIA Gotham’s grandeur. F ilip Kwiatkowski crowd that includes longshoremen and local artists. Robust and flavorful meals can be rounded out Traditional breakfast items include fluffy pan- Ferdinando’s Focacceria with refreshing sorbets made of seasonal fruits or a cakes that are griddled until deep brown resulting in 151 Union Street, Brooklyn , NY delicate, yet firm, flan that is creamy and light rather a nutty outside, as well as standbys with a creative (718) 855-1545 than overly caramelized and eggy. twist like jerk chicken hash served with two eggs. These items and others keep the sun-drenched Stepping through the wood and glass doors of Fer- space a morning favorite with local patrons. dinando’s Focacceria transports one back to the Karaoke sessions Thursday through Saturday Brooklyn of yesteryear. The brick-walled Italian lun- NEW JERSEY by benjamin kinberg nights help night owls work off their meals of risotto cheonette, just three blocks up a tree-lined hill from with leeks and goat cheese or juicy cheeseburgers. the waterfront, is still serving up the same signature dishes it has since it was opened by Sicilian immi- Campino Restaurant servers preparing Portuguese sausage tableside over Hope and Anchor’s red walls are the backdrop to 70 Jabez St, Newark, NJ an open flame to holding out writhing lobsters for a changing display of artwork. However, the eatery’s grants in 1904. Patrons cozy up to white granite slab tables and (973) 589-4004 inspection, the restaurant shows careful attention to restrooms might house the most famous artist’s detail and versatility. works—hundreds of Sailor Jerry tattoo sketches are order Ferdinando’s signature dish, which isn’t a fo- Surrounded by rail tracks and minutes from Newark caccia at all, but actually a deep fried chickpea frit- Bay, the Ironbound neighborhood or “Little Portu- Of particular note are the Portobello mushrooms patched together to create makeshift wallpaper and with mozzarella in balsamic vinegar appetizer and celebrate the neighborhood’s maritime past. ter, called panelle, topped with ricotta and parme- gal,” was forged by generations of railroad and port san cheeses. Other Sicilian classics include octopus workers who emigrated from the Mediterranean in crab-stuffed lobster adorned with fresh tomato and salad and pasta with sardines and fennel. the late 1800s. From this broad-shouldered legacy baby greens. For dessert, server Junior Schutt rec- The old-world charm of Ferdinando’s has even Campino Restaurant was born. ommends Portuguese coffee, a zesty blend of bran- captured Hollywood’s attention—the focacceria’s in- One’s first impression is of an old world fish mar- dy, liqueur Beirao, espresso and milk, with a choice terior doubled as Jack Nicholson’s hangout in Martin ket complete with a lobster tank and great ice chest of serradurra, a layered custard cream with Maria Scorcese’s film, The Departed. packed with crab, dorade, salmon, branzino, clams crackers, or rice pudding. and scallops. Campino’s menu is a seafood tribute to the Bay “Much of the fish is imported right from Greece and its Ironbound community and their heritage. and Portugal, especially the dorade which is a rare, pleasant-tasting white fish,” says head chefF rancis- Puccini’s Restaurant co Rosa, who strives to preserve the authenticity of 1064 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ the menu that the owner, Jose Seabra, a Portuguese (201) 432-4111 immigrant, established over 18 years ago. Sinatra serenades in the background as sharply From its vaulted ceilings to its exposed kitchen, dressed servers review the daily lunch specials which F ilip Kwiatkowski Campino is as open and inviting as it is refreshingly have been fully prepared, plated, and arranged on a anachronistic. cart at this Jersey City staple of fine Italian-Ameri- Guests make their way through a candlelit dining can fare. After the server carefully sizes up each room outfitted with antique accents and Spanish- guest and the lunch options, he recommends what HOPE AND ANCHOR Moorish tile artwork to a table of their choice. From he considers to be a good match. On this occasion a

 MARITIMER MARITIMER  February 2008 February 2008 Metro Group maritime to celebrate lunar new year with bigger bash tri-color salad of arugula, endive and radicchio, von- Portugal Barbecue gole oreganata (baked clams), and a broiled whole 207 Clark Pl. Elizabeth, NJ red snapper over a bed of spinach were selected for (908) 289-6554 me. A rich ricotta cheesecake and espresso with a Tucked away between the Port of Elizabeth and the hint of steamed milk (a macchiato) rounded out the New Jersey Turnpike prospers Portugal Barbecue. delectable meal. Although you may not find the majestic architec- An eager young couple plans their wedding feast ture of Lisbon, the pristine seashores of Algarve or in a far corner while three businessmen make their the country beauty of Sintra in this industrial Por- way, through tables of laughing families, to their tuguese neighborhood, you will find food that is au- “regular” table. This eclectic patronage seems to thentically Iberian. contribute to the charm that has sustained Puccini’s Imported blue and white azulejo tiles from Portu- bravura reputation for over 24 years. gal line the walls of the modest, no-frills, restaurant. Locals shuffle in and out of the restaurant ordering large plates of barbecue chicken or ribs, rice and salads all served family style The kind and doting wait staff cater to a crowd of families and local workers who have large plat- ters of food awaiting them on long communal tables at lunch time. Patrons rave about the tender, char- broiled, marinated chicken and barbecued Portu- guese sausage.

Chinatown Brasserie’s lounge and koi pond PUCCINI’S fter last year’s tremendously successful Lunar New Year party, Metro Group Mari- time is gearing up once again to usher in NEW JERSEY BROOKLYN the Year of the Rat with a party on Monday, Feb. 18. A“Last year had such great attendance and we had so much fun, how could we not do it again?” said Victoria Medeiros, director of sales and market- ing for Metro Group Maritime. “Last year was more Portugal Barbecue ALMA geared to our Chinese friends. The basic rule for in- vitation was you either had to work for MGM or work Puccini’s Restaurant for a Chinese steamship line. This year, we decided Ferdinando’s Focacceria to make it a larger event and include more of our friends. We made the rule that you have to work for a company that is directly or indirectly affected by trade with China, so I guess that means everyone is the lounge’s bar invited.” This year’s soiree will be held at the acclaimed Metro Group Maritime’s event will be held in the Chinatown Brasserie whose chef, Hong Kong-born restaurant’s downstairs dining lounge replete with Joe Ng, has been praised for his Cantonese special- koi pond and carved cork sculptures from Shang- courtesy G oogle Maps courtesy G oogle Maps ties and unusual twist on classic dim-sum staples. hai. MGM chose Chinatown Brasserie because of its “This year is going to be another wonderful cele- Hope & Anchor outstanding food and gorgeous setting. bration of the entry of the new lunar year,” predicts Campino Restaurant According to a release from the eatery, the res- Marcus Arky, general counsel. “We especially hope taurant’s design and décor are an amalgamation of to make our friends who are far from their homes New York and Chinese “cultural layers.” The effect and families in Asia feel closer to home.” is one of an upscale brasserie with Eastern elements such as ornate screens, oversized silk lanterns and floral wallpaper. – AM

10 MARITIMER MARITIMER 11 February 2008 February 2008 1

USCG Eagle Leading 2 1 OpSail 2000, 2 They Call It the Perfect Storm, 3 Unrep 3 the Jersey, 4 Sketch of New York skyline & 4 New York Artist Close-up: Terrence Maley A While Maley renders most of his artwork in QIt’s no wonder that countless works of art, literature and poetry have attempted a mixed media, he also works with watercolors, in some way to capture the greatness of the sea. From its reckless strength to as well as pen and ink its majestic tranquility, the sea has charmed and mystified us since the dawn of pieces. human civilization. Residents of seem to have a special awareness of the enormous significance that our harbor holds in the history of our country and in our daily lives. One New Yorker, painter Terrence Maley, has decided to the cable ship, the USS Meyer off Iceland, dragging for a broken cable, devote his life to the pursuit of his two passions: painting and the sea. A Bronx, I stood night watches out in the open bow as a deck engineer. The New York native and Merchant Marine for 25 years, Maley has won many awards seas off of Iceland were like the seas in “The Perfect Storm” at times, with the spray and the sleet and the winds coming over the bow, and in for his work and has been inducted into the Salmagundi Club, an exclusive circle the lights on the gantry, we could see huge waves breaking over green of artists endorsed by the Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP) which recognizes water, coming at us. I was dressed in a parka, a face mask and gloves distinguished maritime art. and my partner Marvin Morales would say, “Here comes one!” and we would turn around and let it wash all over us. We’d be under water (laughing), then we’d go back to work and turn around again when the What does the title, “Official Coast Guard Artist,” definition of a merchant ship and the mission of the next wave would come. We had ice on our face mask, icicles hanging mean to you personally and professionally? Per- Merchant Marines, and would you add anything to off our mouths and noses. It was December, January and February, off sonally, it’s about patriotism. Leaving my artwork this definition to make it more complete?The work I Iceland. It had its own intense beauty. In the morning when it settled to my country. My story is told to the American have done with the Military Sea Command (MSC) in- down in the great, green dawn, the mountains of Iceland showed up like people this way, and it’s in good hands. Profes- volved ocean research, special projects, intelligence a string of pearls on the grey horizon. It was beautiful, it was the hard- sionally, it’s a great honor. Did growing up in the work, National Ocean & Atmospheric (NOA) plotting est thing I had to do, I wanted to be home at Christmas with my kids. Bronx and the exposure you had with the shipping the oceans and the weather in the world. There is I was a deck engineer machinist. Many of your paintings, especially, industry in New York City harbor ultimately spark much more than just freight involved. Some tankers “USCG Eagle Leading OpSail 2000” (Figure 1) and “Unrep the Jersey” your interest in a career at sea with the Navy and support the fleet because they are chartered by MSC. (Figure 3) seem to celebrate the ornate and highly detailed beauty of the Merchant Marines? How so? Definitely. I was a Commercial tankers would come out and deliver oil to the ships that comprise the subject of these works. With this in mind, dreamer as a kid and I always wanted to know what us (MSC) and we would deliver it to the fleet. What, please describe what you expect to give your viewing audience. I’m tak- was over the horizon, in our summers on the beach in your estimation, was the greatest innovation in ing them with me on my trip, on the trip of my life. I hope to take them in Rocakaway, I wanted to know what was over the shipping in your 25 years at sea - one which seemed with me on the experiences I lived. They look at my paintings and, well, horizon. When I was 15 my father brought the family to permanently change the way in which shipping one woman who said about Perfect Storm, ‘Mr. Maley, that is the best down to Fleet Week on the Hudson River. We went was conducted? Women aboard ships. They brought painting! The droplets in the water, the waves – but, it’s so cold!,’ and aboard a destroyer that was open to the public. And with them civilization and cleaned up the crews. The that’s exactly what I wanted to do. To bring her with me out on the sea I was immediately aware that I was off the land and women did just as magnificent a job as anybody and in that cold place, to tell my story. What projects/pieces do you have I was standing on the deck of a ship and this was it reminded us that we were in the world. The lan- planned for the future? I think it’s going to be a New York skyline. I’ve like magic to me, that I was on a ship, not on the guage cleaned up immensely, many people cheered been toying with this forever, with the USS NY coming out under the land. There was a cook cooking hamburgers there, up and started to smile and the thing we missed Brooklyn Bridge. I like that area. And the new Trade Center over there a happy guy, and that he lived on this thing was, to mainly about being out at sea was with us now. What to the left with the “ghost” of the old Trade Center buildings behind it. me, like magic. Of course the big guns on her and is it about the ocean that we find so inspiring—the I mean, to me, this would be ideal. the bridge and the helm and the brass and the light subject of so many works of art? One morning when paint, I thought to myself, someday, I will do this I was 18 years old observing the sunrise in the Gulf – BENJAMIN KINBERG and I did. A merchant ship is defined as, “One that of Mexico, as the colors rose above the dark hori- transports cargo and passengers during peace time. zon, I met God in the absence of man. Is a specific During wars, the same ships are auxiliaries to the storm being described in your painting, “They Call navies of their respective countries, and are called it the Perfect Storm”? If so, which one, and what To view more of MALEY’S work, please visit: upon to deliver military personnel and material.” Ac- compelled you to paint it, as it takes on a clearly www.artbymaley.com cording to your life experience, is this an accurate darker tone than your other works? When I was on

12 MARITIMER MARITIMER 13 February 2008 February 2008 FRONT OFFICE BACK OFFICE

AT1 Broadway there are two entrances below from another, in their corporate culture, in how they doing with your dollars, how your dollars are being ornately carved stone pediments. One reads, “Cabin view receivables and what they expect out of the col- handled, and when your dollars come in. It’s noted so Class” while the other says, “First Class.” They were lectors who do work for them. I think that MGM does you can follow up to make sure you get those dollars indicators for ticket holders and buyers who were en- a good job at customizing themselves to the needs of when you’re supposed to. I’ve never dealt with anoth- tering the building, former home to the United States each client.” er agency that was that good, or felt that comfortable Lines, perhaps in preparation for a trans-Atlantic voy- The rigorous training that MGM’s employees un- with. They have immense integrity. ” age. dergo is key in providing clients with such custom- “I had opportunities to go with other companies, A couple of hundred paces north, at 61 Broad- ized service. and I would not even consider them because you way, Metro Group Maritime continues in the same “In order to be extensions of our clients, we spend have to trust the people that you are working with as great tradition of service of the ocean liners of a a lot of time training our people. We study our client’s well as the people that are working for you,” Christ past era. They, however, do not distinguish between documents and visit and work side by side with them continued. classes—they strive to treat all their clients as first in order to better understand their culture, tech- Counting veterans of the shipping industry among class ticket holders—and show absolutely no sign of niques and operating procedures,” said Marcus Arky, their staff certainly puts MGM at a great advantage becoming a relic of the past. It is MGM’s approach general counsel of Metro Group Maritime. “We also within their sector. However, having attorneys at the to debt recovery that has made it a stand-out. It is visit the terminals in order that our MGM employees helm and overseeing the entire collection process not a system that encompasses complete transparency truly understand the actual physical process behind only expedites the process, but puts them in a cat- with clients, attention to detail, the highest level of the documents.” egory of their own. customer service and treating a back-office function “Often times there is more than one way to re- “The industry knowledge that they bring sets them like a front-office enterprise. solve a debt—our collectors often act as deputized apart. They are headed by attorneys who under- “There is a growing trend of companies outsourc- sales people for the lines by resolving the debt and stand the endgame is very important,” says Marling. ing part of their operations, especially back-office also reinstating the customer for future business,” “They’re not afraid of getting on a plane and seeing a finance and accounting,” said Neil Ross, a partner explains Arky. debtor to put quick resolution to something. They do at MGM. “We believe outsourcing is okay for most Beyond training collectors on the ins and outs of what’s necessary to get it done.” back-office finance and accounting functions, but issues that arise in the collection of maritime debt Jim Arnold, chief financial officer of A CM CGM accounts receivable management and third party and the operations of a steamship line and terminals, America describes MGM’s customer service as, “out debt collection require a different type of business MGM hires former clients. of the ballpark. From that perspective, I don’t think MGM’s headquarters, third from right, and tallest, at 61 Broadway. provider—a provider who is a dealmaker and a rain- Valli Piedra joined MGM after her position was anybody is even close and as we’ve gone through col- maker.” eliminated at CP Ships following Hapag-Lloyd’s acqui- lections, their results are far above everybody else’s… “MGM staff knows that the debtors are still the sition of the company. Tasos Christ, the former credit they worked our biggest settlement last year and they That out-of-the box thinking allows MGM to ap- customers of the steamship line and that they need and collections manager at Zim American Integrated came out better than what we expected. [They] did a proach debtors not as “dead-beats,” but as wayward to be treated with respect,” said Ross. Shipping Service Co., Inc., joined MGM as a collector great job and settled that account very quickly.” customers of their clients. MGM views AR not as a back-office operation at after leaving Zim, but still wanting to work full-time. The caliber of service from start to finish provided “Our staff has the unique challenge of interfacing all, but instead as the last step of the closing of cer- Seeing MGM as both hired third party debt collector by Metro Group Maritime is something rarely associ- with our clients, the steamship lines, as well as their tain deals. Their focus on the maritime industry gives and employer has given both individuals great insight ated with the world of collections. That is because customers, the debtors,” says Beth Krieger, director them the background and ability to work in tandem as to how MGM compares to their competitors. MGM does not view itself as a back-office enter- of client relations at MGM. “It is a very rewarding job with their clients. “When you’re turning over hundreds of thousands prise. to create solutions for the SSLs, especially the cus- “They take the time to get to know their clients of dollars to someone, you lose control, and you worry “Even though we are asked to perform a back-of- tom-tailored solutions that some lines require and to and their clients’ business because they specialize,” about that,” says Christ. “I say this as a former client fice function, we find it helpful to work in a front-of- also resolve the disputes with the debtors. You need says Marc Marling, vice president and general coun- as much as a current employee. Metro takes away the fice location—the Wall Street area,” says Arky. “We a very flexible mind-set.” sel of CMA CGM America. “Although we are all ocean worry of that money because they make it as easy for have a fantastic staff that is empowered to work cre- carriers, there are things that differentiate one carrier you as possible to get information on what they’re atively.” – AM

14 MARITIMER MARITIMER 15 February 2008 February 2008 i n s i d e R’ S G u i d e N Y C New York can be a daunting city to tackle, filled with tourist traps. The Maritimer has picked its favorite insider haunts to highlight some of New York’s best, known and unknown, bets.

Italian Restaurant: Max. Since 2000, owner Luigi Iasilli has been Secret oasis: Governors Island. One-half mile from the banks of Bat- serving up his family’s classic, simple, southern Italian recipes for tery Park City sits the rural oasis of Governors Island. The 172-acre- patrons that sometimes wait up to two hours for a table at this cozy, no island, covered with rolling green hills and historic buildings, was reservations, East Village staple. Iasilli’s newest outpost, Max Tribeca, recently sold back to the City of New York by the U.S. Government, played host to Metro Group Maritime’s Columbus Day party where who had used the island as a military facility. The island, which held guests dined on Max’s signature Caprese salad with imported buffalo captured confederate soldiers during the Civil War and served as a mozzarella, a selection of pastas, cod and duck. East Village: 51 Ave. supply base during World Wars I and II, is now a refuge from the B, nr. 4th St., (212) 539-0111. Tribeca: 181 Duane St., nr. Hudson crowds and concrete of the city. Governors Island is only open dur- St., (212) 966-5939. Cash only. ing the summer. Ferries depart from the Battery Maritime Building, 10 South St., Slip 7. Coffee: Café Gitane. Despite it’s “too cool for school” vibe, celebrity clientele and hip NoLIta (North of Little Italy) location, this French- Steak: Peter Luger’s. Peter Luger’s Steakhouse has been a New York A view of lower Manhattan from Governor’s Island. Moroccan café has surpassed trendy due to its consistently excep- institution since it opened its doors in Williamsburg, Brooklyn 120 tional coffee. Italian Lavazza coffee beans are ground fresh for each years ago. The no-frills establishment serves up perfectly tender, siz- order resulting in a rich, strong, brew. Light fare such as baked eggs zling, aged porterhouses with classic sides such as creamed spinach and towers of couscous dotted with fresh hummus are also worth a try. and hash browns that put other steakhouses to shame. Be sure to 242 Mott St., nr. Prince St., (212) 334-9552. order a side of the bacon, which is more like a thick strip of lean smoked pork with a glistening border of fat. 178 Broadway, Brooklyn, Bagels and Lox: Barney Greengrass. There is no better place to enjoy (718) 387-7400. the quintessential New York breakfast of a bagel and a “schmear” than Barney Greengrass. Discerning New Yorkers have been piling into Deli: Katz’s. “Send a salami to your boy in the army,” as the sign this bagel and smoked fish bastion for nearly 100 years. The addic- suggests, or “get a pistol with a shot” (pastrami on rye with coleslaw) Patrons line up at Gitane’s to-go coffee tive quality of their perfect bagels paired with cream cheese and rich at Katz’s Deli. You don’t have to be Harry or Sally—the film’s famed window on Sunday morning. smoked salmon has led to a booming mail order business and a tony scene was filmed here—but you have to be hungry for Jewish deli Beverly Hills outpost of the Upper West Side original. 541 Amsterdam foods at this oldest-school, chaotic, only in New York, institution. Fill Ave. at 86th St., (212) 595-6565. up on corned beef, pastrami, stuffed derma (chicken skin), pickles and Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray soda. 205 E. Houston St. at Ludlow St., Under the Radar Museum: The Tenement Museum. Tucked away in (212) 254-2246. the historic Lower East Side neighborhood is The Tenement Museum. While it may not have the world renowned works that are housed in the Pizza: Choosing just one was nearly impossible so the Maritimer has Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Modern Art, the lesser broken this New York delight up into three distinct pizza categories. known museum is an ode to New York’s humble beginnings and the working class that built it into the epicenter it is today. One can even Traditional slice: Joe’s Pizza. For a classic triangular, thin-crust, slice tour the preserved apartments of German-Jews from the 1870s and Joe’s is hard to beat. On any given day people are huddled at Joe’s Sicilian-Catholics from the 1930s. 108 Orchard St, nr. Delancey St., window on the corner of Carmine and Bleecker Streets with white pa- (212) 431-0233. per plate in hand, lowering a perfectly folded slice into their mouths. 7 Carmine St. at Bleecker St., (212)366-1182. Bird’s Eye View of the City: Top of the Rock at . Soaring 70 stories up, the 2005 renovated observation deck at the top Gourmet Pizza: Palà. The relatively new Palà is a clear stand out in of the GE building gives one of the best vantage points for watching New York’s crowded pizza scene. A mixture of organic flours are blend- the bustling city below. Less crowded than the ed into a yeastless, naturally-rising dough that forms a crisp yet tender and with the advantage of being able to actually see the Empire State crust that sets the perfect platform for their all-natural, buttery, buf- Building and its lights from nearby, Top of the Rock is the definite, but falo mozzarella. Toppings range from vegan soy mozzarella to truffles View from 30 Rockefeller Plaza. not so obvious choice for near aerial views of the city. 30 Rockefeller to pumpkin puree in lieu of traditional red sauce. 198 Allen St., nr. Crowds shuffle in and out of the historic Katz’s Deli. Plaza, nr. 49th St. and 5th Ave., (212) 698.2000. Houston St., (212) 614-7252.

16 MARITIMER MARITIMER 17 February 2008 February 2008 No Offset Rule Metro Group Maritime’s Deputy General Counsel, Kate Ballengee, explores the principles behind the no offset rule

The irrefutable right of shipowners to secure pay- set down in1977 in the seminal British case Aries ment for the shipment of goods has been a guiding Tanker Corp v Total Transport Ltd. The Aries court principle throughout the history of maritime law. held that, “the law must be regarded as well settled What was once a principle to encourage the growth and it applies both to ordinary freight and advance of an industry has evolved into an absolute right. freight. Once the right to advance freight has ac- Specifically, the no offset rule demands that freight crued it receives the same treatment as ordinary is still payable even if there are problems with the freight and no defense of equitable set-off on the shipment, most typically damage to the cargo or ground of a cross-claim can be admitted.” shortage. United States federal courts have determined A common problem for maritime debt collectors that it is a clear rule in admiralty law that in the ab- has been how to rebut a debtor attempting to offset sence of a contractual term to the contrary, freight a claim for freight. Historically, public policy con- is due upon delivery regardless of any claims the cerns have enforced the right to payment of freight buyer may have for shortage or cargo damage on without offset. It is interesting to note that all other that shipment. A New York federal case, however, Lombardi’s Pizza. areas of English law allow for offset besides claims has given some credence to the development of the for freight. The policy of England, the origin of our statutory right of set off or counterclaim under mod- body of maritime law, was to promote commerce es- ern procedural rules. As a result, the practice has pecially through the shipping industry. The guaran- developed wherein parties incorporate within the Brick Oven Pie: Lombardi’s. In 1897, Gennaro Lombardi opened his tee of a payment for freight encouraged companies “Freight” or “Charges” sections of their agreements grocery store on the corner of Spring and Mott Streets in Little Italy. and individuals to invest in maritime adventure. language which provides that freight must be paid By 1905, as New York pizza legend goes, Gennaro began selling pizza The procedural rules of the Admiralty Court also immediately “without discount.” and became one of the first pizzerias in the city. While the verity of demonstrated freights’ overwhelming importance as In conclusion, custom and case law demonstrate their claim as New York’s first pizzeria is questionable, their perfect, cases based on freight disputes were resolved as how firmly entrenched the right of shipowners to crisp, brick oven pies are undeniably delicious. 32 Spring St. at Mott quickly as possible. Sir Charles Hedges, who sat secure payment is even when the merchant has a St., (212) 941-7994. on the Admiralty Bench, insisted that a freight suit cause of action for offset. A glance at any modern required a “quick dispatch for the advancement of steamship line’s terms and conditions of their Bill of Classic NY Cheesecake: Junior’s. Junior’s boasts to having, “The trade and navigation” since “the freight of one voy- Lading would show a Freight Earned clause, which World’s Most Fabulous Cheesecake” and few would argue otherwise. age is the supply of another.” is the modern-day manifestation of Sir Charles With nearly two dozen different types of cheesecake, Junior’s manages Turning to the present day, modern case law in Hedges idea that “the freight of one voyage is the to satisfy every type of sweet tooth. The original location in down- both England and the United States demonstrate supply of another.” town Brooklyn retains the same upscale diner feel that it had when that the right of the shipper to secure payment is first opening its doors in 1950. Since then, two other locations have still in full effect. If the goods are delivered, al- – KATE BALLENGEE opened in Times Square and Grand Central Station. While its Manhat- though in a damaged condition, freight is still pay- tan outposts are aesthetically less iconic, the NY-style cheesecake able regardless of any claim for damages, as was remains unbeatable. Original: 386 Flatbush Ave. at Dekalb Ave., (718) 852-5257. Grand Central Station: Main Concourse nr. Track 36, (212) 692-9800. Times Square: West 45th St., nr. 8th Ave., (212) 302-2000.

Best thing to do in New York: Walk everywhere! Whether it be cross- ing the Brooklyn Bridge to the Brooklyn Promenade or a walk down gallery row in Chelsea to the West Side Highway and along the banks of the Hudson, the pedestrian-friendly city is best seen on foot. The area north of 14th Street is an easy to navigate grid, while the slightly twisty downtown is the perfect place to wander and get lost. There, you will certainly stumble upon some gems and find your very own insider’s haunts.

Pedestrian walkway on the Brooklyn Bridge. – AM

18 MARITIMER MARITIMER 19 February 2008 February 2008 in Maritime Art NYC

New York’s varied and rich maritime past can be seen throughout the great city in public places.

1 Merchant Marine Memorial in Battery Park 1 2 2 A side-view of Daniel Chester French’s Europe sculpture which sits in front of the U.S. Custom House 4 3 Mosaic at Pier 40 3 4-5 Tiles depict scenes from NY Harbor in the Fulton 5 Street subway station

6-11 Reginald Marsh’s frescoes from the rotunda of the 6 7 8 former U.S. Custom House: 6 Giovanni da Verrazano 7 Christopher Columbus 9 10 8 Henry Hudson 9 Scenes from NY Harbor 10-11 The Normandie docking 11

20 MARITIMER MARITIMER 21 February 2008 February 2008 Book Review Metro Group Maritime Introduces Pete Hamill’s North River takes a look at one man’s life on the banks of the Hudson River North River is set in 1934 during the Depression in only the child but Rose too. And as the novel unfolds working class , NY. It centers on it becomes increasingly evident that this possibility A New Customizable interface the life of a general practitioner, Dr. James Delaney. is fillingD elaney with anxiety. A volunteer medic in World War I who witnesses the Rose’s coming to his house on Horatio Street has worst horrors of war, Delaney returns home, where made it a home. After Rose’s arrival, food begins to n an effort to meet the etc.—and spin that data in so many different ways,” near the story’s opening his wife mysteriously dis- appear at frequent intervals in the story. Typically, demand of a modern, said Young. “They will not only be able to configure appears and his 20-year-old daughter runs off to for instance, some trying event moves onto a cozy global economy and data to their exact liking, but they will be able to con- Europe to find the Mexican communist revolution- kitchen scene where Rose or Delaney is preparing clients’ 24-hour-a-day figure it on the time frame of their choosing—from ary that she had married. But before she does, she some delectable food—elaborate or simple, usually Ibusiness needs, Metro Group one year to nine months to present or from week to bequeaths to her 48-year-old father, on his door- aromatic—and then the “family,” Delaney, Rose, Maritime has created a real- week. Basically, we’ve created a number cruncher’s step, her darling 3-year-old Spanish-speaking son, and Carlito sit down to relish its taste and smells. time account summary and paradise.” Carlito, whom the doctor accepts with unconditional The essentials of life—the things that touch the soul report center. Dubbed the A “status update notification” feature allows cli- grandfatherly love. are now things that Delaney cannot live without. Metro 4000, the interface can ents who have an interest in a certain claim or vari- On their first day together,D elaney proudly brings For a long time Rose addresses Delaney only as be accessed by clients at all ous claims to be immediately notified via email once Carlito to an Italian restaurant owned by a street “Dottore,” but slowly they become closer in body times via MGM’s website. those accounts undergo any type of status change. savvy woman, Angela. It doesn’t take Angela long to and soul. One night, Delaney takes Rose to the “Each of our clients will be Clients also have the ability to leave personal mes- figure out that Delaney is going to need significant famed bygone Roseland dance hall. Here they de- given a password and username to access their ac- sages for the collector working their accounts, see help in caring for Carlito, not just because Carlito’s light in the music and energy of the place: counts,” said Steven Young, chief operating officer when payments are expected via an “expected pay- upbringing is going to require substantial funds, but And so they danced and danced, Rose grow- of MGM. “Once in the system, they will be able to ments report” page and request that changes be also because the nature of Delaney’s medical prac- ing skillful as she went along more relaxed, see exactly at what point in the collection process made to the system in order to better benefit them. tice is performed largely away from his home/office following his body and the slight pressure their accounts are in.” The feature is as beneficial to the collector as it is on hospital rounds and even more on innumerable of his hands, then trying moves on her own. The system goes far beyond serving as a real-time to the client. house calls, which, while motivated from a sense of Delaney thought, I have lived too long in status report in which clients can track accounts The up-to-the-minute email alert system also responsibility, pay the bills. the country of numbness. I won’t live there from placement to final collection. helps “narrow the communication gap between the Delaney’s time and money problems, however, again. I want to be a citizen of Roseland. “We are giving our clients the opportunity to take collector and client,” says Benjamin Kinberg, collec- pale in comparison with his other problems: the Ma- Hamill’s writing is richly textured, vivid, and root- the raw data—accounts placed, amounts collected, tor manager. “The best part about this feature is that fia. The gangsters are incensed that he is respon- ed in precise details, a style well suited to touching many times while working higher profile accounts sible for saving the life of a rival gangster (a war time our deepest core. Let Hamill describe to you a street the collector might need additional information from buddy of Delaney’s) and for having had him spirited scene from the Depression: the client. If the client is aware of changes of status out of the hospital. The mob tells him straight out On Delaney’s walks the Depression was in real time, the client may be able to attach to the that if he doesn’t tell them the hood’s whereabouts, everywhere; he saw a woman sagging with file that one document or piece of ‘collection am- they will harm the child. abandonment, trudging with two children, munition’ that the collector needs to resolve the file Angela sends Delaney, Rose Verga, a thirty-ish her gloveless hand out-stretched. Her hair immediately.” Sicilian born English speaking woman whose char- was wild and dirty. Her shoes flopped and Ultimately, the Client Reports Center will not only acter and background are eminently suited to deal she wore no socks. He gave her a dollar, and expedite the collection process, but will also give with both his grandchild and Mafia problems. With looked astonished and burst into tears. clients peace of mind. the Mafia, she reaches into her experience with The North River, now called the Hudson River, is “Companies take a huge leap of faith when they them to defend Delaney. With the child, she confi- the western border of New York City. The majestic place their accounts into collection,” said Young. dently asserts her authority and yet treats him with river serves symbolically as an apt title for the novel. “We’re an open book. We want to create as much great affection. First its movement parallels the passing of time and transparency as possible for our clients so that they With Rose at the helm, Delaney can now delve life’s happenings in the neighborhoods that it pass- know what is going on with their accounts at all into the gift that is his grandson. He begins by teach- es. And then water—what makes life possible—is times and that this information is always available to ing the child to name the world in English, noun by our most prized essential, our most cherished gift. them and organized in a manner that makes it easier noun. With great expectation, he then awaits what In North River these gifts of life become manifest for them to do their jobs.” he knows will be the boy’s first verb: want.A fter that in the love between generations, in the evolved love he proceeds to expose the child to other things in between two adults, in the re-awakening of souls. – AM the world: he explains the things of the city—the Art should alter in some way our way of seeing ABC Logistics, LLC 9999-0001 10835432 627255 subway, the el, baseball, the rivers and oceans, and the world. North River has done that for me and, I DEF Trucking, Inc. 9999-0002 17537344 987351 then the world of art through crayons and paintings. believe, will for many other readers, too. GHI Trucking & Leasing 9999-0003 16777390 988245

JKL Transport, Inc. 9999-0004 13887397 762291 His life had been numb for many years, even before MNO Logistics, LLC 9999-0005 14566678 765521 his wife disappeared. Now the boy has recharged – MICHAEL ARKY PQR Trucking, Inc. 9999-0006 18908874 977610 his life. STU Trucking & Leasing 9999-0007 12369411 133876 It’s here that the novel comes to a pivotal point. NORTH RIVER VWX Transport, Inc. 9999-0008 16679032 872294 If his daughter never returns to claim the child, he’ll By Pete Hamill be able to raise him. But if she does, he’ll lose not 341 pp. Little, Brown & Company. $25.99.

22 MARITIMER MARITIMER 23 February 2008 February 2008 GR OUP MA O R R I T T I M E E M

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