New Jobs for AMO Aboard Maersk Illinois First of Two New Heavy-Lift Ships Enters Service Under U.S

Volume 42, Number 1 January 2012 New jobs for AMO aboard Maersk Illinois First of two new heavy-lift ships enters service under U.S. flag with Maersk-Rickmers The heavy-lift ship Maersk Illinois Limited and Rickmers-Linie (America) to Bethel said. “Maintaining U.S. cargo pref- completed the re-flagging process Dec. 30 serve the U.S.-flag project cargo market. erence statutes requires effective political and loaded its first cargo under U.S. reg- Both ships will provide break-bulk and action on Capitol Hill by AMO and other istry in Mobile, Ala., adding new tonnage project cargo service for shippers requiring American maritime interests. Meeting the the U.S.-flagged project cargo fleet and U.S.-flagged vessels. demand for U.S.-flag service generated by bringing new jobs to the membership of “This exciting expansion of the U.S.- these statutes requires the kind of industrial American Maritime Officers. flag fleet is a testament to both the entre- innovation executed here by Maersk- The sistership of the Maersk Illinois, preneurial effectiveness of Maersk and Rickmers. The successful outcome has the Maersk Texas, will also come under the Rickmers, and the significance of political resulted in the expansion of the AMO job U.S. flag, and like the Maersk Illinois, will action to American merchant mariners and base, creation of new seagoing and shore- be manned in all licensed positions by U.S.-flag carriers,” said AMO National side jobs in the U.S. maritime industry, the AMO members. President Tom Bethel. addition of two recently built ships to the Acquired last September, the recent- “U.S. cargo preference requirements U.S.-flag fleet and a new project cargo ser- ly built ships are operated by Maersk- generate work in U.S.-flag commercial vice that supports the nation’s commerce, Rickmers U.S. Flag Project Carrier, a new trades by supplying project cargoes security and national defense needs.” partnership formed by Maersk Line, financed by the U.S. Export-Import Bank,” At 19,500 dead-weight tons, the Maersk Illinois is 148 meters (about 486 The heavy-lift ship Maersk feet) long and can carry 20,000 cubic Illinois was re-flagged Dec. 30 and loaded its first cargo under meters (about 706,394 cubic feet) of U.S. registry in Mobile, Ala. The cargo. With two onboard cargo cranes pro- vessel is operated by Maersk- viding a maximum lift of 480 metric tons, Rickmers and is manned in all the ship is ideally suited for carrying a licensed positions by American wide range of large and heavy cargo, such Maritime Officers. A sistership, as generators, locomotives, wind turbines and gas turbines. the Maersk Texas, will also be Capt. Jason Stancil hoists the Stars re-flagged by Maersk-Rickmers. See Maersk Illinois ◆ Page 2 and Stripes aboard the Maersk Illinois. Ocean Titan rescues seven from North Atlantic The M/V Ocean Titan in the early load of cargo, including a shoreside crane hours of Dec. 9 conducted a heroic rescue with a high center of gravity, “I knew long at sea in the Atlantic Ocean, saving the before the rescue that I had on board one lives of all seven crew members of the of the best crews, top to bottom, that I had bulk carrier M/V Florece as their vessel ever set sail with.” AMO officers sailing sank in extremely rough seas. aboard the Ocean Titan with Capt. Hill The tanker M/V Afrodite collided during the rescue included Chief Mate with the M/V Florece at about 3:30 a.m. The captain Thomas Lisante, Second Mate Daniel that morning approximately 250 miles from the Landgrebe, Third Mate Zachary Gray, southwest of Land’s End in the Bay of M/V Florece Chief Engineer John Vlahakis and First Biscay, according to VesselTracker. An thanks Assistant Engineer Sean Donovan. hour later, the ship sank as the Ocean Capt. Chris Capt. Hill reported, in part, the fol- Titan arrived on scene. AMO member Hill, master lowing: Capt. Christopher Hill, master of the of the “From my bridge and with the scene Ocean Titan, described in detail the rescue Ocean of the collision lying broad on my star- operation, which was conducted in “near Titan, which board bow at about four miles, I could gale force winds and 12- to 14-foot seas saved all clearly see that the FLORECE was in a on a pitch-black and bitterly cold winter seven crew bad way. She lay broadside to the heavy North Atlantic night.” members of swell and was heeled such that a goodly As noted by Capt. Hill in his report, the Florece despite conditions at the time and a full Dec. 9. See Ocean Titan ◆ Page 7 In memory of AMO A responsible A direct link: AMO AMO Essentials founding member approach to jobs and the STAR Center course Gordon Spencer: changing Great Voluntary Political ◆ schedule: Pages 8-9 1924-2011 Lakes industry Action Fund STAR Center registration ◆ application: Page 11 Page 6: Gordon W. Spencer, a Page 2: In the last days of 2011, Page 3: The AMO legislative prominent figure in the historic AMO and American Steamship staff succeeded on several fronts growth of AMO and a U.S. mar- Co. came to terms on a tentative in 2011, advancing elements of ◆ AMO directory: Page 10 itime policy icon for many years successor contract to the collec- U.S. maritime policy that directly on Capitol Hill, died at his home tive bargaining agreement that generate and maintain U.S.-flag ◆ AMO membership meeting in Virginia Beach Dec. 21. was extended last year. jobs for AMO members. schedule: Page 10 Copyright © 2012 American Maritime Officers ■ 601 S. Federal Highway ■ Dania Beach, FL 33004 ■ (800) 362-0513 ■ [email protected] 2 • American Maritime Officer January 2012 A responsible approach to changing Lakes industry By Tom Bethel In time, this contract will help 1972 was the rise of the “thousand footer” operating companies remaining in the wake National President American Maritime Officers regain its long- and the consequent displacement of scores of of steel’s decline endured bankruptcies, held, rightful position as the only U.S. mer- smaller vessels — and of the jobs these retrenchment and reorganization, all influ- In the last chant marine officers’ union of any signifi- smaller vessels provided. enced essentially by the same economic and days of 2011, cance on the “Fourth Seacoast.” Another factor harmful to the Great political factors that brought down Big Steel. A m e r i c a n American Maritime Officers lost its Lakes industry and its job base was the fall of The tentative AMO-ASC agreement Maritime Officers singular status on the Great Lakes in July the Midwest basic steel industry, which gen- acknowledges that failure to adapt to change and American 2003, when Interlake Steamship Co. — a erates most of the cargoes hauled by the bulk means failure to survive. But it also confirms Steamship Co. — longtime AMO employer — signed a collu- boats. The “Steel Trust” fleets that once dom- that change can be accepted without sacrific- our union’s largest sive, cut-rate contract with the Marine inated Great Lakes shipping — U.S. Steel ing steady, rewarding employment for AMO employer on the Engineers’ Beneficial Association while a Corp., Bethlehem Steel Corp. and Inland officers or competitive opportunity for Great Great Lakes — valid agreement between AMO and Interlake Steel Co. — no longer exist, and the “pat- Lakes employers. came to terms on a was still in effect. This happened because of tern” wage and benefit bargaining that was As always, I welcome comments and tentative successor lazy leadership in the AMO administration in the Steel Trust tradition is now pointless. questions from AMO members. Feel free to contract to the col- office at the time. The independent Great Lakes vessel call me on my cell at (202) 251-0349. lective bargaining A year later, Grand River Navigation agreement that expired last August 1. A mail Co. launched its Great Lakes operation with a ballot ratification vote by the AMO engi- substandard top-to-bottom contract with the neers, mates and stewards in the ASC fleet International Organization of Masters, Mates will be completed later this month. and Pilots. Grand River carries cargoes that This settlement follows a brief summer had traditionally gone to more established strike by our union against ASC, the indefi- U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk vessel operat- nite extension of the previous AMO-ASC ing companies under AMO contract. contract, much communication between my Interlake — apparently intent on administration and the ASC vessel officers, monopolizing the Great Lakes iron ore, coal and difficult but determined negotiations and stone trades — underbids ASC and other between AMO and ASC. And I can say com- rivals by about 35 percent, and Grand River fortably that this pending deal meets my prin- would take any opportunity to expand its cipal objectives — it protects the economic cargo share. interests of the AMO officers in the ASC fleet Interlake’s aggression, Grand River’s in several substantial ways, and it strengthens ambition and the resurgence of MEBA and ASC’s competitive capabilities. the MM&P on the Great Lakes were factors This agreement also reflects a practi- in the AMO-ASC negotiations. But there was cal, realistic and long overdue shift in union something else driving the talks — a mutual policy with respect to the Great Lakes. It is a understanding that Great Lakes maritime responsible first step toward lasting reform industry and labor could no longer operate as that will ensure long-term job and benefit though the nature of the business had not security not only for the AMO members in changed so dramatically in the last 40 years.

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