Buy and Ship American
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Vol. 50, No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014 The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots “Buy and Ship American” Reaffirmed in New Farm Law MM&P Joins Call for Coherent National Maritime Policy UIG News: Contracts Approved, Jurisdictional Fight Won MM&P Holiday Party Photos Table of Contents The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN 0025-5033) Vol. 50, No. 1 January - February 2014 is the official voice of the International Letter From the President 1 Organization of Masters, MM&P President Don Marcus was among the speakers at a January Mates & Pilots symposium, sponsored by the U.S. Maritime Administration, on the need for (International Marine Division a coherent national maritime policy. His remarks are published in this issue of of the ILA), AFL-CIO. © 2014 IOMMP. the magazine. Published bimonthly at MM&P Headquarters, 700 Maritime Blvd., Suite B, News Briefs 2 Linthicum Heights, MD New farm legislation leaves PL 480 food aid intact; new IMO regulations 21090-1953. require flag States to issue manning certificates based on actual shipboard Phone: (410) 850-8700 operational needs; MM&P’s new video magazine tracks battle to preserve E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.bridgedeck.org American maritime jobs; a win for the United Inland Group (UIG) in McNeil Periodicals postage paid Island jurisdiction case; a gift to MM&P from Earl Herring, a member of “the at Elkridge, MD, and Greatest Generation”; MM&P UIG Representative Charles Malue reflects on additional offices. his career on the Great Lakes. POSTMASTER Please send changes to: The Master, Mate & Pilot Washington Observer 13 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B Recent victories in the battle to defend American maritime jobs are due in part Linthicum Heights, MD to the work being done by the Maritime Advisory Committees at the state and 21090-1953 local level, as well as by the resources provided by MM&P members, retirees Don Marcus Chairman, Editorial Board and employees who contribute to the union’s Political Contribution Fund (PCF). Lisa Rosenthal Communications Director INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS MM&P Plans 15 Don Marcus, President Actions taken by Board of Trustees at first meetings of 2014. Steven Werse, Secretary-Treasurer VICE PRESIDENTS News From MITAGS 18 David H. Boatner, Offshore Pacific Plimsoll Award to Captain Richard Beadon; Don Donahue recognized for five Wayne Farthing, Offshore Gulf Don Josberger, Offshore Atlantic years of service; Maritime Industries Academy President visits MITAGS. C. Michael Murray, United Inland George A. Quick, Pilots MM&P Pensioners 19 Randall H. Rockwood, FEMG MM&P Directory 20 Cross’d the Final Bar 24 MM&P Holiday Party Photos 26 Printed on recycled paper using Check Out Our New PCF Gifts! 33 vegetable-based inks and 100% wind power. Vol. 50, No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2013 The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO Connect with Us! About the Cover AmNav tug piloted by MM&P MM&P is on Facebook, Facebook.com/IOMMP Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots member Captain Matt Jeffcott Twitter and YouTube. Like @MMP_Union assists the Horizon Consumer during us. Follow us. Re-post and docking. In the wheelhouse of re-tweet. Every time you do, MastersMatesPilots the Consumer with Master David you help MM&P build an “Buy and Ship American” Reaffirmed in New Farm Bill Crawford was San Francisco Bar essential online community of members and allies. Connect with MM&P Joins Call for Coherent National Maritime Policy Pilot Captain Orrin Favro. us today. And if you have news or photos you want to share with UIG News: Contracts Approved, Jurisdictional Fight Won MM&P Holiday Party Photos Photo by MM&P member Captain Kip Carlson. everyone, send us an e-mail at: [email protected]. FROM THE P RESIDENT Towards a Coherent National Maritime Policy MM&P President Don Marcus delivered the following speech during the National Maritime Strategy Symposium that took place in Washington, D.C., Jan. 14-16. hank you for the opportunity to present a viewpoint MARAD should exercise from maritime labor. My statement tracks the formal its statutory authority as the T submission made jointly by Masters, Mates & Pilots and final arbiter when questions the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association. regarding the applicability The lifeblood of maritime labor is jobs and implementation of cargo “In Peace and War” is the motto of the U.S. Merchant preference requirements arise. Marine. At the end of the day, the men and women aboard U.S.-flag ships are the ones who deliver the cargoes that Equitable Tax and guarantee our nation’s economic and military security. Regulatory Treatment While this fact has been recognized during every As has been demonstrated by policies implemented in other international crisis in our nation’s history, it is often forgotten maritime nations, favorable tax treatment could increase the immediately thereafter. Today the situation is no different. The amount of commercial cargoes available for transport by the U.S.- present state of our merchant marine cries out for a coherent flag fleet. It could also encourage capital investment in shipping. and comprehensive national maritime policy. We should work to expand application of the tonnage tax for U.S.-flag vessels and ensure that the law is being administered. Strong Government Support Is Essential We should grant the Foreign Source Income Exclusion to The development of a realistic, meaningful national maritime American crews in international trade. Tax equity for American policy should begin with the affirmation—at the highest levels mariners would boost the competitiveness of our industry. of the Administration—that our country must have a strong U.S.-flag merchant marine, owned and operated by American U.S.-Flag Vessels for LNG Exports citizens and crewed by licensed and unlicensed American A portion of our LNG exports should be carried aboard mariners. American-flag, American-crewed vessels. Bilateral trade In this era of so-called “global free trade,” our government agreements with our LNG trading partners should be established. cannot be led to believe that a U.S.-flag merchant marine has A Marine Highway System no economic value to our nation or that Americans can rely on Serious steps need to be taken to develop a marine highway flag-of-convenience vessels to provide for their defense in time system that provides efficient and economical coastal of crisis. transportation. The regulatory and tax obstacles to the Without the steadfast support of our government, there can development of this industry should be addressed. As has been be no coordinated approach to national maritime policy. done in Europe, we should develop programs to improve the Without the steadfast support of our government, availability and coordination of intermodal transportation. we will continue to confront the haphazard, piecemeal, counterproductive approach to maritime policies and Support the Jones Act programs that is seen today throughout federal departments The Jones Act is the foundation upon which our industry is built. and agencies. For this reason, the government’s unqualified support for the full Full Funding for the Maritime Security Program enforcement of the Jones Act is essential. Funding and updating the Title XI Loan Guarantee Program While the Maritime Security Program (MSP) seems to have and the Capital Construction Fund program are necessary to help dodged a bullet for the time being, it must have vocal support vessel owners expand, modernize and upgrade their fleets. at the highest levels of the Administration, support that includes the unequivocal demand for full funding for the Deeds Not Words 60-ship MSP fleet, essential to prevent the loss of qualified Those of us who have spent our lives going to sea want our sons American mariners and sealift readiness. and daughters to have the same opportunity to earn a living in Enforcement of Cargo Preference Laws this honorable and fundamental American industry. But how can we encourage our nation’s young people to train for and endure What is needed is a Presidential Directive, to all federal the hardships of a career at sea when the timeline of our industry agencies involved in shipping, that reaffirms the national policy never appears to extend beyond five or ten years? that—as required by law—privately owned U.S.-flag vessels We must insist that our country’s leaders recognize and must be used for the carriage of U.S.-government generated exports and imports. regenerate this key industrial asset which is vital to the prosperity and security of our nation. The travesty of attempting to gut the Food-for-Peace Rather than fighting to be “the last man standing” in a crippled program in favor of cash handouts to non-governmental entities must be exposed and rolled-back. industry with few prospects, it is time that we worked together to salvage what is left. The Master, Mate & Pilot - 1 - January - February 2014 NEWS BR IEFS New Farm Legislation Reinforces “Buy and Ship American” New farm legislation approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in February reaffirms longstanding support for the PL 480 Food-for-Peace Program and its requirements that food aid agricultural commodities be purchased in the United States and shipped in part on U.S.-flag vessels. For the past year, MM&P and others in our industry—along with domestic transportation and agricultural commodity groups—have been fighting proposals that would shift PL 480 from a food-based program to one in which taxpayer dollars, instead of American farm com- modities, were sent to the world’s neediest nations. That proposal would hurt American farmers and reduce the cargo available to U.S.-flag vessels, weakening America’s economic and military security in the process.