Vol. 45, No. 4 July - August 2009 The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots Navigating USNS Comfort Matson Contract Signed MM&P Backed Anti-Piracy Bill Advances in Congress United Inland Group Crews New San Francisco Ferry Massive Backlog Continues at National Maritime Center 554772_IOMMP.indd4772_IOMMP.indd cc11 88/4/09/4/09 11:59:43:59:43 PPMM Table of Contents Vol. 45, No. 4 July - August 2009 The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN Letter From the President 1 0025-5033) is the official Piracy update: MM&P pushes for more protections for mariners. voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (International Marine Division News Briefs 2 of the ILA), AFL-CIO. Reps. Elijah Cummings and James Oberstar call on Navy, Coast Guard, to deploy © 2009 IOMMP. Published bimonthly at security teams on U.S.-fl ag ships in pirate-infested waters; Government Accountability Offi ce MM&P Headquarters, report on Coast Guard Administrative Law Judge program fails to respond to allegations of 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B, bias; offi cers unions say mariners losing work, benefi ts, because of severe problems in Coast Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1953. Guard medical review and credentialing programs; new UIG ferry sets sail in San Francisco; greetings from Maersk Wyoming. Phone: (410) 850-8700 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.bridgedeck.org Periodicals postage paid at News From MITAGS 9 Linthicum Heights, MD, Congratulations recent graduates; NMC’s new merchant mariner credential and additional offices. verifi cation website; vessel security offi cer endorsement update. POSTMASTER Please send changes to: The Master, Mate & Pilot News From Headquarters 10 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B Linthicum Heights, MD MM&P participates in anti-piracy meetings at International Maritime Organization; 21090-1953 South Korea frees two offi cers of Hebei Spirit unjustly jailed for over a year. Timothy A. Brown Chairman, Editorial Board Lisa Rosenthal Communications Director Feature 12 Navigating USNS Comfort, by Captain Ed Nanartowich. INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS Timothy A. Brown, President Glen P. Banks, Secretary-Treasurer MM&P Plans 14 VICE PRESIDENTS Bob Groh, Offshore Gulf Schedule of 2009-10 Trustee meetings; Offshore scholarship winners chosen; Don Marcus, Offshore Pacific Vanguard closes Federal Money Market Fund. Richard May, Offshore Atlantic Michael Murray, United Inland George A. Quick, Pilots Cross’d the Final Bar 16 MM&P Directory 18 Contribute to the MM&P PCF 22 The Navy Jack, a symbol of resistance which dates back to the American Revolution, flies today on the jack staff on About the Cover the bow of all naval vessels. In accordance with a resolu- USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) tion made by the delegates to the 75th Convention of the moored in Acajutla, El Salvador, International Organization of during a 2007 humanitarian Masters, Mates & Pilots, every deployment. U.S. Navy photo by issue of The Master, Mate & Joshua Karsten. Pilot includes a photograph of the historic flag. 554772_IOMMP.indd4772_IOMMP.indd cc22 88/4/09/4/09 11:59:48:59:48 PPMM FROM THE PRESIDENT Piracy Update: MM&P Pushes for More Protections for Our Members and for All Mariners The security and safety of our mem- MEBA support his amendment. Other friends of MM&P in bers is MM&P's highest priority. Congress, including Sen. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Since the April 8 attack against the James Webb (D-Va.) have also called for strong government Maersk Alabama and the kidnap- action to protect American ships and crews. “DOD should be ping of Captain Richard Phillips, stationing security teams on U.S.-flag vessels that are transit- the union has moved forward on ing that part of the world, especially those that are carrying a number of fronts, both nation- government-impelled cargoes,” Oberstar said, adding that “it ally and internationally, to ensure would be cheaper to put security detachments on five or six greater protections are put in place U.S.-flag ships than to send a fleet of Navy boats to the area.” to protect the men and women who On the international front, MM&P was a strong voice for sail on U.S.-flag ships. Let me bring greater protections for mariners during recent meetings of you up to date on where things stand. the International Maritime Organization᾽s Maritime Safety As you may have heard, the U.S. Navy has refused to Committee. During the meetings, maritime labor expressed provide embarked security teams unless the ship is long-term serious concerns about anti-piracy guidance that puts seafar- chartered to the military or is carrying Department of Defense ers at risk. One particularly troubling example is guidance that cargo only. MM&P argues that U.S. citizens overseas, no mat- requires seafarers to be on deck with fire hoses to repel pirates ter how they are employed, deserve the protection of the U.S. armed with automatic weapons. Labor is also concerned with government. On this basis, MM&P has strongly called on the guidance that requires masters and deck officers to remain on government to provide force protection to U.S.-flag ships. the bridge to maneuver during pirate attacks in cases in which And I have good news to report on that front. the bridge is not reinforced to withstand rocket-propelled grenade launchers or automatic weapons. Following Congressional testimony by officers aboard Maersk Alabama and intensive advocacy work by MM&P and MM&P is also actively engaged in discussions with the other maritime labor unions, the House of Representatives Maritime Administration to advocate our position as part of has approved an amendment to HR 2647, the National the work of a United Nations Contact Group on the prevention Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, that would of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia. The Contact require the Department of Defense (DOD) to assign security Group is considering and distributing best management prac- teams to U.S.-flag vessels carrying government cargo in areas tices for the prevention of piracy. MM&P is strongly advocating at high risk of pirate attacks. The language was sponsored by for the welfare and protection of ships᾽ crews as a fundamental Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), chairman of the sub- principle of best practices. The work of this Contact Group committee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. is extremely important because it is this group that is setting “We would never leave the U.S. homeland unguarded if policy for the many nations that are actively fighting piracy off it were at risk of an attack, and we should apply the same Somalia. standard to our ships instead of leaving them to fend for As you can see, we are doing everything we can to ensure themselves,” Cummings said. He pointed out that “embarking that our members are protected when they sail into the Gulf military security personnel on these vessels will require far of Aden and along the Somali coast. I invite you to keep in less manpower than patrolling the region with multiple Navy touch and to provide whatever assistance you can in terms of vessels and be much more efficient and effective in keeping your experiences and ideas. our mariners safe.” The legislation now moves to the Senate. When he introduced his amendment, Cummings specifi- —Fraternally, cally referred to a letter of support that was sent to Congress by the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department on behalf Timothy A. Brown of MM&P, MEBA and SUP. And he specifically mentioned International President on the floor of the House of Representatives that MM&P and Masters, Mates & Pilots The Master, Mate & Pilot - 1 - July - August 2009 554772_IOMMP.indd4772_IOMMP.indd 1 88/4/09/4/09 11:59:52:59:52 PPMM NEWS BRIEFS Rep. Elijah Cummings Calls on Navy, Coast Guard, to Deploy Security Teams on U.S.-Flag Ships The United States should play a direct role in protecting U.S.-flag themselves? It is not vessels from pirates, says Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), chair- at all clear to me man of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime why the Navy or, Transportation. Cummings made the statement during a hear- in the absence of a ing conducted in the aftermath of the attempted hijacking of willingness to act on MM&P-crewed Maersk Alabama and the kidnapping of Captain the part of the Navy, Richard Phillips, who was held hostage by pirates before being the Coast Guard, freed by Navy SEALS. isn’t providing MM&P and the rest of the nation’s maritime unions have called embarked military on the Navy to provide force protection to U.S.-flag ships. In personnel on the testimony before the subcommittee, representatives of the unions, few U.S.-flag vessels including MM&P headquarters staffer Mike Rodriguez, underlined that transit the Horn the need for embarked military security teams. of Africa region— “The U.S.-flag merchant fleet has always been able to rely on most of which, I the protection of the U.S. Navy to ensure its safety,” Cummings said note, are carrying during the hearing. “As we saw with the Maersk Alabama, that Navy U.S.-government is more than capable of handling this current threat. Nonetheless, impelled cargoes.” “Why is it that the best our nation appears to at the present time, it appears that the U.S.-flag fleet is essentially Cummings said have to offer our merchant mariners at this time is instructions on the steps they should take to being left to handle its immediate security needs by itself.” the situation is protect themselves?” asks Rep.