The National Mariners Historic Trust 124 North Van Avenue Annotated NMA Index “N” Houma, LA 70363-5895 Phone: (985) 851-2134 UPDATED: May 2, 2016 Fax: (985) 879-3911 www.nationalmariners.us [email protected] Asserting our right “…to petition the Government for redress of grievances.” Amendment 1, U.S. Constitution, Dec. 15, 1791 ANNOTATED NEWSLETTER RESEARCH INDEX GCMA & NMA NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES, 1999 - 2014 General Comments About the National Mariners Association and Using This Index — This is an index of GCMA and NMA Newsletter articles that was prepared in 2016 for computer word search. — GCMA was organized in 1999 as an Association and not as a labor union or a lobby. — Our Association directed attention to those issues of importance to our “limited tonnage mariners” to senior USCG officials, Members of Congress, and the news media. — We prepared this annotated index since our article titles often were inadequate or misleading research tools. — On Jan. 1, 2008 the Gulf Coast Mariners Association (GCMA) officially changed its name to National Mariners Association (NMA). All “Reports” are listed both in this index and “Index R” as “NMA Reports.” Researchers should be able to read and download the full text of each Newsletter and each NMA Report. If not, please contact us by e-mail at www.nationalmariners.us — Words in italics give clues to guide you to find additional information about each newsletter article. — A list of abbreviations and acronyms used in this index appears below and may be helpful. — Consult references to the United States Code (USC) and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) where listed. — The source of many newsletter articles are articles from industry trade journals with authors credited wherever possible. — Individual members of the GCMA/NMA Board of Directors are credited wherever possible. — Individual articles in Newsletters 49 through 94 are identified by searchable unique numbers in parentheses: Example: (94.14P). Other newsletter articles are referenced by newsletter # and page: Example: (NL#95, p.1.). — We often added NMA/GCMA comments or emphasis in bold italics and/or underlining to focus reader attention. Article titles are underlined. — A (Note) draws attention to recent events or conclusions reached after the date the Newsletter was published. — Where “Our File #” appears as an entry in this index, researchers should contact us for further information until such time as we can convert these “paper files” to supplement this index. — This index cites the latest revised NMA Report to research although the newsletter article itself may cite a different report number or an earlier version of an NMA report that may no longer be available. — Because of continuing industry “Blacklisting” practices, NMA protected the identity of some mariners. — “Ancient mariner” refers to anonymous, well-qualified observer(s) with senior USCG and industry experience. — We placed companies that mistreated mariners on an industry “Hall of Shame” Brown List thru Newsletter #62. — While NMA dealt with “Hours of Service” and other workplace issues, we seldom engaged in a discussion of wages. — The USCG is funded to maintain records of Federal Advisory Committee meetings on their “Homeport” website. These reports can be researched. Because of the expense involved, we were not always able to attend all MERPAC, TSAC, and NOSAC meetings. In meetings we attended, our reports generally highlight NMA’s interaction with the committee on issues of particular interest to our mariners. Abbreviations and Acronyms A/B = Able Seaman AAB = American Admiralty Bureau. AARP = American Association of Retired People ABS = American Bureau of Shipping. http://ww2.eagle.org ACL = American Commercial Line. www.aclines.com. (towing and barge line company) AHP = Above Head of Passes AHTS = Anchor Handling Tug Supply (vessel-type) AIM = American Inland Mariners Association. AIS = Automatic Information Systems (navigation equipment) ALJ = Administrative Law Judge. Website: http://www.uscg.mil/alj AMHS = Alaska Marine Highway System. 1 AMO = American Maritime Officers. (labor union) (http://amo-union.org/) AOS = Apostleship of the Sea. (www.aos-usa.org/) (Professional association of Catholic Maritime Ministers) AP = Associated Press ATB = Articulated Tug & Barge. AWO = American Waterways Operators. www.americanwaterways.com (an industry trade association) BHP = Below Head of Passes BLS = Bureau of Labor Statistics. www.bls.gov. BNM = Broadcast Notice to Mariners. BMI = Body Mass Index. BOEM = Bureau of Offshore Energy Management. (an agency of DoI) www.boem.gov/ BP = British Petroleum (oil company) BRM = Bridge Resource Management. (an Officer’s course of study) BS or B.S. = “Bullshit” (Expresses opinion of unfair, unsafe, untrue or meaningless allegations or statements.) BSEE = Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. www.bsee.gov/ (an agency of DoI) BWM = Ballast Water Management. (www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg522/cg5224/bwm.asp) ‎CEMS = Crew Endurance Management System. (USCG program to manage hours of service; rest; fatigue) CCFC = Concerned Citizens for the Community. CFR = Code of Federal Regulations. http://www.ecfr.gov CGIS = Coast Guard Investigative Service. COTP = Captain of the Port (title of a USCG officer) CTVEP = Commercial Towing Vessel Examination Program. COI = Certificate of Inspection CPP = Controllable Pitch Propeller. DDE = Designated Duty Engineer. (titles of a series of engineer licenses.) DE = Designated Examiner (of towing vessels). DFO = Designated Federal Officer. DHS = Department of Homeland Security. (USCG is a part of DHS). Docket = Website: http://www.regulations.gov DOHSA = Death on the High Seas Act DoI = U.S. Department of the Interior DoJ = U.S. Department of Justice DoL = U.S. Department of Labor DSC = Digital Selective Calling. EAP = Employee Assistance Program. ECS = Electronic Charting System EEOC = Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (www.eeoc.gov) EEZ = Exclusive Economic Zone EHL = East of Harvey (La.) Locks FACA = Federal Advisory Committee Act. 5 USC App. (Pub.L. 92-463) FAQ = Frequently Asked Questions FOC = Flag of Convenience. (aka “Runaway flag”) FOIA = Freedom of Information Act FONSI = Finding Of No Significant Impact FR = Federal Register. http://www.gpo.gov/fdys GAO = Government Accountability Office. www.gao.gov GCMAEF = Gulf Coast Mariners Education Fund. GICA = Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association. www.gicaonline.com/ GIWW = Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. (also abbreviated ICW). GPS = Global Positioning System. HQ = Headquarters. HOS = Hours of Service IBU = Inland Boatmen’s Union (A labor union, a division of the ILWU) ICW = Intracoastal waterway. (also abbreviated GIWW). ILA = International Longshoremen’s Association. (labor union) ILWU = International Longshore and Warehouse Union. https://www.ilwu.org/ INCOE = Investigations National Center of Expertise. (USCG office) IOMM&P = International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots. (maritime labor union) IRS = Internal Revenue Service ISPS = International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. ITA = International Tugmasters Association ITB = Integrated Tug & Barge ITF = International Transport Workers Federation. (worldwide federation of transport worker unions) L/B = Lift boat. 2 LCP = Legislative Change Proposal. (a procedure for the USCG to ask Congress to change a statute) L&D = Lock and Dam. (structure controlled by USACE) LMR = Lower Mississippi River. LNM = Local Notice to Mariners. LOW = Letter of Warning. MAIB = Marine Accident Investigation Branch (UK) MARAD = Maritime Administration (an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation) MarEx = Maritime Executive (magazine/website) Marpro = Maritime Professional Magazine MERPAC = Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (a Federal advisory committee) MET = Marine Education Textbooks, Inc. MLD = Mariner Licensing and Documentation. MMC = Merchant Mariner Credential. MEDMAC or MMMAC = Merchant Marine Medical Advisory Committee (a Federal advisory committee) MITAGS-PMI = Maritime Institute of Technology & Graduate Studies (MITAGS), and the Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI) MMSI = Maritime Mobile Service Identity. (A 9-digit AIS identity #) MOB = Man Overboard. MRC = Mississippi River Commission. (www.mvd.usace.army.mil/mrc) MRGO = Mississippi River Gulf Outlet. (closed waterway previously connected New Orleans with Gulf.) MSM = Marine Safety Manual. (Describes USCG policies and how they apply to USCG personnel & the public) MSU = Marine Safety Unit. MSD = Marine Sanitation Device. (this acronym was previously used for Marine Safety Detachment) MTVA = Master of Towing Vessels Association. https://towmasters.wordpress.com/ M/V = Motor Vessel. NAME = National Association of Maritime Educators. (Active from 1986 thru 1999) NASBLA = National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. NIMS = National Incident Management System. (https://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system) ‎NL# = NMA Newsletter #. (Refers to a related article within that numbered newsletter.) NMA = National Mariners Association (NMA Reports are downloadable from our website, www.nationalmariners.us.) NMC = USCG National Maritime Center, Martinsburg, WV NPRM = Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. (Refer to 33 CFR §1.05-35) NPS = National Park Service. (www.nationalparks.org/) NSF = National Sleep Foundation. (https://sleepfoundation.org/) NOAA = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (an agency within the U.S. Dept. of Commerce) NOS = National Ocean Service. (an agency within the