Volume 40, Number 5 May 2010 Photo: Sealift Inc. Photo: Military Sealift Command Sealift awarded charter MSC awards charter to for M/V Chapman Maersk for M/V Page MSC has awarded a contract to ment by one of the bidding companies. The M/V LTC John U.D. Page August 2010. If all options are exer- Sealift Inc. for the time charter of the M/V The request for proposals was reissued will continue prepositioning ammuni- cised, the new contract will extend to TSgt. John A. Chapman. The ship’s pri- and Sealift Inc. was the successful bidder tion for the U.S. Army under a new four years plus an initial base period. mary mission will be to preposition for the new contract. charter awarded to Maersk Line Limited “The outcome of the RFP and ammunition for the U.S. Air Force. Sealift Work under the new charter is by Military Sealift Command. award process is always unpredictable, was originally awarded a similar charter expected to begin in September. With a The M/V Page, manned in all and we’re very pleased the M/V Page for the M/V Chapman early in 2009 and one-month base period, the contract licensed positions by American and the AMO officers onboard will con- the ship has been performing this mission. includes three one-year options and one Maritime Officers, currently serves this tinue their excellent service in this mis- The original award became the subject of nine-month option. AMO represents all mission. Work under the new MSC con- sion for the Army,” said AMO National a protest and lawsuit against the govern- licensed officers in the Sealift Inc. fleet. tract is scheduled to commence in Executive Vice President Bob Kiefer. New AMO jobs with Express Marine aboard ATB Freedom The new Express Marine barge EMI-2400 is launched at Gunderson Marine in Portland, Ore. The tug Freedom departed Tampa, Fla., in April to travel to Oregon via the Panama Canal to pick up the EMI-2400 and form the new articulated tug/barge Freedom. The ATB The tug Freedom was delivered to Express Marine in mid-April by Freedom will operate in the Jones Act trades carrying coal between ports on the Gulf Coast. Patti Shipyard in Pensacola, Fla. The tug will be part of the new ATB AMO represents the engineering officers and bargemen on the Fr eedom. Freedom operating in the Jones Act trades. Great Lakes News AMO National Area meeting AMO Essentials President’s Pre- dates for East, STAR Center course Balloting Report Gulf, West Coasts ◆ schedule: Pages 8-9 Page 4: The AMO National Page 2: AMO will again in 2010 STAR Center registration ◆ President’s Pre-Balloting Report conduct area meetings on the application: Page 11 for the 2010 Election of AMO East, Gulf and West Coasts. The National Officers and National schedule of dates, times and Executive Board Members is locations for each of the meet- ◆ AMO directory: Page 10 Page 5: New legislation contains published in this edition. The ings is included in this edition the key to ending the dredging AMO National Constitution was and is available online at ◆ AMO membership meeting crisis on the Great Lakes. published in the April edition. www.amo-union.org. schedule: Page 10 Copyright © 2010 American Maritime Officers ■ 2 West Dixie Highway ■ Dania Beach, FL 33004 ■ (800) 362-0513 ■ [email protected] 2 • American Maritime Officer May 2010 Expanding AMO job base requires careful planning By Tom Bethel Meanwhile, the containerships job and benefit security reaches well beyond United States and overseas — with no loss of National President Balboa, APL Pearl, APL Cyprine, National these traditional trades and services, all of AMO benefits — under a separate ground- Glory and Maersk Arkansas, the tankers which are sustained for U.S.-flagged vessels breaking agreement between our union and a This month, Golden State, Pelican State and Sunshine by the Jones Act, the Maritime Security maritime recruiting firm with worldwide A m e r i c a n State and the articulated tug-barges Freeport, Program, the cargo preference laws and the contacts. Maritime Officers Galveston, Brownsville, Corpus Christi and funding of government shipping charters. There are additional diverse opportu- welcomes the OSG Vision were operating in various Under precedent-setting agreements nities in development for our union, but it is Endurance to U.S. domestic and overseas markets under the with major energy transportation interests, too early to discuss these publicly in specific registry and our AMO banner. Additionally, the new Express members of American Maritime Officers are detail. But I can disclose at this point that one union’s deep-sea Marine ATB, Freedom, is due to enter ser- at work in key positions aboard several liq- initiative could lead quickly to jobs for qual- fleet roster. The vice this summer. uefied natural gas and oil tankers operating ified AMO members on deepwater drill ships roll-on/roll-off ves- All of these vessels represent new jobs under international flags. These jobs also in offshore energy exploration. sel — operated by for our union. They also represent new generate employer contributions to AMO Of course, there are the occasional Crowley Liner employer contributions to the AMO benefit Plans. disappointments — for example, the award Services for funds that serve every deep-sea, Great Lakes In addition, AMO members can plan of a government charter to a vessel operat- American Roll-On and inland waters family. careers that combine licensed time at sea ing company that does not have a collective Roll-Off Carrier (ARC) — is the largest But our union’s remarkable story of with management positions ashore in the bargaining agreement with American commercial ship of its kind and one of nine Maritime Officers. But such setbacks actu- ARC car carriers manned by AMO in all ally make AMO more determined than ever licensed positions. to hold its place as the nation’s largest, The Endurance follows the tanker Bro strongest and most stable union of merchant Hawaii, which in April was re-flagged by marine officers. Maersk Line Limited for service in Asia, I have no doubt that AMO will remain where it will carry fuel for the U.S. in its premier position among the licensed Department of Defense and commercial car- unions, but I also understand that growth goes. The Bro Hawaii is the third U.S.- must be managed carefully. flagged tanker under AMO contract in the To this end, I asked recently that AMO Maersk Line Limited fleet. members refer unemployed U.S. merchant Earlier, the re-flagged containership marine officers they know personally to our Mohegan joined the Sealift Inc. fleet and union for steady jobs. “Growth could get began service in Diego Garcia in the Indian ahead of us in key areas,” I said in our April Ocean under Military Sealift Command char- 27 post on AMO Currents. ter. Sealift operates 11 additional ships for No one should interpret this to mean MSC or in the PL-480 food aid export trade. that American Maritime Officers cannot meet its current licensed manpower commit- Above: Congressman Jimmy Duncan ments in domestic and international trades. AMO 2010 annual area meeting (R-TN) attended the Propeller Club’s We can and we do. 2010 Salute to Congress Award dinner But I anticipate a need for additional dates for East, Gulf, West Coasts in April. Rep. Duncan is a consistent engine and deck officers at all levels as our and strong supporter of the U.S.-flag union’s job base widens — and that is an AMO will again in 2010 conduct area meetings on the East, Gulf and West Coasts. maritime industry. enviable position for AMO to be in. The meetings will feature detailed reports on union, Plans, industry and national devel- opments that affect the membership. All American Maritime Officers members and applicants are encouraged to attend and participate. May 26, 2010 — 6 p.m. June 3, 2010 — 6 p.m. Embassy Suites Hampton Roads Hilton New Orleans Riverside (Mercury A&B) (Newberry/Ascot Rooms, third floor) 1700 Coliseum Drive 2 Poydras Street Hampton, VA 23666 - (757) 827-8200 New Orleans, LA 70140 - (504) 561-0500 American Maritime Officer (USPS 316-920) May 27, 2010 — 6 p.m. June 8, 2010 — 6 p.m. Official Publication of American Maritime Officers Embassy Suites Portland Courtyard by Marriott 2 West Dixie Highway (Westbrook Theatre) (Mount Tahoma Room) Dania Beach, FL 33004 1050 Westbrook Street 1515 Commerce Street (954) 921-2221 Portland, ME 04102 - (207) 775-2200 Tacoma, WA 98402 - (253) 591-9100 Periodical Postage Paid at Dania Beach, FL, and Additional Mailing Offices June 2, 2010 — 6 p.m. June 9, 2010 — 6 p.m. Published Monthly Hilton Americas — Houston Hilton Garden Inn (Theatre 340AB) (Platinum/Copper Room, first floor) American Maritime Officers National Executive Board 1600 Lamar 1800 Powell Street Houston, TX 77010 - (713) 739-8000 Emeryville, CA 94608 - (510) 658-9300 Thomas Bethel, National President José Leonard, National Secretary-Treasurer Robert Kiefer, National Executive Vice President Joseph Gremelsbacker, National Vice President, Deep Sea Warship sinks skiff as pirates Donald Cree, National Vice President, Great Lakes Brian Krus, National Assistant Vice President, Great Lakes approach ITB Philadelphia Michael Murphy, National Vice President At Large Daniel Shea, National Executive Board Member At Large David Weathers, National Executive Board Member At Large John Hafner, National Executive Board Member At Large Donald Nilsson, National Executive Board Member, Deep Sea Charles Murdock, National Executive Board Member, Inland Waters Representative: Stan Barnes Editor: Matt Burke On April 8, the ITB Philadelphia encountered a small skiff while en route to Assistant Editor: Amber Lupin Mombasa, Kenya, Capt.