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New AMO Jobs As 'Tanabata' Joins Fleet
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| Ship Will Join Other Car Carriers Under AMO Contract And Carry Defense Cargoes | |||
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A fourth car carrier will be added to AMO's deep-sea fleet roster this month. The Japanese vessel--now named 'Tanabata'--will be reflagged American to carry Department of Defense vehicles and household goods, commercial vehicles, and U.S. government preference cargoes. AMO was manning the ship as American Maritime Officer neared presstime. The 'Tanabata' will join the car carriers 'Faust', 'Fidelio', and Tellus under AMO contract. The 'Tanabata', 'Faust', and 'Fidelio' are operated by American V-Ships Inc., of Mineola, N.Y., while the Tellus--formerly the 'NOSAC Ranger'--is operated by Pacific Gulf Marine Inc., of New Orleans. AMO represents the engine and deck officers on the vessels. The 'Tanabata', 'Faust', and 'Fidelio' will participate in the Maritime Security Program under contracts originally awarded to Crowley American Transport for the roll-on/roll-off containerships 'Sea Fox', 'Sea Wolf', and 'Sea Lion'. Those ships--manned in all licensed positions by AMO--were sold recently, but AMO continues to represent the officers. The 'Sea Fox' was sold last April to Sealift Inc. and renamed 'Major Bernard Fisher' for service under Military Sealift Command Charter. The 'Sea Wolf' and 'Sea Lion' were sold to American Automar for operation by Osprey Ship Mgmt., of Bethesda, Md. The ships are now known as the 'Titus' and the 'Gibson'. "The good news for AMO keeps getting better," said AMO National President Michael R. McKay. "In a complicated sequence of events, our union kept its jobs on the former 'Sea Fox', 'Sea Wolf', and 'Sea Lion' and on the 'Faust' and 'Fidelio', and we picked up new U.S.-flag car carrier jobs along the way. We're pleased to state once again that ours is the only U.S. merchant marine officers' union with sustained growth and increasing opportunity." In September, the Maritime Administration approved the transfer of the 'Sea Fox', 'Sea Wolf', and 'Sea Lion' MSP contracts to the 'Faust', 'Fidelio', and 'Tanabata'. The contracts are worth $2.1 million per ship per year. MARAD's approval followed the agency's determination that the sale of an MSP ship does not automatically terminate that ship's MSP contract. At the time, Maritime Administrator Clyde Hart said Congress had "strongly intended" that MSP-authorized in the Maritime Security Act of 1996-be "flexible, commercially sensible, and not unduly rigid." Hart agreed that the MSP contract transfer would enhance U.S. strategic sealift capabilities, reduce the average age of MSP vessels, increase jobs for U.S. seafarers, and diversify the MSP fleet. In comments filed with MARAD in July 1999, McKay said the transfer was "in full compliance with the intent of the Maritime Security Act because of the military usefulness of the type and capacity of such vessels." He also noted that the companies involved would participate in the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement--VISA--program. "Fully crewed commercially viable vessels in the current trade routes between the U.S. and Europe that are militarily useful are ideally suited for MSP participation," McKay concluded. "MARAD's approval of the referred MSP operating agreements ... is in keeping with the intent of the act and our national security." Also commenting was Michael Sacco, president of the Seafarers International Union Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes, and Inland Waters District. Sacco, who also serves as president of the Seafarers International Union of North America and of the Maritime Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, said the contract transfer would not compromise the integrity of MSP. Sacco pointed out that the car carriers "are able to deal with a wide range of berth configurations and to load and discharge simultaneously-the flexibility of cargo handling and port/berth access would be a true military asset capable of handling in volume any military vehicle or aircraft." Sacco said the transfer "will go a long way towards satisfying the shortfall in roll-on/roll-off capacity as identified by the U.S. Transportation Command." Under MSP, up to 47 militarily useful container, roll-on/roll-off, and lighter-aboard ships can qualify for the annual operating stipends while in commercial foreign trade. In exchange, the participating companies must make the vessels, their crews, and all intermodal or logistics support equipment they own available to the Department of Defense in national security emergencies. In addition to the 'Faust', 'Fidelio', and 'Tanabata', AMO represents the officers on the 'Maersk Texas', 'Maersk Tennessee', 'Maersk California', and 'Maersk Colorado', operated in MSP by Maersk Line Ltd. of Norfolk, Va. | |||
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