Legislation being considered by the House of Representatives would provide the Department of Transportation (DOT) with the authority to set limits on the hours worked aboard certain towing vessels, a provision that has drawn strong support from four American maritime unions.
The following letter was addressed to Congressman Don Young (R-AK), chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and signed by Michael McKay, national president of American Maritime Officers, Timothy Brown, president of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, Michael Sacco, president of the Seafarers International Union, and Ron Davis, president of the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association.
U.S.-flag maritime interests continue to challenge legislation to exempt specific domestic trades from Jones Act requirements.
The car carrier Takamine will be registered in the U.S. this month and will be named the Freedom. Pacific Gulf Marine will operate the Freedom for American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier. The ship will be manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
American Maritime Officers recently received International Standards Organization 9001:2000 certification (ISO 9001:2000).
The large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off vessels (LMSRs) USNS Dahl and USNS Soderman were part of a group of three ships that recently shipped hundreds of thousands of square feet of cargo to the Middle East for the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division, which is replacing the Army's 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq.
Sen. Trent Lott Sept. 30 reaffirmed his support of legislation to renew and expand the Maritime Security Program.
The U.S. Maritime Administration announced that several Ready Reserve Force (RRF) vessels manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers recently completed readiness activation exercises.
A short-sea shipping initiative remains a priority for the Maritime Administration, the agency's deputy administrator said Sept. 11.
