USS secures long-term charter for new tanker

USS secures long-term charter for new tanker

AMO, U.S. Shipping sign new contract

U.S. Shipping Partners Oct. 4 announced another long-term charter for a Jones Act tanker in the series of nine being built for the company by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego, Calif.

U.S. Shipping placed a $1 billion order with NASSCO in August 2006 to build nine 600-foot double-hulled tankers designed to carry petroleum and chemical products in the Jones Act trades.

"USS has now obtained long-term employment for four of the nine vessels in its newbuilding series," said U.S. Shipping Partners Chairman and CEO Paul Gridley.

The new charter is with a major oil company for service in the U.S. domestic coastwise trades. Another ship in the series has been chartered to British Petroleum. Military Sealift Command recently awarded U.S. Shipping a time charter of two more of the tankers. Those two will transport petroleum products in support of the U.S. military and will replace two T-5 tankers, which are expected to reach the end of their service life in 2010.

American Maritime Officers represents the licensed officers working in the U.S. Shipping fleet. After protracted negotiations, AMO and U.S. Shipping recently signed a new contract, which includes a substantial first-year wage increase, wage increases in each year of the contract, additional vacation days an all required contributions to the AMO Plans. AMO members serving on the contract negotiating committee with AMO National Assistant Vice President at Large Bob Kiefer were James Wait, master of the ITB Philadelphia, and Jeff Richards, first assistant engineer on the Chemical Pioneer.

"This contract was the product of a lot of work from the officers in the USS fleet, especially James Wait and Jeff Richards," Kiefer said. "Their work and contributions to the negotiations were significant factors in AMO's success in obtaining the agreement."

In addition to the nine tankers, U.S. Shipping is having four articulated tug-barge units built at U.S. shipyards. The first ATB in the series, Freeport/Chemical Transporter, is currently operating in the Jones Act trades.

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