AMO will maintain jobs aboard Sea Venture

AMO will maintain jobs aboard Sea Venture

Intrepid to sell tanker to U.S. Shipping Partners

American Maritime Officers will continue to represent the engine and deck officers aboard the tanker Sea Venture once the ship's sale is completed.

U.S. Shipping Partners said Nov. 10 it had agreed to buy the Sea Venture from Intrepid Ship Management. Both companies have collective bargaining agreements with AMO.

U.S. Shipping Partners said it will drydock and overhaul the 19,000-deadweight-ton, double-hulled chemical and petroleum product carrier for continued service between U.S. ports under the Jones Act of 1920. The Jones Act restricts all domestic waterborne commerce to U.S.-owned, built, flagged and manned vessels.

The Sea Venture is expected to begin service in the U.S. Shipping Partners fleet in April 2006.

U.S. Shipping Partners recently purchased the T-5 replacement tanker Gus Warren Darnell, which had operated under Military Sealift Command charter and AMO contract since its launch in 1985. The ship will be renamed Houston for service in commercial markets with AMO aboard in all licensed positions.

U.S. Shipping Partners also operates the ocean-going integrated tug-barges New York, Philadelphia, Groton, Jacksonville, Baltimore and Mobile under AMO contract. In addition, the company operates the chemical tankers Chemical Pioneer and Charleston, which are manned in all licensed positions by AMO.

In a related development, U.S. Shipping Partners said construction of the first of up to four articulated tug-barges will be completed at the Sparrows Point yard near Baltimore. The vessel had been ordered from Southeastern New England Shipbuilding Co. in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, but the Senesco yard--built on a landfill--could not accommodate the vessel's size.

"We encountered great difficulties with the weight of the barge on the landfill," Senesco Chief Executive Officer Frederick Frost told Trade Winds reporter Joe Brady. "The weight is significantly more than 5,000 tons, and we've never had a barge that heavy on our site before."

The Senesco setback delayed anticipated delivery of the ATB from early 2006 to December 2006.

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