American Maritime Officers and Shell Ship Management Limited April 30 signed what the Maritime Administration described as a historic memorandum of understanding, through which Shell has started hiring AMO members to sail aboard liquefied natural gas carriers in the international fleet.
Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton April 30 congratulated American Maritime Officers and Shell Ship Management Limited on the historic memorandum of understanding that will put AMO members aboard Shell liquefied natural gas carriers worldwide.
I have been employed with Teekay for more than a year at this time, most recently onboard the LNG Al Areesh (one of the new liquefied natural gas carriers) as chief engineer.
The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command this month announced that the contract for the U.S.-flagged high-speed vessel HSV Swift is being awarded to Sealift Inc., which employs American Maritime Officers members in all licensed positions aboard its vessels.
American Maritime Officers secured across-the-board wage increases totaling approximately 16.4 percent (with compounding) over the life of a new four-year tentative agreement with Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning Inc. covering the officers working aboard the tankers tankers Blue Ridge and Coast Range. By year, the wage increases in the tentative agreement are 5 percent, 4 percent, 3.5 percent and 3 percent.
The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) in April submitted its report on the Coast Guard's proposed navigation and vessel inspection circular (NVIC) on medical conditions and prescription medications. The MERPAC report included sixteen recommendations, several of them calling for sweeping changes to the Coast Guard's proposed NVIC.
The car carrier Independence II was christened May 8 in Baltimore, Md., and will replace the Independence in the Maritime Security Program fleet.
The first ocean ranger course, developed by STAR Center, included 29 AMO members. The course was commissioned by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and includes federal and state environmental law, security and occupational health and safety. The second course began in May.
The Department of Homeland Security announced that the final compliance date for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program has been extended to April 15, 2009.
