Military Sealift Command is in the process of replacing the M9 Beretta pistol with the M18 Sig Sauer pistol and the M14 Springfield rifle with the M4 Colt rifle. The replacement process is taking significantly longer than planned. Whereas MSC has repeatedly stated that there is NO requirem...
Read MoreCaptain Michael Zarycki receives the United States Merchant Marine Meritorious Service Medal from MARAD Deputy Administrator Mark Johnson. American Maritime Officers member Captain Michael Zarycki received one of the highest honors a merchant mariner can receive when the U.S. Maritime Admi...
Read MoreAmerican Maritime Officers members aboard the Maersk Pittsburgh, here in Savannah, Ga. in September, included Captain Tim Kelly, Chief Engineer Byron Gibson, Third Mate Alex Amba, Second Mate Joe Bonnell, Chief Mate Sven Axelsson, Third Assistant Engineer Quinn Myrick, First A.E. George Sc...
Read MoreRegardless of dues status, all members of American Maritime Officers, as well as all applicants for membership in AMO, have been mailed a ballot package by the independent third-party election administrator – TrueBallot, Inc. As required under Article IV, Section 5 of the AMO National...
Read MoreAmerican Maritime Officers members aboard the SLNC York have safely returned home to the United States after a catastrophic mechanical failure on the vessel in the middle of the Pacific Ocean forced the crew to take heroic efforts to mitigated engine room flooding before escaping the ship ...
Read MoreAs the current administration continues to push an unprecedented, historic waiver of the Jones Act, it is more vital than ever for voices to speak up for the U.S. Merchant Marine in the halls of Congress. For decades, AMO has ensured mariners’ voices and interests are heard through th...
Read MoreIron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 5.1 million tons in August, a 2-percent increase compared to 2025, recently reported the Lakes Carriers’ Association. Shipments were 5.1 percent below the month’s 5-year average. Year-to-date, the iron ore trade rose 3 percent to 27....
Read MoreAmerican Maritime Officers members working aboard the tanker Shenandoah Trader, here in the Mediterranean Sea in August, included Third Mates Trevor Quigley and Vinny Riccardi, Chief Mate Peter Maes, Captain Chaz West, Chief Engineer Max Neubelt, First Assistant Engineer Joeseph Basile, Se...
Read MoreIn August, American Maritime Officers officially took command of the MV Cape Hudson, a Ready Reserve Force vessel for the United States Maritime Administration now operated by Tote Services Inc., here in San Francisco. AMO members working aboard the Cape Hudson to get her ready for regulat...
Read MoreThe following is a summary of the press release issued by the National Maritime Center on August 27. To view the entire bulletin, click here. The United States Coast Guard is offering temporary relief to some merchant mariners whose credentials expired while their renewal applications were ...
Read MoreThe minutes for the regular monthly American Maritime Officers membership meeting held August 5 have been posted in the member section of the AMO website, which is accessible to active AMO members and applicants. AMO members will need to click on the MEMBER LOGIN tab on the AMO website (LOG...
Read MoreMark “CHENG” Andrew Befort, 75, of Boaz, Alabama, passed away peacefully on August 4, 2026. He was born on January 9, 1951, in Albertville, Alabama, to J.J. “Red” Befort and Myra Jo Jordan Befort. Mark was a merchant mariner and proudly spent much of his career at s...
Read MoreThe following press release was issued by U.S. Transportation Command on August 21. American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier, Federated Maritime, Patriot Shipping and Schuyler Line Navigation Company have vessels manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers. U.S. Transportation ...
Read MoreThe following press release was issued by American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier on August 21. American Maritime Officers represents all licensed officers on ARC’s U.S.-flagged vessels. American Roll-On/Roll-Off Carrier Group Inc. (ARC Group) announced that it has been awarded an indefin...
Read MoreAmerican Maritime Officers members aboard the MV Allied Brooklyn, here in San Francisco in August, included Chief Mate Andrew Schmitt and Second Mate Jordan Sullivan seen here discussing logistics and cargo operations on the bridge. Chief Mate Schmitt plugs in stability calculations as MV...
Read MoreThe rule of the sea transcends even geopolitical rivalries and was on full display this week as the American crew of the SLNC York was rescued by the Chinese crew of the Pacific Yantai in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after the York suffered a mechanical failure on August 18. All crew of...
Read MoreU.S. Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel talks with an AMO member after he gave a speech at STAR Center about the future of domestic maritime on Tuesday. Carmel, a former AMO member, toured STAR Center and met with instructors and students during class hours to see how the modern AMO of...
Read MoreUnited States Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel made a surprise visit to members of American Maritime Officers during the Crowley Maritime Officers’ Conference being held at STAR Center in Dania Beach on Tuesday and had a candid conversation about the recent Jones Act waiver exte...
Read MoreThe U.S. State Department recently announced several updates to the expedited Passport renewal process for credentialed merchant mariners, including a nominal change in the fee. All members of American Maritime Officers and applicants who need to renew their Passport should use the expedite...
Read MoreThe American Maritime Officers Membership Assistance Program (MAP) is a voluntary disaster relief fund established to aid current AMO members and applicants for membership who suffer damage to their property as the result of severe storms and natural disasters, such as Hurricanes Fausto and...
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