Second Mate Brennan Shute accepted the HERO award on behalf of the M/V El Coquí crew from the AWO.
The crew of the Crowley containership M/V El Coquí recently was recognized by American Waterways Operators (AWO), receiving the Honor & Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Award for their efforts while saving four men stranded off the coast of the Dominican Republic in January.
AWO, the leading U.S. association for tug and barge operators, introduced the American Waterways HERO Awards in 2023 to honor the bravery and life-saving efforts of individuals in the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry. This award recognizes those whose actions prevent harm and protect lives on the water each day.
M/V El Coquí, a Jones Act liquified natural gas containership, is manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers. Second Mate Brennan Shute accepted the award on behalf of the crew at the awards dinner in Nashville.
The crew of M/V El Coquí, led by Captain Kurt Breitfeller, played a pivotal role during the rescue operation of four people forced to abandon their sailboat after it was damaged in the Atlantic Ocean. Alongside the U.S. Coast Guard and the fishing vessel Bonanza, the captain and crew worked to successfully locate, retrieve and transport the four to safety.
Video footage of the rescue can be viewed on the AMO YouTube page.
The rescued men – David Potts, 63; John Potts, 62; Andrew Cullar, 26; and Russel Case, 67 – were attempting to sail to Texas on their new 41-foot sailboat before it sank. M/V El Coquí transported the men to Jacksonville, which was a part of the vessel’s routine delivery route from Puerto Rico to the mainland.
AWO also honored Second Mate Kevin Zapolski, who saved a fellow crewmember who fell overboard on his vessel, the Potomac Express.
“We are proud of Second Mate Zapolski as well as Capt. Breitfeller and the mariners of M/V El Coquí for their dedication and heroic actions to ensure the safety of others” said Cal Hayden, vice president of marine operations for Crowley global ship management. “Their swift responses exemplify the essential commitment to safety that defines Crowley’s mariners and our operations, and we are honored to recognize their bravery.”