Schuyler Line is bringing the new mid-range tanker SL Hawaii into the U.S. flag registry – signaling more jobs for members of American Maritime Officers.
The SL Hawaii will serve in the international trade and be a part of the Tanker Security Program, a group of tankers that can be called on by the United States government to move fuel and refuel military assets around the world.
“Schuyler Line is excited and humbled to bring another vessel into the U.S. Flag Fleet in partnership with AMO. The SL HAWAII follows the SL MIDWAY into the fleet and strengthens the partnership between Schuyler and AMO and further serves to support the U.S. Flag Fleet and align with President Trump’s goal of ‘Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,’” said Dion Nicely, CEO at Schuyler Line. “With support and leadership from Washington, DC and maritime labor, Military Sealift Command (MSC), the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD), and Transportation Command (USTC), we see continued growth and opportunities for collaboration and partnership in the U.S. Maritime Sector.”
Currently named the M/T Largo Elegance, the tanker will be reflagged in June and will enter into service soon after. The eight-year-old product tanker is 183 meters long and can hold approximately 50,000 tons of cargo.
There are currently 10 vessels in the Tanker Security Program, eight of which are manned in all licensed positions by members of AMO.
“American Maritime Officers looks forward to increasing our tanker fleet with the addition of the SL Hawaii. As the premier tanker union in the United States, bringing in a vessel with Schuyler Line through Argent in the Tanker Security Program gives our officers an excellent option for employment and service to our country in support of our national defense strategies,” AMO National President Willie Barrere said. “AMO is poised to grow our fleet and continue to improve our relationship with Schuyler/ Argent.”
The Engineering Candidate Hawsepipe (TECH) Program is a comprehensive training program for those who want to pursue a career as a seagoing marine engineering officer onboard vessels operated under contract with American Maritime Officers.
The deadline for applications for the next TECH Program class is noon on June 2. The class will commence in September 2025. Interested personnel should complete the application process ASAP and submit it on the STAR Center website.
The TECH Program application can be found at https://www.star-center.com/techprogram/techprogram.application_process.html.
In conjunction with STAR Center, AMO – the largest union of U.S. Merchant Marine officers – is offering this program with the purpose of providing selected candidates with the opportunity to proceed on a marine engineering career path and help fill the projected shortage of marine engineers. The program targets those with an interest in the Merchant Marine and mentors them during intense training onboard ship and ashore.
The TECH Program is now in its eleventh year, having paused briefly during the pandemic. The TECH program will take approximately two years to complete and alternates between classroom training and sea phases. Upon successful completion of the program, the individual commences career employment as a marine engineer with AMO.
The TECH program is sponsored by the American Maritime Officers Plans and is also approved for Veteran Affairs benefits. Please use the link above for full information on the program.
Marissa Cap
American Maritime Officers is proud to announce the hiring of Marissa Cap as the new East Coast Boarding Representative.
Cap, a graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy, has sailed with AMO since 2012, primarily in the U.S. flagged tanker fleet. Her most recent stint was as Chief Engineer aboard the Stena Impeccable (Crowley), where she participated in the original reflagging of the vessel into the then-new Tanker Security Program.
As an engineer that has progressed through the ranks to the highest level, Cap sailed extensively in both domestic and international trade and knows firsthand the challenges of being a sailing mariner. This knowledge will be paramount in her duties visiting ships calling port on the East Coast and addressing the issues of working AMO members.
“Marissa will bring a fresh perspective to concerns raised by our members. I think the members will find her to be responsive and knowledgeable,” AMO Deep Sea Vice President Jeff Richards said. “I’m looking forward to her being an integral part of the Deep Sea team to better serve the membership.”
Cap has already hit the ground running at AMO as she represented the union at a Mass Maritime Career Fair and participated in the maritime industry’s signature lobbying event – the Congressional Sail In on Capitol Hill – in her first two weeks.
Marissa is expected to begin ship visits in the coming weeks. She can be reached at or by phone at mobile: (954) 405-4404 or office: (954) 367-1007.
The minutes for the regular monthly American Maritime Officers membership meeting held April 2 at AMO Headquarters 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 (LOGIN on mobile devices) and log into the member portal of the AMO website. Members and applicants using the updated AMO website for the first time will need to register a new account for the member portal, a link for which is featured on the MEMBER LOGIN page.
The following press release was issued by the National Maritime Center on April 14.
On April 12, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard’s online public access portal, Homeport, was taken offline permanently. Listed below are the primary mariner credentialing services affected by this change and the alternate methods for service currently available:
Merchant Mariner Application Status: To check on the status of an application for a merchant mariner credential or medical certificate, contact the National Maritime Center (NMC) at 1-888-427-5662, , or via Live Chat. NMC customer service agents are available M-F, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. eastern time zone. The NMC experiences its busiest times around midday. To avoid longer wait times, we recommend calling early in the morning when phone lines are less busy or using our Live Chat service, which will connect you with our support team during normal hours. If e-mailing for application status, include ‘Status’ in the subject line of your e-mail along with the mariner name(s) and mariner reference number(s) in the body of the e-mail. Note, processing times at the NMC will vary based on e-mail volume.
Merchant Mariner Credential Verification: To verify the authenticity of a merchant mariner credential, . To aid in providing a faster response, include ‘Credential Verification’ in the subject line of your e-mail along with mariner name(s) and mariner reference number(s) in the body of the e-mail. Note, processing times at the NMC will vary based on e-mail volume.
Mariner Training and Assessment Data (MTAD): Course curricula and course certificate modification requests should be sent to . Note, to prevent delays in mariner applications, course and program completions should be documented through the issuance of completion certificates. Completion certificate format and content should match that approved by the NMC during the approval process. For questions related to Mariner Training and Assessment, contact the NMC at 206-815-6893.
We will provide updates to the status of these services as they are established. Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
Bradley W. Clare
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard
Commanding Officer
AMO officers onboard the USNS Wheeler participating in an informational meeting in March in Seattle, Wash. included Third Mate Slade McPherson, Third Mate Philip Panzera, Third Mate Tim Van Weezel, Second Mate (Dynamic Positioning Officer) Glenn Macario, Captain Douglas Garee, First Assistant Engineer Royce Dudley, Chief Mate Hannah MacDonald, Electronics Officer Christopher Waters and Chief Engineer Jason Peters.
AMO officers onboard the Allied Brooklyn participating in an informational meeting in March in Tacoma, Wash. included Third Assistant Engineer Chandler Rollins, First A.E. Bill Daily, Chief Engineer David Ellsworth, Third Mate Al Schaak, Chief Mate Pat Hegarty and Captain Owen Gallagher.
The Allied Brooklyn, operated by Federated Crewing, is the newest heavy lift ship in the AMO fleet.
The following is excerpted from an executive order signed by President Trump on April 9. The full text of the executive order is available on the AMO website.
EXECUTIVE ORDER
– – – – – – –
RESTORING AMERICA’S MARITIME DOMINANCE
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. The commercial shipbuilding capacity and maritime workforce of the United States has been weakened by decades of Government neglect, leading to the decline of a once strong industrial base while simultaneously empowering our adversaries and eroding United States national security. Both our allies and our strategic competitors produce ships for a fraction of the cost needed in the United States. Recent data shows that the United States constructs less than one percent of commercial ships globally, while the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is responsible for producing approximately half.
Rectifying these issues requires a comprehensive approach that includes securing consistent, predictable, and durable Federal funding, making United States-flagged and built vessels commercially competitive in international commerce, rebuilding America’s maritime manufacturing capabilities (the Maritime Industrial Base), and expanding and strengthening the recruitment, training, and retention of the relevant workforce.
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to revitalize and rebuild domestic maritime industries and workforce to promote national security and economic prosperity.
In a letter dated April 7, more than 90 companies and organizations – including American seagoing labor unions, farming and agriculture interests and ground transportation operations – requested full support from Congress for vital U.S. food-aid programs.
The letter, to which American Maritime Officers and American Maritime Officers Service are signatories, was addressed to Congressmen Andy Harris (R-MD), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, and Sanford Bishop (D-GA), ranking member on the subcommittee, and to Senators John Hoeven (R-ND), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), ranking member on the subcommittee.
“Each year our nation’s international food-aid programs, including P.L. 480 Food for Peace Title II, Food for Progress, and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education, help reach millions of vulnerable people around the world, while also putting America First. These Buy American programs have enjoyed significant bipartisan support for 70 years,” they wrote. “We, the undersigned organizations, respectfully request Congress continue to fully support these programs and that the fiscal year 2026 agriculture appropriations funding for Food for Peace be increased to $1.75 billion and to increase McGovern-Dole to $243,331,000, as they were appropriated in FY 2023.
“Food for Peace, Food for Progress, and McGovern-Dole not only benefit the recipients, but also U.S. economic and national security interests.”
Members of American Maritime Officers who participated in the 2025 Congressional Sail In – the domestic maritime industry’s premier lobbying event in Washington D.C. – included AMO Great Lakes Boarding Representative Pete Kinsey, Katie McGillicuddy, Marissa Strawbridge, AMO West Coast Boarding Representative Alex Butler, Elizabeth Mack, AMO Assistant Vice President Government Relations Alaina Basciano and AMO VP Government Relations Christian Spain. Also attending the event representing AMO were National President Willie Barrere, AMO Deep Sea Vice President Jeff Richards, AMO East Coast Boarding Representative Marissa Capp and Captains Kevin Stith and Jon Doucot.
Captain Kevin Stith met with Congressman Cleo Fields (D-LA) and his staff to discuss the importance of the Jones Act to national security and the economic prosperity of the nation.
AMO VP Christian Spain explains to Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN) the role the U.S. Merchant Marine plays in the distribution of food and humanitarian aid around the world.
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is greeted by AMO National President Willie Barrere and AMO members Marissa Strawbridge and Elizabeth Mack during the Congressional Sail In event. Kelly is one of the sponsors of the SHIPS for America Act, crafted to revitalize the domestic maritime industry.
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) received the USA Maritime Leadership Award at the reception for the 2025 Sail In for being a champion of maritime issues in Congress. Here, he is congratulated by AMO President Willie Barrere.
American Maritime Officers members aboard the Cape Isabel and Cape Inscription, here in Long Beach in March, included Kevin Piecewicz, Jose Deoferio, Bill Heitman, Nate Fountain, Tony Estes, Luke Johnson, William McDonald, Cristopher Bechtel, Edward Thompson and Eric Winn. With them is AMO West Coast Representative Alex Butler.
AMO officers participating in an informational meeting onboard the S/S Curtiss in Vancouver, Wash. in March included Third Mate Erik Bekkelund, Second Assistant Engineer Melissa Leon-Guerrero, First A.E. John Farina, Third A.E. Eric Wierzbinski, Chief Engineer Richard King and Chief Mate Stacy Shuppert.
AMO officers from the Cape Island participating in an informational meeting in March in Tacoma included Chief Mate Keith Amberg, Third Assistant Engineer Tim McDaniel, Second A.E. Thomas Meaney and Chief Engineer Herbert Wadsworth.
AMO officers from the Cape Intrepid participating in an informational meeting in March in Tacoma included Third Assistant Engineer Jess Cooper, First A.E. Stephen Harris, Third Mate Ben Rush, Second A.E. Logan Becker, Chief Engineer Chris Davis and Chief Mate Anastasia Grisham.
American Maritime Officers officials President Willie Barrere, Vice President for Government Relations Christian Spain, Deep Sea Vice President Jeff Richards and West Coast Representative Alex Butler conducted informational meetings onboard several vessels on the West Coast in March, seen here with officers of the Cape Island and Cape Intrepid in Tacoma, Wash.