The minutes for the regular monthly American Maritime Officers membership meeting held June 10 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. Members and applicants using the 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.
Members of American Maritime Officers aboard the Washington in June included Second Mate Julian Martinez-Prado, Chief Mate Alex Black, Third Mates Kenobi Kinch and Steve Ford, and Captain Dan Goodwin.
Tanker Washington, seen here traveling to Alaska, is owned and operated by Fairwater Tanker Management Inc. and is manned in all licensed positions by AMO.
Third Mate Kenobi Kinch makes binnacle corrections on the deck of the Washington.
A pod of dolphins escorts the Washington as it enters the Gulf of Alaska.
MV Roy P. Benavidez completed a joint task force operation including U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) and the U.S. Army, moving military equipment and cargo in a high-stakes scenario from Puerto Rico to Gulfport, Mississippi and then reloading to deliver to Virginia.
As part of TRANSMARINER-26, the “pitch and catch” exercise, as it’s known, was practice for seamlessly moving massive amounts of military equipment from ship to shore in a contested environment.
MV Benavidez is operated by Crowley Government Services for the U.S. Maritime Administration and is manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
The operation began at the Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, in early May, where the 841st Transportation Battalion, 597th Transportation Brigade, Army Transportation Command (ARTRANS), and a detachment of Puerto Rico National Guardsmen meticulously oversaw the preparation, staging, and upload of hundreds of tactical vehicles and containers onto the Bob Hope-class roll-on/roll-off ship MV Roy P. Benavidez. Every item was tagged and tracked, setting the stage for a flawless transfer across the Caribbean.
The real test happens as the vessel docks at the strategic seaport in Gulfport.
The 842nd forward element will spring to action, taking control of the stern ramps and guiding vehicles off the ship with military precision.
Each piece of equipment will be scanned and logged into the staging yards, ready for onward movement to its destination regionally – whether by way of the nearby international airport or the robust rail and highway connectors used to optimize the rapid deployment and seamless sustainment of our forces.
The “catch” is intense in these operations because it represents the critical moment when responsibility for military cargo transfers from one team or mode of transport to another – such as from ship to shore, rail to truck, or port to unit.
Additional cargo was re-assigned/loaded for onward movement to the Newport News Marine Terminal. These continuing missions highlight the MV Roy P. Benavidez‘s essential role in strategic sealift operations, directly supporting U.S. Transportation Command’s ability to rapidly project and sustain military forces worldwide.
“Executing the catch at a Seaport of Debarkation requires more than just being in the right place at the right time,” explained 842nd Transportation Battalion Commander Lt. Colonel Dezerie Jemmott, ” It demands a total integration of joint capabilities a precise understanding of the resources on hand- and absolute trust in our team.”
The “pitch and catch” concept is more than a metaphor – it’s a critical operational reality. In a crisis, the ability to move equipment from origin to destination without delay can mean the difference between mission success and failure.
Turbo Distribution tests this capability under pressure, forcing teams to operate in austere environments, balance speed with safety, and maintain real-time visibility of every asset.
AMO Captain James Gill explains the capabilities of his vessel to U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Manu Davis, commanding general of Deployment Support Command, during a guided tour of the MV Benavidez in Puerto Rico, during exercise TRANSMARINER.
Cargo is loaded onto the Bob Hope-class roll-on, roll-off ship MV Roy P. Benavidez (T-AKR 306) during exercise TRANSMARINER-26 at the Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico en route to Mississippi.
Ready reserve mariners offload the MV Benavidez at the Newport News Marine Terminal in June. The operation represented the final offload phase of TURBO Distribution, the joint U.S. Transportation Command and Maritime Administration rapid-readiness exercise, which validates the military’s capability to quickly activate strategic sealift vessels and deploy combat power.
The Credentials Committee is contacting members for whom nominations for the 2026 AMO Election of National Officers were submitted.
Once all such nominees have responded, the report of the Credentials Committee will be published on the AMO website and distributed via AMO Currents, and will also be sent by email to AMO members and applicants at their addresses on file with the union. The report will also be published in the May/June edition of American Maritime Officer.
American Maritime Officers members working aboard the Jones Act tanker Garden State, here in Port Everglades, Fla. in June, included Third Mate Keegan Byrd, Second Mate Evan Gilchrist, Third Mate Kyle Otte, Chief Mate Jonathan Agliata and Captain Keith Bradley. The Garden State is operated by Intrepid Personnel Services for APT tankers and is manned in all licensed positions by AMO.
MV Jean Anne officers and crew celebrated Third Mate James Marren in Honolulu, as he prepares to retire after 21 years of dedicated service with Pasha Hawaii. Marren, the last remaining original crew member aboard the company’s flagship, will complete his final tour on Jean Anne’s 546th Jones Act voyage, a testament to his long career and steady presence on the vessel.
Jean Anne, which entered service in 2005, provides dedicated Jones Act service between Hawaii and the mainland and is manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
AMO members aboard the Jean Anne included (front row) Chief Engineer Paul Krause, Third Mate James Marren (sunglasses), Captain Kaitlin O’Brien, AMO Engine Apprentice Allison DeFillipo, (Back row) First Engineer Kodie Layman, Third Engineer Connor Geary, Chief Mate Carsten Ueckert, Second Mate John Blute, and Second Engineer Mahare Kidane.
STAR Center currently has additional seats available under sponsorship in our Officer-in-Charge of an Engineering Watch Program (OICEW-STCW III/1) courses starting on July 7.
This is the final OICEW series for 2026. Those in need of this training should plan to attend. The OICEW program is open to those who have already completed and obtained their United States Coast Guard National Third Assistant Engineer Unlimited Motor endorsement.
The OICEW program is 17 weeks and includes all courses and assessments needed to obtain international STCW Officer-In-Charge of an Engineering Watch (OICEW-III/1) endorsement required for employment on vessels to which STCW applies. Tuition sponsorship (including room and board) is available for eligible candidates willing to commit to completing the program, obtaining an STCW endorsement and sailing under covered employment long term with American Maritime Officers.
Anyone interested in joining the July OICEW series should immediately send an and include a copy of their Merchant Mariner Credential. STAR Center will reply with details on the application process and information on the program.
Additional information regarding the program is available at the STAR Center website: https://www.star-center.com/oicew.html.
American Maritime Officers members aboard the MV Midnight Sun in May included Karl Carr, Joshua Estebo, Chris Roach, Jackson Simone, Annie Hood, Michael (Mitch) Dusek, Miller Condrack, Tyler Vanderlip, Gillian Csoban, Brian O’Connell and Jon Butcher. Midnight Sun is a Jones Act trailership operated by Tote Maritime and provides dedicated, reliable service between Washington State and Alaska. It’s manned in all licensed positions by AMO officers.
American Maritime Officers has reached an agreement with Great Lakes Maritime Academy (GLMA) to man its training ship, TS State of Michigan, during summer cruises, bringing more job opportunities for AMO members on the Great Lakes.
The agreement includes transportation, meals, and accommodations paid for by GLMA and covers both deck and engine positions. The new contract also strengthens AMO’s connection and partnership with the academy, which produces many new deck and engine officers for AMO.
“AMO has always supported the valuable mission of Great Lakes Maritime Academy and this contract only enhances our presence and partnership with the school,” AMO Great Lakes Representative Pete Kinsey said. “These positions provide a valuable opportunity for AMO members to earn additional medical credit days and gain training ship experience in a relatively low-stress environment.”
TS State of Michigan was formerly a U.S. Navy surveillance vessel and normally cruises from Traverse City in May. The 224-foot ship can serve as a floating classroom to more than 50 cadets during summer cruises.
Along with the TS State of Michigan, AMO members also crew new training ships at SUNY Maritime Academy, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Maine Maritime Academy for the United States Maritime Administration when they are activated for government use.
American Maritime Officers and American Maritime Officers Service annually presents scholarships to Great Lakes Maritime Academy cadets during graduation ceremonies in May. Deck cadet Matthew Kreft and Engine cadet Connor Geary (below) were this year’s recipients. Presenting the award was AMO Great Lakes Representative Pete Kinsey.
