SIU Executive Vice President Augie Tellez presented testimony Oct. 17 to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.Chaired by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the Subcommittee conducted a hearing “to receive testimony on trends and innovations in mariner education and to assess how growing workforce shortages will affect the maritime industry as trade continues to increase.” In announcing the hearing, the Subcommittee indicated it specifically would “consider the possible impact of various factors on workforce shortage, including wage levels; lifestyle challenges associated with employment in the maritime industry; and training requirements imposed by the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention.”
Click HERE to visit a Subcommittee web page which contains links to the respective prepared statements by full Committee Chairman Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), Subcommittee Chairman Cummings, Tellez and the other panelists: Coast Guard Rear Adm. Joel Whitehead; Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton; Michael Rodriguez, executive assistant to the president of the Masters Mates and Pilots; Carl Annessa, chief operating officer/vice president for operations of Hornbeck Offshore Services for the Offshore Marine Service Association; Cathy Hammond, CEO of Inland Marine Services for American Waterway Operators; retired Navy Adm. John Craine Jr., president of the State University of New York Maritime College; William Beacom, navigation consultant for Professional Mariner; Capt. Arthur H. Sulzer, USN (Ret), board member, Maritime Academy Charter High School; Capt. Jeff Slesinger, director of safety and training, Western Towboat Company; and Berit Ericksson, former executive director, Pacific Coast Maritime Consortium.
In addition to submitting written testimony, witnesses (divided into three panels) offered oral statements and answered questions from Subcommittee members. Among other points, Tellez emphasized that shipboard manpower “must be addressed in the context of national security.” He cited sealift lessons learned by our nation after the Persian Gulf War, including the need for a strong Ready Reserve Force adequately crewed so the ships are properly maintained and ready to mobilize. He also noted the cooperative efforts between the SIU, its contracted operators and the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education – efforts that have strongly contributed to the nation’s manpower pool of skilled, loyal, U.S. citizen seafarers.
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