The SIU-crewed Cape Trinity late last year was recognized for its performance during Operation Enduring Freedom.
As was reported earlier in the Seafarers LOG, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) in December awarded its Professional Ship Award to the Cape Trinity crew for services in the war on terror. Specifically, the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) vessel’s crew and officers were cited for voluntarily serving on the high seas for 341 continuous days. During this period, they repeatedly transported assorted provisions to American military personnel in the Middle East and returned home.
A formal awards ceremony to commemorate the service of the crew and officers on Nov. 29, 2005 took place at Brady’s Landing in Houston. SIU Asst. Vice President Southern Region Jim McGee represented the Seafarers during the event. On behalf of SIU President Michael Sacco and the union as a whole, McGee congratulated crew members on their accomplishment. He also thanked them for their hard work and the professional fashion in which they collectively represented the union throughout the time for which they were recognized.
SIU members aboard the vessel during the period for which accolades were bestowed included Bosun Charles Jackson, ABs Frank Thompson<.b>, Robert Taylor, Vincent Lao, Richard Molina-Blackman and Dan Carman; Electrician Carlos Perez; GVAs Timoteo Nunez, Abdo Ahmed and Ali Hussein; Oilers Zaid Shaif, Filiberto Moreira and Rodolfo Menchaca; Chief Cook Amilcar Bermudez, Assistant Cook Jamie Cayonte and SAs Ramon Hernandez and Rolando Batiz.
In addition to McGee, several other officials from the maritime industry attended the event. Deepak Varshney, acting director, Central Region, MarAd, served as the event’s keynote speaker. Also in attendance were Erny Otterspoor, president, Mormac Marine, Inc., and other officials from MarAd.
MarAd’s Professional Ship Award is given to non-military ships that achieve the highest degree of safety, readiness, performance, efficiency, reliability and productivity, according to the agency. The crew and officers of the ape Trinity also received the Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal, given to mariners who serve in war zones.
Ready Reserve Force ships, crewed by U.S. Merchant Mariners, have carried much of the supplies to and from the Middle East since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom. The ape Trinity, in its 341 days of activation, carried 19,603 metric tons of cargo between various ports including Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, Shauiba and Ash Shuaybah in Kuwait, and Messaieed in Qatar. Ports in Europe included Bremerhaven, Szczecin and Antwerp. U.S. load ports included Charleston and Corpus Christi.
The Cape Trinity originally was constructed in Germany’s HDW shipyard in 1977 for commercial roll-on/roll-off service. In 1994, it was converted to the U.S. flag and became part of the RRF.
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