Five SIU crews, top executives from three Seafarers-contracted companies and a deck officer aboard a union-contracted vessel were honored Nov. 2 during the United Seamen’s Service (USS) 2007 Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards (AOTOS) ceremony in New York.Hundreds of industry leaders, including SIU President Michael Sacco, attended the outing that has been dubbed the maritime industry’s most prestigious honor. The event, which took the form of a dinner and dance, was held at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers.
Receiving recognition with the 2007 AOTOS Mariners’ Plaque (USS Honored Seafarers Awards) were SIU crew members who on specific dates were aboard Horizon Lines’ Horizon Falcon, Overseas Shipholding’s Overseas Joyce, Interocean American Shipping’s Independence and Military Sealift Command’s USNS Antares and USNS Kanawha. The 2007 USS AOTOS Awards were bestowed on James S. Andrasick, president and CEO of Matson Navigation Company, Inc.; Morten Arntzen, president and CEO of Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc.; and John F. Reinhart, president and CEO of Maersk Line, Limited. Third Mate Victor Manoli III from the SIU-crewed and E-Ships operated Maersk Maryland was the recipient of the AOTOS Mariner’s Rosette.
U.S. Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton and Edward R. Morgan, USS president, presented the Mariners’ Plaques and Rosettes. The crews honored, the vessels on which they served and their respective contributions were as follows:
Honored Seafarers
The SIU crews from the Horizon Falcon, Overseas Joyce, USNS Antares and USNS Kanawha were recognized for heroism during rescues at sea while those aboard the Independence garnered laurels for the professionalism, courage and teamwork they displayed while providing emergency medical care during a chaotic situation.
The crew of the Horizon Falcon from July 12-13, 2007, braving 30-foot swells and 40 mile-per-hour winds, rescued two Chinese seafarers over a 24-hour period from the Panamanian-flagged log carrier Hai Tong No. 7. The 420-foot log carrier with 22 crew members on board sank in the North Pacific Ocean due to a typhoon. After maneuvering the Falcon into safe recovery distance, the vessel captain dispatched a lifeboat and three crewmen into 18-20 foot swells to rescue one survivor. The survivor was plucked from the ocean successfully, but as the lifeboat was being recovered, it was knocked into a 45 degree angle, which damaged its motor. The crew and rescued mariner abandoned the lifeboat and climbed to safety up the 40-foot pilot ladder. A second survivor was rescued by another SIU-crew member—who, while harnessed to the pilot ladder, descended toward the water and attached a grappling hook to the mariner. Both the crew member and rescued mariner were winched to safety. The Falcon remained on the scene and continued search operations until it was relieved by a U.S. Coast Guard tender from Guam. Search operations were suspended on July 15 after 13 survivors of the 22-man crew had been rescued.
The car carrier Overseas Joyce, while en route to Japan on Oct. 18, 2006, experienced treacherous weather conditions which forced the captain to divert toward Dutch Harbor, Alaska. At 6:45 a.m., a mayday distress call was received from the Ocean Challenger, a 58-foot fishing vessel that was located about one mile off the Joyce’s starboard bow and sinking. All hands were mustered to the Joyce’s deck, and the Coast Guard was contacted and apprised of the distressed vessel’s position. Because of the Overseas Joyce’s high sides, there was no possibility of launching a lifeboat. A Coast Guard helicopter, at the time located about one hour from the sinking vessel’s position, therefore was dispatched to lend assistance. Assuming the role of on-scene command, the Joyce made a series of racetrack turns around the site of the Challenger. Crew members maintained lookout and during one of these passes, spotted a man in the water holding on to a plastic barrel. The Joyce maneuvered into position, and the crew tossed two survival suits and a life ring into the water but the survivor appeared too weak to respond and was not seen again. Another man, who had donned one of the survival suits, was later spotted waving and clinging to a fishing buoy. The Joyce moved into a desirable location, and crew members dropped a life ring with a light and smoke canister to act as a marker. Once the helicopter arrived, the crew directed it to the distressed mariner. A Coast Guard diver successfully rescued this sole survivor.
While berthed at the Port of Shuaybah, Kuwait on Oct. 24, 2006, the crew and officers of the Independence were confronted with an ominous situation. A forklift being operated by a local longshoreman fell into the cargo elevator opening, plunged 10 meters from 5 deck to 8 deck and struck two longshoremen on its way down. An officer who was a trained emergency medical technician (EMT) heard about the incident over the radio and responded to the scene. The EMT and another officer found a seriously injured man underneath the forklift on the 40-ton elevator. After making certain that the scene was safe, she crawled underneath the forklift and provided emergency medical care to the man. The other officer called for medical assistance and alerted the Independence crew to take appropriate actions to move the forklift off of the fallen longshoreman. The second injured longshoreman later was found by crew members with a nearly severed leg. He was administered emergency care and placed on backboards until U.S. Navy medical personnel arrived and took him to a hospital.
Crew members aboard the USNS Antares, while located some 150 miles offshore near the Gulf of Mexico on May 14, received a distress call indicating that a mariner aboard the fishing boat Michelle Marie might have suffered a heart attack. The Antares’ captain notified the Coast Guard, which dispatched a helicopter and requested the USNS Antares stand by to assist if necessary. Upon its arrival, the helicopter hovered over the scene and lowered a rescue swimmer down toward the fishing vessel. During his descent, however, the swimmer struck the side of the fishing vessel and broke his arm, effectively halting operations. At that point, the Antares came alongside the fishing vessel, and two of its crew members climbed down the ladder to place the distressed mariner in a Stokes Litter. He subsequently was hoisted aboard the Antares using a stores crane. Once aboard, the mariner—displaying symptoms of shock, extreme pain and dehydration—received first aid and was monitored in the ship’s hospital. He, along with the injured swimmer, later was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for treatment.
Crew members aboard the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha on June 25 in the Arabian Sea were steaming toward the Suez Canal when the ship was directed by the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet Combined Task Force 150 to alter course. The Kanawha steamed 35 miles at full speed to reach the Korean-flagged merchant ship Jai Laxmai, which was in danger of sinking. It had a disabled diesel engine and was anchored by a weak mooring line in rough seas. No food or water was left aboard the vessel and it was unable to deploy its lifeboats. Once on location, the Kanawha crew launched the vessel’s rigid-hull inflatable boats to aid in rescue operations. Braving 10-foot waves and 27 knot winds, the Kanawha crew made two trips to transfer the stranded mariners from the Jai Laxmai to the Dupleix, a French warship that also assisted in the rescue. Sixteen distressed mariners were rescued.
John Bowers, chairman of the USS AOTOS Committee and recently retired president of the International Longshoremen’s Association, announced the AOTOS Award recipients and offered comments which delineated their respective accomplishments. “These three men represent the very best of the U.S.-flag industry,” he said of Andrasick, Arntzen and Reinhart. “Our recipients have been selected by those who know them best: international transportation leaders who understand very well the challenges and issues which confront United States shipping and the American seafarers and recognize their leadership in this area.”
James S. Andrasick
Andrasick was named president and chief executive officer of Matson Navigation Company, Inc. on July 18, 2003. He joined Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., the parent company of Matson, in June 2000 as senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. On April 25, 2002, Andrasick was appointed to additional duties as president and chief executive officer of Matson on an interim basis. He is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where he received a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Andrasick also holds a master’s degree in management science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Vice Admiral Vivien S. Crea, vice commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, presented Andrasick with his award.
Celebrating its 125th anniversary, Matson Navigation is the principal carrier of containerized freight and automobiles between the West Coast and Hawaii, Guam and Mid-Pacific, and is the largest subsidiary of Honolulu-based Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.
Morten Arntzen
Arntzen was appointed president and chief executive officer of Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG) in January 2004. He has been an OSG Board member since 2004. Prior to joining OSG, Arntzen was chief executive officer of American Marine Advisors Inc., a U.S.-based merchant banking firm specializing in maritime industry merger and acquisition advisory work and corporate restructuring for a global client base. He holds a bachelor degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and a master of international affairs degree from Columbia University. Arntzen received his award from The Honorable Sean Connaughton, U.S. maritime administrator.
Overseas Shipholding Group bills itself as the only large tanker company with a significant presence in both the international flag and U.S.-flag markets. Additionally, the company has an established position in the Jones Act product tanker and crude tanker segments.
John F. Reinhart
Reinhart was named chief executive officer, Maersk Line, Limited on Aug. 1, 2000 and president in April 2004. He joined Maersk Inc. in 1991 in human resources. In 1992, Reinhart began his career in universal maritime services working his way up to president. He returned to Maersk in 1996 as a regional director and then as senior vice president. Reinhart received his B.A. in political science from Ohio University and completed the executive MBA program at the University of Michigan in 1997.
SIU President Michael Sacco introduced Reinhart and presented him with his award. “Over the years, John has proven himself as someone who clearly recognizes that the continued revitalization of the U.S. Merchant Marine depends on cooperation throughout our industry,” Sacco told those in attendance about Reinhart. “John has built a great team at Maersk. The company has grown under his leadership, and they deserve credit for supporting our troops in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, as do the other U.S.-flag companies being honored tonight.”
Maersk Line, Limited operates 19 U.S.-flag liner vessels that are enrolled in the Maritime Security Program. The company is a long-term trusted partner with the U.S. Department of Defense providing support services and operating 29 vessels under vessel management contracts.
AOTOS Mariner’s Rosette Winner
Third Mate Victor Manoli III, while aboard the SIU-crewed Maersk Maryland on Oct. 25, 2006 contained a potentially deadly fire aboard the vessel in the port of Gioia Tauro, Italy. Shortly after the vessel had tied up, the captain over the radio announced that there was a fire alarm on B deck. Manoli, who was coming from the stern, made his way to B deck with two SIU crew members. After finding smoke coming from one of the rooms, he radioed the deck and informed those on duty that he had found the source and that he and the other two crew members were going to enter the room.
Armed with a dry chemical extinguisher, the trio opened the door. They could feel the heat from the blaze and heard popping noises. Manoli took one step into the door and discharged the extinguisher in the direction of the blaze. They then evacuated the room as smoke began to fill the passageway.
Crew members then brought fire suits and self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to the location, and Manoli donned an SCBA. While staying in radio contact with the bridge, he entered the space again to find even larger flames than before. This time he used the entire contents of the dry extinguisher and headed back out of the room. He then checked to see if he had enough air and went back inside with another extinguisher. Upon his return, the fire was headed up the bulkhead so he blasted the entire area until the fire was out.
Senator Daniel K. Inouye was general chairman for this year’s event and sent a video message as well, congratulating the three AOTOS recipients and recognizing the mission of USS, which has been dedicated to meeting the needs of seafarers in foreign ports for 65 years.
Captain Robert Hart, USN (ret.) and Samuel B. Nemirow served as National Committee co-chairmen. SIU President Sacco was dinner chairman.
The USS continues to provide community services for the U.S. Merchant Marine, the American Armed Forces, and seafarers of the world. The USS, a non-profit agency, was established in 1942. It operates centers in ports in Europe, Asia, Africa and in the Indian Ocean, and also provides seagoing libraries to American vessels through its affiliate, the American Merchant Marine Library Association.
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