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Seafarers Deliver Life-Saving Equipment to Troops in Iraq

January 2008

It’s no secret that warfare of the 21st Century is increasingly brutal, and personnel protection technology in a combat theater has to adapt and improvise. That’s why the Department of Defense, U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps developed the Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected Vehicle (MRAP) to better shield military personnel in Iraq from today’s maiming weaponry such as improvised exploding devices and mines. According to the Army, the vehicles have raised, V-shaped underbellies that deflect the force of improvised explosive devices and other blasts from below better than other vehicles in use. When an order of these lifesaving vehicles was ready to be delivered en masse, the Department of Defense recently turned to reliable mariners who have supported our troops for nearly 70 years – SIU members. Called “humvees on steroids” by some, 48 MRAPs were recently transported for the first time to Kuwait for use in Iraq aboard SIU-contracted Liberty Maritime Corporation’s M/V Alliance New York. Since MRAPs are just being deployed, this was the first delivery of many to our troops in combat. The Alliance New York is a new generation single-screw roll-on/roll-off PC/TC carrier capable of transporting 6,000 cars, heavy vehicles, road trailers, trucks, buses and rolling cargoes for worldwide services. The Alliance New York flies the American Flag under the U.S. Maritime Security Program (MSP). The MSP has been a key element of America’s economic and defense security since its enactment in 1996. The program – extended for another 10 years and expanded from 47 to 60 ships commencing in late 2005 – provides for U.S.-flag commercial vessels, particularly containerships and roll-on/roll-off vessels, which are available to the Department of Defense in times of war or national emergency. To show support to military members deployed in the combat theater, Liberty Maritime and the SIU crew served breakfast during the discharge and cooked up a Thanksgiving meal with delicacies such as turkey, ham, seafood and all the trimmings. More than 100 individuals attended this special celebration. “The reception was a big success with military personnel and crew,” said Captain Costas R. Balomenos. Seafarers sailing aboard the Alliance New York during this recent voyage included Bosun Thomas Grosskurth, ABs Gregory Peters, Antonio Centeno, Anthony Heinoldt, Jon Silveira and Christopher Brady, GUDEs Denis Cossio and Edwin Sebastian, Chief Steward John Walsh III, Chief Cook Breon Lucas, GSU Jermaine Williams and Unlicensed Apprentices Kabir Garcia and Robert Day Jr.