Seafarers Logs

Wins- and More Work Ahead- in D.C. While I wouldn’t describe it as a Christmas present, the planned mid-December introduction of the Ships for America Act in Congress is a great boost to the U.S. Merchant Marine as we navigate the winter holidays. The bill’s co-sponsors are realistic about its…

A strong U.S. maritime industry is essential to the nation, and the Ships for America Act is a timely, viable way to bolster it. Pro-maritime U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) delivered those messages Nov. 21 at an industry gathering in the nation’s capital. Attendees included SIU Vice President Contracts George…

SIU-contracted U.S. Marine Management (USMMI) recently won a long-term charter from the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command for a shallow-draft tanker, bringing a new ship into the U.S.-flag registry and signaling new job opportunities for Seafarers. Seafarers are pictured aboard the newly reflagged vessel The former Dream Pioneer recently reflagged…

Puerto Rico-based trade unionists recently expressed strong support for the Jones Act, America’s freight cabotage law. The AFL-CIO-affiliated Federation of Workers of Puerto Rico (FTPR) conducted its 23rd convention of delegates and election of officers in Caguas in mid-November. During the proceedings, SIU Assistant Vice President Amancio Crespo, who since…

Voting finished at the end of last month (December), and results of the election of officials for the Seafarers International Union’s Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters will be announced, in accordance with the SIU Constitution, upon completion of the tallying committee’s work. Special membership meetings were planned to take…

In many ways, 2024 for the SIU proved uplifting, productive and promising. The exceptions were big ones, though. Throughout the year, there were more than 300 reported attacks on vessels from various nations by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. While no SIU-crewed ships…

Ahead of Thanksgiving, SIU members and officials, along with representatives from other local unions ensured that students from Julian Marrero Special Education School in Corozal, Puerto Rico, would close out their school year with a little extra holiday cheer. Representatives from the Federation of Workers of Puerto Rico (FTPR), American…

Sailing Ahead as One Crew For several months leading up to Election Day, both in this space and elsewhere, I periodically suggested that our society as a whole would do well to remember that we are ultimately on the same side, even if we differ about certain governmental policies and…

Voting started last month and will continue through Dec. 31 in the election of officers of the SIU’s Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters. Balloting is taking place at 20 SIU halls across the country. Full-book SIU members in good standing are eligible to vote in the election, which will…