Seafarers Log
August 2017A major United States industry group recently voiced its strong opinion that any updates to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) should continue to exclude maritime matters. The United States Maritime Coalition (USMC) (whose member organizations include the SIU) in early June submitted comments to the Office…
Seafarers Log
August 2017 Editor’s note: The NMC issued the following notice on June 14. Their website is www.uscg.mil/nmc To maintain compliance with U.S. Coast Guard directives, the National Maritime Center’s (NMC) website will be transitioning to a new platform on June 29, 2017. Users entering www.uscg.mil/nmc will be redirected to…
Seafarers Log
August 2017On the heels of ratification of the new standard freightship and tanker agreements, the union has reached tentative contracts with several other operators. In his membership report for July, SIU Vice President Contracts George Tricker noted that tentative agreements were in place with Crowley Liner Services; E-Ships, Inc.;…
Seafarers Log
August 2017A recent op-ed making the rounds online and in print states a powerful case for maintaining the Jones Act. Peter Roff, a former senior political writer for United Press International and a well-known commentator based in Washington, D.C., spoke out on behalf of America’s freight cabotage law. The…
Seafarers Log
August 2017 Even in an industry that has seen its share of early entrants, Vern Poulsen started sailing sooner than most. The Denmark native first went to sea at age 14, marking the beginning of a maritime career that would span 66 years, including 52 with the SIU. He…
Seafarers Log
August 2017The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) says the Australian government can no longer ignore its national security responsibilities, in response to recent findings by that nation’s senate inquiry into flag-of-convenience (FOC) shipping. The Australian Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee report, publicized in mid-July, found gaping…
Seafarers Log
July 2017 With apprentices from the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center in attendance, the union’s legislative director recently told Congress that the nation cannot afford to abandon its international food aid programs. Brian Schoeneman testified June 7 at a hearing of the House Agriculture Committee, chaired by Rep. Mike Conaway…
Seafarers Log
July 2017 Although a few months elapsed between the time the SIU-crewed M/V Liberty entered U.S. registry and the formal commemoration of its re-flagging, fresh enthusiasm was evident June 2 at the ship’s naming ceremony in Charleston, South Carolina. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao headlined the guestspeaker lineup –…
Seafarers Log
July 2017 Editor’s note: Check out the June issue of the LOG for coverage of the National Maritime Day ceremony that took place in the nation’s capital. Saluting America’s maritime heritage while also underscoring the need to maintain a strong U.S. Merchant Marine, SIU members and officials took part in…
Seafarers Log
July 2017 The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship (SHLSS) at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education (PHC) is now a signatory to a partnership with the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), Leonardtown Campus to offer an Associate of Applied Science degree program in Maritime Operations…