Seafarers Log
March 2016 Philly Shipyard in late January announced that it has started construction on the first product tanker in a four-vessel order for American Petroleum Tankers (APT), a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan. All four of these Jones Act-eligible ships will carry SIU mariners. “These new ships will be a great…
Seafarers Log
March 2016 Likening the decades-long fight to a boxing match, a guest speaker at the Maritime Trades Department executive board meeting said the U.S. maritime industry continues winning rounds but is still looking for a knockout punch when it comes to excluding maritime from trade agreements. Donald O’Hare, a trade…
Seafarers Log
March 2016 The head of the AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council delivered his message with great passion, but he said the organization’s vital mission is actually very basic: improving the lives of veterans and working people, who are one and the same. Will Fischer, the council’s executive director, addressed the Maritime…
Seafarers Log
March 2016 He may not be a household name to the younger members of today’s U.S. Merchant Marine, but Gen. Duane Cassidy played a gigantic role in keeping the industry alive during the 1980s and 1990s. The retired Air Force general – who served as the first commanding officer of…
Seafarers Log
February 2016The head of Alaska Tanker Company (ATC) recently announced a significant safety milestone – and he credited the SIU for helping achieve it. In a written message late last year, Anil Mathur, CEO of Seafarers-contracted ATC, reported that the company’s employees had completed 20 million man-hours – spanning…
Seafarers Log
February 2016The Export-Import Bank, commonly called Ex-Im, has released its Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report highlighting its support of more than $17 billion in U.S. exports and an estimated 109,000 American jobs. The bank also announced it has transferred $431.6 million in deficit-reducing receipts to the U.S. Treasury’s General…
Seafarers Log
February 2016Jones Act Vessel Independence Means More Jobs for SIU Members Even before ringing in the new year, Seafarers had cause for celebration as General Dynamics NASSCO launched the first ship in a series of ECO Class tankers for the SEA-Vista fleet. A ceremony took place Dec. 12 at…
Seafarers Log
February 2016 SIU President Michael Sacco examines some often-overlooked benefits of the Jones Act If you spend any time in the U.S.-flag maritime industry, it usually doesn’t take long before the subject of the Jones Act comes up. But for those who may be brand new to the U.S.…
Seafarers Log
February 2016Beginning in January 2017, in order to renew a merchant mariner credential (MMC) with an STCW Basic Training (BT) endorsement (VI/1), an applicant must show proof of having completed a Coast Guard-approved BT class within the last five years. This does not mean that all mariners must complete…
Seafarers Log
January 2016 Several Seafarers-crewed vessels were recognized at the 2015 Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) awards gathering, which took place Nov. 13 in New York City. Additionally, the United Seamen’s Service (USS) honored Anthony Chiarello, president and CEO of TOTE Inc.; Matthew J. Cox, president and CEO of Matson;…