May-June 2012 - The International Organization of Masters, Mates ...

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news briefs (continued) Strong Opposition Meets U.S.-U.K. Proposal To “Discourage Ransom Payments to Pirates” A proposal by British Prime Minister David Cameron to “discourage the payment of ransoms to pirates” is evoking sharp criticism from shipping organizations, labor unions, seafarers’ rights groups and the marine insurance industry. The Round Table of international shipping associations and the Save Our Seafarers campaign (SOS) have written to Cameron and other U.K. government officials to say they are “highly disturbed” by statements made by U.K. and U.S. officials at the London Somalia Conference earlier this year. During the conference, Cameron and U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton discussed creating an international task force to study policies to discourage ransom payments. The proposal “is a continuation of the U.S. State Department’s ill-conceived notion that piracy can be stopped by denying the payment of ransom, a position which ignores the human cost of sacrificing the lives of innocent seafarers,” says the MM&P Pilots Group Vice President. “It is particularly troubling that governments have not mounted a robust and effective campaign against acts of piracy, the shore bases that permit pirates to operate and the tracking of ransom money to the financiers of piracy,” he adds. “There is no doubt that denying the payment of ransom will result in the death of seafarers, which is totally unacceptable to the maritime community.” “This could be a disaster for the shipping industry,” says Alistair Evitt, chairman of Save Our Seafarers, who was quoted in an interview published in the April 26 issue of Fairplay. “There has to be a system to get the seafarer released.” MM&P, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association and other U.S. maritime unions have spoken out strongly against the idea of blocking ransom payments since it was first floated in a 2010 Obama Administration Executive Order. “There is a vast difference between blocking the payment of funds to criminals where there are no consequences… and blocking ransom payments intended to protect the lives of innocent hostages,” the unions say. They are calling on the United States instead to place armed military detachments exercising governmental authority aboard U.S.-flag ships transiting waters subject to pirate attacks. Re-Elect U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa! America’s maritime unions are expressing strong support for Colleen Hanabusa, a member of the House of Representatives who is campaigning for re-election to the seat she won in 2010. Hanabusa, a labor lawyer, says she chose a career in public service to fight for low-income communities like the ones on Oahu’s Leeward Coast, where she grew up. The granddaughter of sugar cane workers, Hanabusa was elected President of the Hawaii State Senate in 2006, becoming the first woman to lead either house of the state legislature. A strong supporter of the Jones Act and maritime labor, Hanabusa is credited with fighting back an attempt to shut down the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Oahu. She also played a central role in the fight to secure more than $500 million for vital military construction projects in Hawaii. MM&P Honolulu Representative Randy Swindell (left) and Jeremiah Harrington, a member of the Seafarers International Union, show their support for Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, a strong advocate for maritime labor who is running for re-election to the House seat she won in 2010. May - June 2012 - 4 - The Master, Mate & Pilot
Greetings From Maersk Wyoming! En route to the United Arab Emirates via the Suez Canal. Capt. Kevin Coulombe (left) and Second Officer Dan Marsh celebrate landfall on Corvus Island in the Azores. It was March and Maersk Wyoming had been navigating in day-long snow flurries and Force 6 winds only three days prior. Aboard Maersk Wyoming. Third Officer R. Fred Tinney manning his lifeboat during a boat launching exercise. Last year the Maersk Wyoming participated in a company-sponsored fund-raising campaign for United Seamen’s Service (USS). The ship’s crew collected over $1,000, which was matched by Maersk Line Limited. The vessel and its crew were awarded a USS banner for their efforts. Pictured are (left) Bosun Lech Jankowski, a member of the Seafarers International Union, and MM&P member Chief Mate Scott Reed, who accepted the banner on behalf of the members of the crew who contributed to the fundraising drive. The USS banner will go on permanent display in the ship’s trophy hall. Sen. John McCain Thwarted In Yet Another Attempt to Repeal the Jones Act Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain failed March 26 in an attempt to attach legislation repealing the Jones Act to an energy bill. The Jones Act protects the jobs of American mariners by requiring that ships that are American-built, -flagged and -crewed carry goods between U.S. ports. McCain has made repealing the Jones Act a central point of his career. His most recent attempt to eliminate the Jones Act was blocked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who restricted the number of amendments that could be attached to the energy bill, S 2204. McCain had filed four amendments that would have repealed or waived the Jones Act as it applies to oil and petroleum product tank vessels, liquefied natural gas carriers and small passenger vessels. The Master, Mate & Pilot - 5 - May - June 2012
Page 1 and 2: Vol. 48, No. 3 May - June 2012 The
Page 3 and 4: New MM&P Jobs With APL news briefs
Page 5: accordance with the ISM process, co
Page 9 and 10: MM&P Members Aboard Maersk Alabama
Page 11 and 12: MSP and the cargo preference laws,
Page 13 and 14: Masters, Mates & Pilots Plans Admin
Page 15 and 16: Pension Plan Annual Funding Notice
Page 17 and 18: Open an Account at the MM&P Federal
Page 19 and 20: Kenneth Orcutt, 86, died Feb. 6. A
Page 21 and 22: New York/New Jersey Steven Werse Vi
Page 23 and 24: United Inland Membership Group Mich
Page 25 and 26: PCF CONTRIBUTORS Mohamed A. Abbassi
Page 27 and 28: PCF Support the U.S.-Flag Merchant

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