 OP-ED by Tony Munoz, Editor-in-Chief of the Maritime Executive Magazine and the MarEx Newsletter
To: The Honorable John McCain
Dear Senator McCain:
With all due respect, it's time for you to LEAVE Washington because the agricultural lobbyists have persuaded you to dispose of one of the most essential pillars of national security for profits. Even our ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
benefit from the repeal of the Jones Act...but at what cost?
To view an enlarged version of this cartoon click here.
Click here for quotes about American Merchant Marine by Presidents, Military Leaders, National Figures, and others. Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Government Oversight Proves Catastrophic
On April 6, 2009, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the U.S. Department of the Interior gave BP a categorical exclusion from the National Environmental Policy Act.
In 1982 the U.S. Department of the Interior created MMS to oversee minerals leasing in the Outer Continental Shelf and to supervise all offshore operations. The MMS collects ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
Senator John McCain wants to repeal the Jones Act and has submitted Senate Bill 352
Dear MarEx:
"My guess this is another "political" move to gain some free press and ride on the coattail of the nonsense the press is writing about in relation to the gulf oil problem. No where in his statement addresses the NEGATIVE impact his ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Singaporean tanker hijacked in Gulf of Aden
In the early hours of June 28, pirates took control of the MV GOLDEN BLESSING approximately 90 nautical miles off the northern Somali coast. The Master of the Singapore flagged taker, deadweight of 14,445 tons, reported  pirates on board, upon which nearby German warship SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN (pictured) immediately launched their helicopter. Schleswig-Holstein reported ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Statement of Maritime Cabotage Task Force Opposing S. 3525, Legislation to Repeal Jones Act
Washington, D.C – We oppose this legislation. All the McCain bill would do is put more Americans out of work.
The McCain bill proposes to eliminate the very American industry that is helping to clean up the spill - an industry that supports 500,000 U.S. ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 The MV AEGEAN GLORY, bound for Karachi, was stopped by security agencies on Friday at Diamond Harbour in India. The ship contained explosives, rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns and bombs. The ship was returning from a UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia, where it is believed the weapons were used by Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Nepalese peacekeepers.
The red flag came when the pilot realized ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Recent and unexpected surges in international cargoes is good news for the world's shipping lines, but the industry is finding itself unable to take full advantage of the recovery.
Trade between Asia and Europe is up almost 25% and lead operators say there is a shortage of steel containers. The demand for containers fell so much in the last couple years that ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Alaska Governor Sean Parnell signed legislation Thursday that will reduce the $46-a-head tax on cruise passengers, to $34.50-a-head. The cruise industry, a major employer in the state, had heavy criticism for the high tax, enacted after a state ballot in 2006. This tax along with other new state regulations and other growing taxes caused the industry to pull three ships out of Alaska this year; ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 GULF INTRACOASTAL CANAL ASSOCIATION (GICA)
James Stark has been named Executive Director of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA), effective July 6, 2010. GICA's mission is to ensure the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is maintained, operated and improved to provide the safest, most efficient, economical and environmentally-sound water transportation route in our nation.
Mr. Stark most recently has been ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Crowley Trains Kuwaiti Navy Mariners on the Latest Z-Drive Harbor Tug Technology
A Crowley Maritime Corporation team recently trained seven Kuwaiti Navy mariners in operations aboard the first of two newly built Z-Drive harbor tugs the navy will take delivery of this year. The 30-day training session was designed to help the mariners learn how to operate the new boat safely while ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 The Bottsand class oil recovery ship cruises just like any other vessel- until it reaches an oil spill.
The twin hull ships feature a bow which can be opened by 65 degrees. This creates an area of more than 40 m² to collect oil-polluted seawater. The water is pumped into the ship's 790 m³ tank, where it will be cleaned and the ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Lloyd's Register (LR) is now offering a clean shipping index verification service. The index will demonstrate ship owner and operator successes in reducing the environmental impact of their activities beyond the requirements of classification or rules and regulations.
The service claims to be cost effective and can be delivered with little interruption to ship operations. The index was developed and approved by ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Successful Safety Management - A Practical Primer
August 2 - 3rd, 2010 Seattle, Washington
Given the overwhelming response of our previous course offering, the Pacific Maritime Institute has added another Two Day Safety Management Workshop.
This two workshop emphasizes recent amendments to the ISM Code, simple risk assessments, and streamlining processes to get back to the ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Fairsky Shipping & Trading S.A. has selected the new Seagull Training System for use across its entire fleet of ships and offices.
The Seagull Training System (STS) is the most widely used and comprehensive seafarer training system available. It can consist of a laptop, a desktop computer preloaded with the software, or via online. In this system the Seagull Training Administrator (STA) ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Port Everglades is set to overtake Port of Miami's cruise business in 2012 thanks to an aggressive pitch for business from Broward County. In 2009 Port Everglades saw over 3 million passengers, following close behind Miami's 4 million.
Broward County recently signed a deal with Carnival Corp. in April to bring 25.5 million passengers to the port over the next 15 years. ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Hundreds of spectators gathered in Castine, Maine, including 17 members of the Maine Maritime Academy Class of 1950, on Saturday to welcome home the T/S State of Maine.
The ship and its 230 students and 55 crew members sailed over 11,000 miles across the Atlantic and back, making stops in Marseille, France; Gibraltar; Keel, Germany, and Portsmouth, England. The ship briefly stopped ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 Offshore wind contractor aims for new vessels
At the Offshore Wind Conference 2010 in Liverpool, Scottish based SeaEnergy PLC signed a Letter of Intent with Ulstein Group to co-develop new service vessels for the offshore wind industry.
As the offshore wind industry moves further from the coastline, new strategies are required to make these far offshore windfarms more cost ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 "HARDHAT AND A HAMMER"
"Hardhat and a Hammer", Alan Jackson's recently released music video, contains footage of Horizon Shipbuilding, Inc. facilities and employees. Several workers were prominently featured in the video. In order of appearance they were: Roderick Jones (Jonesy), William Holmes (Homer), Larry Wilkerson (Uncle Lar), Clay Riva (Catfish), John Forrest, Russell Jones, Adrian Spruel (Seattle), Robert Alexander (Everett), Ryan Reed ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 End mariners' disenfranchisement says new Nautical Institute President
A pledge to provide direct input from seafarers to debates at the International Maritime Organization and to strive to counter mariners' feelings of disenfranchisement from society was delivered by The Nautical Institute's new President Captain James Robinson DSM FNI Irish Navy (Retd).
At his election to head up the international professional ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
 China's leading private shipbuilding company, Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group signed a frame agreement with reputable French offshore and marine service provider Bourbon today. The agreement indicated that Sinopacific will build 62 ships that is worth approximately 7 billion RMB (1 billion US$) for Bourbon in the coming years. The ships to be build include platform supply vessels, anchor handlers vessels etc. This is the largest ship ... Read More>>>Back to Top |
