new contracts for e-ships, matson, sargeant marine and dunlap … · 2014-07-01 · agreement with...

The Master, Mate & Pilot January – February 2006 - � -

Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots

The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO

Vol. 42, No. 1 January – February 2006

Security Takes Center StageNew Contracts for E-Ships, Matson, Sargeant Marine and DunlapMM&P Holiday Party Photos

The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN 0025-5033) is the official voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (International Marine Division of the ILA), AFL-CIO. Published bimonthly at MM&P Headquarters, 700 Maritime Boulevard, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1941.

Telephone: (410) 850-8700 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.bridgedeck.org

Periodicals postage paid at Linthicum Heights, MD, and additional offices.

POSTMASTER—Please send changes to: The Master, Mate & Pilot 700 Maritime Boulevard Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1941

Timothy A. Brown Chairman, Editorial Board

Lisa Rosenthal Communications Director

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS

Timothy A. Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President

Glen P. Banks . . . . . . . . . . Secretary-Treasurer

VICE PRESIDENTS

Steve Demeroutis . . . . . . . . . . . . .United Inland

Bob Groh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Offshore Gulf

Don Marcus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offshore Pacific

Richard May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offshore Atlantic

George A. Quick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pilotage

Table of Contents

Company News 1New contracts with E-Ships, Matson, Sargeant Marine and Dunlap; CP Ships name will change

News Briefs 3Safety award to Sealand Pride; mariners pay price for ISPS security gains; kudos to MM&P chief mate for quick response; Energy Enterprise port call; merchant mariner career is losing its appeal; donations to MM&P disaster fund tax deductible; AOTOS award to Mercy crew; jury acquits ILA officials

Feature 10When mariners are asked to bear arms

Washington Observer 12Mixed news for maritime at end of first session of the �09th Congress; focus on USCG background checks

Health & Benefit Plans 17 Changes to MM&P Offshore Pension Plan; impact of Medicare Part D on Plans Office; protecting against identity theft; relative value of retirement options; problems with Quest Diagnostics; optical benefits; use generics to save money; how to recognize the signs of stroke

Pensioners 22

MM&P Holiday Party Photos 23

MM&P Directory 30

Cross’d the Final Bar 35

A Message from New Orleans 37

Contribute to the MM&P PCF 38

MITAGS News 41Focus on Alice Robinson; room and pool renovations at MITAGS; math education award to MITAGS and CCMIT

Vol. 42, No. 1 January – February 2006

About the Cover

MM&P member Mark C. Landow practices his stance, breathing and trigger-pull techniques during small arms training at MM&P’s Maritime Institute of Training and Graduate Studies (MITAGS). The Global War on Terrorism and recent attacks on shipping have placed mariners in critical roles in the area of vessel security. (Photo by Sara Glik.)

The Navy Jack, a symbol of resistance which dates back to the American Revolution, flies today on the jack staff on the bow of all naval vessels. In accordance with a resolution made by the delegates to the 75th Convention of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, every issue of The Master, Mate & Pilot includes a photograph of the historic flag.


New Contract for Asphalt CommanderMM&P has reached an agreement with Sargeant Marine

on a new three-year contract for the Asphalt Commander.

Key parties to the negotiations were MM&P Gulf Ports Vice

President Bob Groh, Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May,

Houston Port Agent Wayne Farthing and the Master of the

Asphalt Commander, Captain Manny Kelakios.

“We made great strides in a new three-year contract,

with large increases in vacation, wages and overtime clarifi-

cation,” said Groh.

Under the terms of the agreement, which took effect

Jan. 1, wages for both licensed and unlicensed personnel

were raised substantially during the first year of the contract.

Other positive changes included in the contract terms are:

• licensed deck officers’ vacation increased by seven days a

month; IRAP established at 6 percent plus Feinberg;

• unlicensed personnel vacation increased by nine days a

month; IRAP established at 11 percent plus Feinberg;

• all hands (licensed and unlicensed) received a 3 percent

increase in wages effective Jan. 1, 2006, and will do so again

on Jan. 1. 2007, and on Jan. 1, 2008;

• all hands (licensed and unlicensed) will receive an addi-

tional vacation day on Jan. 1, 2007 and again on Jan. 1, 2008.

New Contract for E-Ships MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May reports

that the union has signed a new contract with E-Ships that

extends for the duration of the current Maritime Security

Program. The new contract, which took effect Jan. 1,

provides for a 3 percent raise in wages and all wage-related

items for 2006 and increases in all future years. Masters are

guaranteed a raise in overtime to two hours per day. Second

and third mates vacation has been increased by one day in

the second year of the contract and by an additional day in

the fifth year of the contract. The foreign port night differen-

tial, a wage-related item, will increase in the second year and

each year thereafter.

MM&P also signed a one-year contract for the

SS Argonaut that contains a 4½ percent wage and wage-

related item increase effective Jan. 1, 2006, and an additional

day of vacation for all licensed deck officers.

United Inland Group Has New Contract With Dunlap MM&P’s United Inland Group (UIG) has a new three-year

contract with Dunlap Towing, a family-owned marine trans-

port company based in LaConner, Wash.

More than 60 UIG members work at Dunlap on a range

of vessels that includes 25 tugboats and seven barges. In

addition to its corporate office in LaConner, the company

has offices in Everett, where ocean operations are based, and

in Olympia and Port Angeles, where local harbor tug services

are marketed.

“MM&P looks forward to a bright future with Dunlap,”

said UIG Vice President Steve Demeroutis. He commended

all parties involved for their hard work in negotiating the

contract, which passed by an 84 percent “yes” vote.

“MM&P Branch Agent Mike Murray and I want to

thank the bargaining committee of MM&P deck officers:

Terry Andersen, Michael Cahill, Steve Dewitt, Jon Larson,

Danny Nystrom and Peter Olsen,” Demeroutis said. He also

extended thanks to representatives of the company—Jim

Dunlap, Russ Johnson, Gordy Taylor and Scott Manly—“for

their good faith bargaining with the union.”

CoMPaNy newS

Pictured at the recent contract negotiations for the Asphalt Commander are (left to right) MM&P Houston

Port Agent Wayne Farthing, Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May, Gulf Ports Vice President Bob Groh, Asphalt

Commander Captain Manny Kelakios and, representing Sargeant Marine, Angela Marino and Capt. Hans Hein.

- 2 - January – February 2006 The Master, Mate & Pilot

CoMPaNy newSDemeroutis said the company “stepped up to the plate

during negotiations regarding health and welfare, compen-

sation and other working conditions that will continue to

provide family wage jobs for our MM&P licensed deck offi-

cers working at Dunlap.”

Agreement With Matson for Kvaerner Hull #4 After numerous rounds of negotiations, MM&P and

Matson Navigation reached an agreement in November

2005 regarding terms of employment aboard MV Maunalei.

The vessel is the last of four purchased by Matson from

Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. The Maunalei is scheduled for

delivery in the summer of 2006.

MM&P Pacific Ports Vice President Don Marcus

described the contract gains as “modest, but hard-fought.”

Marcus said the agreement, which also covers three other

Matson new-builds (the “ CV 2600” Class vessels) that are

now in operation, addresses wage inequities contained in

the original CV 2600 collective bargaining agreement. The

contract also reallocates funds for an additional day of vaca-

tion when the vessels are engaged in foreign service.

MM&P extends heartfelt thanks to the members of

several other unions who supported the Masters, Mates &

Pilots during the negotiations with Matson: the Marine

Engineers Beneficial Association (MEBA), the Sailors

Union of the Pacific (SUP) and the Marine Firemen, Oilers,

Watertenders and Wipers (MFOW).

A thanks is also in order to the members of the various

rank and file bargaining committees who had negotiated

with Matson on their own time since April 2004.

CP Ships Brand Name to Be Phased Out On the heels of its recent purchase of CP Ships Ltd., Hapag-

Lloyd AG has announced it intends to phase out the CP

Ships brand name at an as yet unspecified time. CP Ships

Ltd. operates five vessels that receive funding under the

Maritime Security Program (MSP) and are crewed by

MM&P licensed deck officers. The Hapag-Lloyd purchase of

CP Ships makes the new business the fifth largest container

carrier in the world. The decision to phase out the CP Ships

name is in keeping with similar marketing strategies adopted

recently by A.P. Møller-Maersk—which will discontinue use

of the names “Sealand” and “P&O Nedlloyd” —and by other

international shipping companies.

PhOTO COurTesy OF CP shIPs

CP Yosemite was reflagged in October after having been renamed. Hapag-Lloyd has announced it will

ultimately phase out the CP Ships brand name.

MM&P members and supporters in Honolulu leafletted the headquarters of Matson’s parent company,

Alexander & Baldwin, at intervals during the contract negotiations. (Left to right) Russel Rippetoe of MEBA, Kanoa Parker, MM&P representative Randy Swindell,

MM&P Pacific Ports Vice President Don Marcus, Louis Mendez, Anders Brinch and Russell Cooper.


NEWS Briefs Prestigious Safety Award for MM&P-Crewed Sealand PrideMaster, officers and crew of the Maersk Line Ltd.

MV Sealand Pride have received the Jones F. Devlin Safe Ship

Award for having operated for 1,326 days without a lost-time

accident. The participants in the awards ceremony, which

was held aboard the Sealand Pride in November, included

MM&P Norfolk Representative Patti Powell, Maersk shore

managers and representatives of MEBA and SIU.

(Above) MM&P licensed deck officers receive the award. (Left to right) Chief Mate John Kelly, Second

Mate Steve Marvin, MM&P’s Patti Powell, Third Mate Randell Moore and Captain James Brennan.

Seafarers Pay High Price for ISPS Security GainsSignificant workload increases and restrictions on shore

leave are just two of the negative effects experienced by

seafarers as a result of implementation of the International

Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, according to a

recent study by the International Transportation Workers

Federation (ITF).

Implemented on a fast track in 2004 in response to

the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the ISPS Code establishes a range

of requirements intended to improve maritime security,

including the use of ship and company security officers and

measures to monitor and control access to ships and ports.

To gauge the effectiveness of the code and its impact on

seafarers, in January 2005 the ITF sent a questionnaire to

230 trade unions and 127 ITF inspectors. The unions that

responded represent a combined membership of approxi-

mately 165,000 seafarers worldwide.

The survey found that the “ISPS Code is improving

security at the expense of seafarers, who are increasingly

overworked and treated with suspicion,” the ITF said. “This

is happening at a time when disproportionate security

measures not related to the code are also having a negative

impact on crews.”

At the next meeting of the International Maritime

Organization’s Maritime Security Working Group, the ITF

intends to submit a position paper calling for the ISPS

Code to be reopened to address the issues raised. MM&P’s

participation in the initiative is being spearheaded by George

Quick, vice president of the union’s Pilot Membership

Group, who has provided the ITF with reports of numerous

complaints that members and other seafarers have filed with

MM&P over the course of the past six months because they

were improperly denied access to a terminal or port.

The overwhelming response to the ITF survey was that

ISPS had seriously increased seafarers’ workloads without

any increase in staff, pay or training, and was associated with

grave restrictions on shore leave, especially in the United

States. “Although the ISPS Code includes provisions to avert

problems of access to ports, shore leave and welfare facilities,

it is clear from the survey that these are being neglected in

the code’s implementation,” the ITF said. One respondent

commented that seafarers “are expected to embrace the role

of security guard whilst simultaneously being treated as

potential terrorists.”

“If flag states and shipowners are serious in their

desire to reduce the risk of attacks on ships and port facili-

ties, considerably more attention must be paid to staffing

resources,” the ITF said. “To move beyond a token ‘lip

service’ approach to security requires increased investment

in training and a practical recognition of the workloads

generated by the code.”

Today’s seafarers “are expected to embrace the role of security guard whilst simultaneously being treated as potential terrorists,” according to one respondent to the ITF study.

- � - January – February 2006 The Master, Mate & Pilot

MM&P member Gene Spaulding, chief mate on the SS Meteor, has been commended for

quick thinking and resourcefulness.

The results of the study, published as the report “Access

Denied: Implementing the ISPS Code,” are at www.itfglobal.

org/infocentre/pubs.cfm/detail/1446. To report instances

in which you or a fellow crew member were improperly

denied access to a port or terminal, send an e-mail to:

[email protected].

Praise for MM&P Chief Mate in Flooding IncidentMM&P member Gene Spaulding and several other members

of the crew of SS Meteor have been commended for their

quick and effective response to a recent flooding incident

aboard the vessel. At 1900 hours on Christmas day, when

the MARAD Ready Reserve Force (RRF) vessel operated

by Matson Navigation lay in her Alameda, Calif., berth,

Spaulding discovered progressive flooding in the starboard

shaft alley caused by a wasted drain line from the stern tube.

An estimated 100 gallons of water per minute was flowing

into the ship. After securing the shaft alley watertight door,

Spaulding called ship crew members ashore and Matson

shoreside personnel. Less than two hours later, Spaulding

and other members of the crew had brought the flooding

under control. In a widely disseminated memo, Matson

Government Services Program Director Tom Stapleton

commended Spaulding and the other crew members

involved for their “resourcefulness and dedication” in

responding to the incident.

Energy Enterprise Port CallLicensed deck officers (LDOs) of Energy Enterprise, oper-

ated by MM&P-contracted Central Gulf, received a visit

from union headquarters staff when the vessel docked at

Baltimore’s Locust Point Marine Terminal in December.

(Left to right) Third Mate Matt Holt, Captain Paul

Camirand, Second Mate Carl Schoote and Port Relief Officer

Brian Rogers in the wheelhouse with Mike Rodriguez,

Executive Assistant to MM&P International President Tim

Brown. Not pictured are Chief Mates Bob Perkins and Ed

Roach, who are assigned to the vessel, and Second Mate

Shane Murphy, who is scheduled to rejoin it. Rodriguez and

the Energy Enterprise LDOs discussed the ongoing contract

negotiations between the union and Central Gulf. (Photo by

Lisa Rosenthal, MM&P communications director.)

Merchant Mariner Career Now “Less Appealing”“The retention of quality merchant mariners is becoming

increasingly difficult” because the profession “is losing its

charm,” according to an article published in a recent issue of

Navy Proceedings, the magazine of the U.S. Naval Institute.

“Gone are the days when merchant mariners were welcome

in every port and treated as global citizens,” writes master

mariner Shashi Kumar, associate dean at Maine Maritime

Academy, in the May 2005 issue of the magazine. Kumar

says the denial of shore leave in U.S. ports as a result of the

NEWS Briefs (continued)

The Master, Mate & Pilot January – February 2006 - 5 -

implementation of new anti-terrorism measures has been

“highly demoralizing for merchant mariners from most

developing countries.” In the article, he projects that the

shortage of senior officers will only get worse, especially in

specialized areas such as LNG transport. Kumar contrasts

the waning status of the U.S. maritime sector to the growing

role of China, which by 2020 is expected to house “two of

the world’s largest shipping companies, the world’s largest

shipyard, the world’s largest port complex and two of the

world’s largest maritime universities, besides being the

world’s largest supplier of crew members for the open

registry fleet.”

MM&P General Executive Board Meetings ScheduledThe members of MM&P’s Offshore Advisory Committee

(OAC) and General Executive Board (GEB) have announced

their official 2006 meeting schedule. The officials will meet:

March 14-15; June 6-7; Sept. 12-13; and Dec. 5-6. All the

meetings will be held at MM&P International Headquarters

in Linthicum Heights, Md.

MM&P Member Organizes Hurricane Aid ConcertIn the aftermath of the hurricanes in New Orleans and

Mississippi, MM&P member John Nicoll organized a

concert in Saugus, Mass., that raised over $7,000 for victims.

Six bands and a total of 45 performers were on hand for the

event.

(Above) Concert-goers said the Blues Brothers act “tore down the house” at the fundraiser, which was dubbed the “Kure for Katrina.” Nicoll is master of the Horizon Fairbanks.

Welcome to MM&P’s Boston Hall(Below, left) MM&P Boston Representative Dan Cartmill and member Jeff Davis pose with a print of the side paddle-wheeler

Seawanhaka, by artist and pilot member Brian Hope. The union has distributed framed copies of the print to all its halls.

(Below, right) Member John Nicoll and applicant Robert Neumyer pose with Cartmill. The busy Boston Hall services a core

group of several hundred members and retirees throughout the New England area.



MM&P Disaster Relief Fund Gets Tax-Exempt StatusThe MM&P Disaster Relief Fund has officially been

approved as a tax-exempt organization. Tax-exempt status

means that all contributions to the fund are tax deductible.

Since its inception in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the

fund has raised over $106,000 and made more than $73,000

in disbursements. To contribute to the fund, please send a

check, made payable to “The MM&P Disaster Relief Fund,”

to 700 Maritime Blvd., Linthicum Heights, MD 21090. For

more information, or if you have suffered losses as a result of

the hurricanes and wish to apply for aid, call (410) 850-8700

ext. 11 or 12.

Daughter of MM&P Member Wins ScholarshipShannon Casey, daughter of MM&P member Joseph M.

Casey, is the recipient of one of two $2,500 prizes awarded

by the Baltimore, Md.-based law firm Ashcraft & Gerel. The

firm sponsors two, one-time only scholarships for college

students whose immediate family members belong to a

Baltimore-area AFL-CIO affiliated union. Shannon, who was

unable to attend the event, intends to seek a master’s degree

in mental health and counseling. She expects to graduate in

June 2009. Present at the awards ceremony were (left to right)

MM&P Special Projects Director Richard Plant, attorney

William F. Mulroney, a partner in the firm that made the

awards, and Ernie Grecco, president of the Metropolitan

Baltimore Council AFL-CIO.

Union venerables honored: Two long-time members of the Masters, Mates & Pilots, Richard Connelly and Joe Milkavich, have received their 50-year pins and certificates from union officials. (Left) MM&P International President Tim Brown presented the award to Connelly at a recent union meeting in Los

Angeles/Long Beach. Brown sailed as chief mate for Connelly, who has actually been a member of MM&P for 60 years. (Right) In New York, Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May presents a 50-year pin and

certificate to Milkavich, who joined the union in 1943 and has thus been a member for over 61 years.



A Union Affinity Spanning Decades

MM&P Government Group member Edward A. Morehouse

writes that for decades, his father carefully conserved a

70-year-old dues receipt for membership in the “Masters,

Mates, Pilots, Marine Engineers, Deck Hands, Firemen,

Oilers, Cooks and Tankermen,” then ILA Local 333. “I

think it’s interesting that, as the organization progressed,

everyone started out together, branched off into competing

trades, and here we are coming together again,” the younger

Morehouse writes. When the elder Morehouse turned 20,

he got a job as deckhand on a tugboat which ran from New

York City to the Erie Canal. “That job began his relation-

ship with what was to become MM&P,” writes “Captain Ed,”

today master of Dredge Wheeler. “The second photo shows

one of the proudest moments of my father’s life, when he

was with me on the day I graduated from the U.S. Merchant

Marine Academy. When I obtained my unlimited master’s

license, he always told me he was proud to see that I was able

to accomplish what he had dreamed of for himself. Thus

was our joint connection to the U.S. Merchant Marine and

to the Masters, Mates & Pilots.” In the third photo (above),

“Captain Ed” presents a retirement certificate to Doyce

Cooke, retiring third mate.

Jury Acquits ILA OfficialsA federal jury in Brooklyn, N.Y., has cleared two

International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) officials

on criminal charges that had served as the foundation for a

civil suit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against the

union. An article published in the January 2006 edition of

American Shipper termed the jury’s decision “a heavy blow”

to the government’s attempt to prosecute the ILA. Acquitted

in the decision were Harold J. Daggett, ILA assistant general

organizer, and Arthur Coffey, an ILA vice president. Another

ILA official, Al Cernadas, had earlier pleaded guilty in the

case. The ILA has responded to the indictments by making a

code of ethics and the role of an “ethical practices counsel”

permanent in its constitution. ILA International President

John Bowers called the day of the acquittals “a wonderful day

for our union.”


- � - January – February 2006 The Master, Mate & Pilot

MM&P Officers at Propeller Club EventMM&P International Secretary-Treasurer Glen Banks and

four of the union’s five vice presidents were among the

maritime industry leaders who attended the Washington,

D.C., Propeller Club’s holiday reception. The annual event

draws congressional staffers and representatives of shipping

companies and maritime unions from around the country.

(Left to right) MM&P International Secretary-Treasurer Glen Banks, Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May, United

Inland Group Vice President Steve Demeroutis, Pacific Ports Vice President Don Marcus, Special Projects Director

Richard Plant and Gulf Ports Vice President Bob Groh.

Surprise Birthday Party for MM&P’s Bob DarleyFormer MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Bob Darley was

honored at a surprise 70th birthday party this fall that drew

family and friends from across the country.

In the photo above, Darley and wife, Dot (center),

who organized the event, are pictured with (left to right)

MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May, Wally

Becker of Horizon Lines, Ed Morgan of E-Ships and MM&P

International President Tim Brown.

AOTOS Seamanship Award to Hospital Ship Mercy MM&P officials joined other maritime industry leaders

in honoring the captains and crew of Military Sealift

Command hospital ship USNS Mercy at the 39th Admiral of


Members of Cape Jacob’s deck department take a break while underway in the Far East. Manning

and operating the six-hatch gear aboard this “stick ship” is routine work for the break-bulker, which Matson Navigation operates for MARAD. (Left to right) Master Joseph J. Klenczar, Third Mate John King, Chief Mate Mike Lee and Second Mate Gary

Frame. Not pictured is Third Mate Chris Rogers.


Photo: Frank Cianciotti

the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) awards gala hosted by the United

Seamen’s Service in New York this fall. The award recognizes

American mariners who have demonstrated extraordinary

seamanship, devotion to duty and courage. On behalf of

the ship’s crew, Capt. Nathan Smith, one of the masters of

Mercy, accepted the AOTOS seamanship award from MSC

Commander Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III for relief work

following last December’s tsunami. The following MM&P

Government Group members served as licensed deck offi-

cers aboard the Mercy during some or all of the vessel’s

tsunami relief mission: Dustin Dresner, Michael Flanagan,

Craig Gallagher, Michael Keller, Michael Leahy, Teague

Murphy, Richard Paramoure, Ursula Rutledge, Joseph Siddell

and Nathan Smith.

Also in attendance were MM&P International President

Tim Brown (not pictured), MM&P International Secretary-

Treasurer Glen Banks (second from left) and MM&P

Pacific Ports Vice President Don Marcus (second from

right), pictured with (left to right) Seafarers International

Secretary-Treasurer Dave Heindel, MM&P’s Executive

Assistant to the President Mike Rodriguez, American

Maritime Officers (AMO) National Executive Vice President

Tom Bethel and AMO National Assistant Vice President At

Large Robert Kiefer.

Have You Been Denied Access?MM&P has received reports of terminals and port facilities

improperly denying access to crew members and visitors to

and from ships in violation of the ISPS Code. The union is

planning to protest the practice at the national and, if need

be, the international level, but to do so, we need your help.

Please send an e-mail to [email protected]

to report incidents of access denial, as well as cases in which

a fee to access port facilities is levied on crew members or

their visitors. Please provide the day the incident took place,

the names of the port, facility and ship, and a brief descrip-

tion of what occurred.

Officer Shortage to WorsenA “modest shortfall” in the number of qualified licensed deck

officers worldwide is expected to get worse over the course

of the next decade with the addition of new ships to inter-

national fleets, according to a recent study. The BIMCO/ISF

Manpower 2005 Update quantified the current shortfall in

approximately 2 percent, equal to about 10,000 officers. The

study also found “a significant overall surplus” of ratings,

although “doubts exist as to how many are available for

international service.” The authors said there is little room

for more manning reductions on ships because of increased

workloads from the ISPS Code and other requirements.

Civilian Mariners to Man Amphibious Assault Ships?According to an article published in the December 2005

issue of SeaPower, the official magazine of the Navy League

of the United States, the Navy is weighing a plan that would

entail “manning LHA(R) and LHD amphibious assault

ships—and perhaps other ships as well—with crews that

would consist of mariners other than U.S. Navy sailors.” The

article, which quotes unidentified sources in the Navy, said

the options under consideration include staffing vessels in

the Maritime Prepositioning Force with civilian mariners

(CIVMARS), Marines or contractors, but that it was too

early to reveal other details of the plan.

New Contract for Faculty and MATESMike Rodriguez would like to thank Hao Cheong and Eric

Friend for their part in settling a new contract for the faculty

at MITAGS. MITAGS faculty are members of MM&P’s

Offshore Group. The agreement is a significant step toward

strengthening the MATES program by creating a way for

the faculty to participate with management. “Our agree-

ment allows the faculty and the MATES program to explore,

together, the whole range of solutions to the challenges

facing our program,” Rodriguez said. “I would like to thank

Barry Reese and Pablo Rodriguez of MATES as well for their

effort in making this whole thing happen.”


- �0 - January – February 2006 The Master, Mate & Pilot

on the CoverWhen Mariners Are Asked to Bear Arms

Mike Rodriguez

In 1985, six hijackers seized the Achille Lauro, killing one

passenger and holding the rest hostage along with the vessel’s

crew. Seventeen sailors were lost and 39 others injured when

the USS Cole was bombed while taking on fuel in Yemen in

2000. The French tanker Limburg was attacked in 2002 by

terrorists in a small boat laden with explosives. One crew-

member was killed and 12 others were injured. The damage

to the ship was put at approximately $45 million. As recently

as November 2005, pirates armed with rockets attacked the

Seabourn Spirit, a cruise liner carrying 150 passengers and

a crew of 160. Only swift action by the crew prevented the

pirates from boarding the vessel.

As we enter 2006, it has become almost cliché to

talk about the new world we live and work in following

the September 11 attacks. We drive past signs that tell

us to report suspicious activity, but who can remember

the number to call? Today it makes hardly a ripple when

the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) raises the

national threat level. In speech after speech, seemingly in

every public appearance, federal officials talk about the 2001

attacks and their effect on specific government agencies and

departments.

Given our ability to adjust to changes in the status

quo, it is natural that we should start to discount the idea

of a threat when there is no evidence that one exists at that

specific time. Yet, as evidenced by the series of incidents

described at the beginning of this article, the threat of

attacks on shipping is a real one.

Our nation’s armed forces are continually concerned

with antiterrorism (AT) because of the nature of their

mission and because military installations and personnel

are always potential targets. Department of Defense (DOD)

Directive 2000.12, the DOD Antiterrorism (AT) Program,

establishes DOD’s antiterrorism policy. It also describes

which elements within DOD are affected. It does this

by establishing a chain of command that starts with the

Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and flows through the

Combatant Commands. Military Sealift Command (MSC)

is covered by 2000.12 since it is part of the United States

Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), one of the

nine Combatant Commands.

Directive 2000.12 encompasses DOD contractors,

including the private sector companies that MSC contracts

with to manage its own ships and those that MARAD

works with in the context of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF)

program.

In response to directive 2000.12, the Commander of

MSC (COMSC) issues and updates instructions for its

implementation. The current MSC instruction that defines

MSC’s antiterrorism policy is COMSCINST 5530.3B, a

PHOTO: SARA GLIK

MM&P member Benjamin D. Mantey practices drawing a 9-mm handweapon from a holster as part of a small arms training class taught at MM&P’s training institute, MITAGS, last April.

The Master, Mate & Pilot January – February 2006 - �� -

on the Covercomprehensive document which contains detailed proce-

dures, checklists and other requirements dealing with ship

security.

Let’s look now at how the DOD and MSC documents

that establish AT policy operate with respect to MM&P-

contracted companies and our members aboard the

affected vessels.

Although 2000.12 gives military commanders at all

levels the responsibility to establish security measures, the

authority to set the threat level, or force protection condi-

tion (FPCON), for a particular area of responsibility (AOR)

is assigned to the geographic combatant commanders. Local

commanders, including ships’ masters, have the discretion to

establish AT measures which are more stringent than those

set by the combatant commander; they may not, however,

substitute their own, less stringent, measures for the more

demanding ones set by the combatant commander.

What this means, for example, is that the local

commander in Diego Garcia must comply with the AT

measures for that FPCON which have been set by the

commander of the Pacific Command. The local commander

may, however, require each ship to use AT measures that

are even more stringent. For example, it is well within the

authority of local commanders to require ships’ officers to

carry small arms while on watch.

Some MM&P masters and deck officers have expressed

concern over what they see as the safety and liability issues

implicit in carrying weapons while on watch. According

to MSC antiterrorism staff, there is no liability so long as

the weapons are properly maintained in accordance with

prescribed maintenance plans and are issued only to those

who are qualified to carry them. Mariners achieve qualifica-

tion through an approved small arms course.

It is inevitable that questions and concerns will arise

over the level of threat and the means to meet it. To answer

these questions, ships’ masters and officers should: read the

documents issued by DOD, the Navy and MSC; discuss their

concerns with the company; and speak with the relevant

people in the chain of command in their own area of opera-

tions. DOD directives are posted at: http://www.dtic.mil/

whs/directives/. To view material relating to COMSC, go to:

http://www.msc.navy.mil/instructions/instructions.asp.

If you have any questions on this topic, please contact Mike

Rodriguez, Executive Assistant to the President, at (410)

850-8700, ext. 23, or by e-mail: [email protected].

Sound suppressors lowered, MM&P member James Howard Hix III listens to a briefing by instructors in

the small arms training course. The specially designed shooting glasses he wears reduce glare without

interfering with his ability to see the target.

PHOTO: SARA GLIK

MM&P members practice firing a 12-gauge shotgun.

MM&P’s Directory Is Now Online

Visit http://www.bridgedeck.org/ to find up-to-the-minute contact informa-

tion for all of MM&P’s staff and offices


Washington ObserverMixed News for Maritime as Congress Wraps Up First Session

C. James Patti

As the first session of the 109th Congress comes to an

end, now is a good time to review what we were able to

accomplish in 2005 to help preserve and strengthen the

U.S.-flag merchant marine and to maintain and create jobs

for members of the International Organization of Masters,

Mates & Pilots (MM&P). Typically when a session of

Congress breaks for the year, we can look back and find that

there are some issues that were decided very clearly in our

favor, some where the result is less favor-

able than we had hoped, and some where

it is still to early to tell; so far, the record

of this Congress closely matches our

experience in this regard.

Fiscal Year 2006 Maritime Security Program FundingOur most important victory in 2005 came

when President Bush signed into law

legislation providing full appropriations

for the Maritime Security Program (MSP)

at the new, higher level authorized by

Congress. Full funding for MSP for fiscal

year 2006 was passed by Congress and

sent to the President on Nov. 18. The President signed HR

3058 on Nov. 30 as Public Law 109–115. With passage of this

law, the vessels now enrolled in the program and crewed by

MM&P members will be able to continue to operate in MSP

under the U.S. flag.

In recognition of the importance to our nation’s

commercial sealift capability of the U.S.-flag merchant

marine and its cadre of American merchant mariners, the

fiscal year 2006 funding measure for MSP included the full

$156 million strongly advocated by MM&P, MIRAID, our

contracted MSP-participating shipping companies and

others in the industry. The amount is necessary to support

the expanded 60-ship MSP fleet at the $2.6 million per

vessel per year level. Without these funds, and without MSP,

American-flag vessel operators would have an even harder

time competing against heavily subsidized, state-controlled

fleets for the carriage of America’s foreign commerce.

Equally important, without the MSP fleet of privately

owned, militarily useful U.S.-flag commercial vessels and

their American crews, our government would have to rely

on foreign-flag, foreign-crewed vessels to support American

forces overseas, a scenario that would put American service

men and women at risk.

Congress must make funds available each fiscal year

to support the continued operation of the MSP fleet.

Notwithstanding our success in achieving full funding for

fiscal year 2006, we will therefore have to

wage the fight to maintain our fleet and

our jobs again for fiscal year 2007.

National Security Personnel System (NSPS)To date we have achieved partial success

in our efforts to have the civil service

mariners (CIVMARS) who crew the

vessels owned and operated by Military

Sealift Command (MSC) excluded

from all aspects of the Administration’s

proposed National Security Personnel

System (NSPS). In early 2005, the

Department of Defense (DOD) agreed to

exclude CIVMARS from the human relations and appeals

provisions of the NSPS. While this is a significant and

important development for MM&P and the other mari-

time unions that represent CIVMARS, it is only a partial

victory, and we will continue to fight the decision by the

Administration and DOD to include CIVMARS under the

labor relations portion of the NSPS. If CIVMARS were ulti-

mately to be covered, DOD would have unilateral authority

to waive or change the terms and conditions negotiated in

collective bargaining agreements, effectively eliminating the

labor rights now enjoyed by these American workers and

the ability of the unions involved to properly represent their

members.

On Nov. 17, 2005, a coalition of AFL-CIO unions

sued to block implementation of various portions of the

NSPS regulations dealing with labor relations, mandatory

removal offenses and appeals. After a series of discussions

among representatives of DOD, the Office of Personnel

C. James Patti President, MIRAID


Management (OPM), the Department of Justice, and the

plaintiff labor unions, DOD voluntarily agreed to delay

implementation of portions of NSPS until Feb. 1, 2006, at

the earliest. Under the terms of the agreement, the Court has

been asked to set a hearing date for the case in early January.

Going forward in our fight, we are joined by a number

of former DOD officials who were at one time respon-

sible for the missions performed by the vessels crewed by

CIVMARS. These officials—including three former MSC

commanders and two former commanders-in-chief of

the United States Transportation Command—have told

the Secretary of Defense that “including CIVMARS in the

NSPS would be counterproductive and would potentially

jeopardize the proven mission effectiveness, flexibility,

and accountability of the existing CIVMAR system.” They

warned that because the NSPS “will eliminate the direct

cooperative relationship between the Military Sealift

Command and maritime labor,” it could “threaten the depth

and quality of the pool of CIVMARS… thus impairing

mission effectiveness and increasing costs.”

We will continue to work with friends and supporters

on Capitol Hill who understand how well the existing

CIVMAR system has worked and who share our concern

(and the concern of the former DOD officials) that

including CIVMARS in the NSPS could impair our sealift

capability and readiness. We expect that Congress will

have its first opportunity to address changes to the NSPS,

including the exclusion of CIVMARS, in early 2006.

“Belated Thank You to World War II Merchant Mariners”The report on HR 23, the “Belated Thank You to World

War II Merchant Mariners,” is a good news, bad news

story. The good news is that this legislation, introduced by

Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.), is attracting a growing number

of cosponsors. As of the end of the first session of the 109th

Congress, the bill had 238 cosponsors, which demon-

strates that a clear majority of members of the House of

Representatives agrees that the proposed legislation should

be enacted into law. The bad news: it hasn’t happened

yet. Until it does, the deserving and eligible World War

II merchant mariners or their surviving spouses will not

receive the $1,000 monthly benefit intended to provide

long-overdue recognition to those whose dedication and

sacrifice contributed immeasurably to the Allied victory.

HR 23 (and its companion Senate legislation, S 1272)

have not been acted on because neither has yet been

“scored” by Congress. Since enactment of the legisla-

tion would result in the expenditure of federal funds, the

Congressional Budget Office must first estimate how much

money will be spent if the bill is enacted, and Congress must

then determine where the money to pay for the benefit is

going to come from.

It has consistently been our position that the “cost” of

this legislation pales in comparison to the contributions

made by America’s World War II merchant mariners, contri-

butions that often included loss of life. We will continue to

push for “scoring” and for the enactment of this important

piece of legislation.

Foreign Riding GangsAn issue that has sparked a great deal of controversy and

remains unresolved is employment of foreign riding gangs

on U.S.-flag commercial vessels to do routine maintenance

and shipyard-related work while vessels are underway. The

use of riding gangs is common in the international maritime

community but has not been a usual practice aboard U.S.-

flag ships.

When the proposal surfaced as part of pending

Coast Guard legislation, MM&P expressed its concerns to

Congress, noting that the language was too broad. Although

the proposal would preclude such foreign workers from

being part of the crew complement, performing watch-

standing functions or being members of the stewards’

department, MM&P argued that the proposal did not ensure

that the employment of foreign riding gangs would not

result in a decrease in the employment of American mari-

ners. MM&P also expressed concern that the language could

enable foreign riding gangs to perform the work of long-

shoremen when the vessel was in U.S. ports. Finally, MM&P

noted that the legislation did not subject the foreign workers

to the same thorough background and security checks that

American mariners must undergo.

As the first session of the 109th Congress ended,

the proponents of the riding gang legislation had made

significant changes to their proposal to address many of

the concerns raised by MM&P and others. The latest draft

would add cargo handling and other longshore-related

work to the list of prohibited activities so that the proposed

(Washington Observer, continued on page 16)

- �� - January – February 2006 The Master, Mate & Pilot

Washington ObserverBackground Checks for Merchant Mariners

Richard Plant

Mariners are well aware that a thorough background check

is now required for the renewal of their merchant mariner

document (MMD) or Z-card. Background checks are also

required for the first-time issuance (but not for the renewal)

of a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) license.

Although the USCG National Maritime Center (NMC)

has been authorized to perform background checks based

on the National Drivers Record (NDR) since 2003, the

background check process has recently undergone signifi-

cant changes. Background checks as they are now being

performed can slow the renewal process, in some cases by

weeks or even months. What’s more, there can be serious

consequences if the mariner neglects to list on the appli-

cation a particular incident—even a minor one which

occurred decades earlier. This article is intended to offer

some guidance to the limited number of mariners who are

concerned that a particular incident, in particular on their

driving record, might emerge during the course of a back-

ground check.

Why and how the process has changedFollowing the events of September 11, 2001, the NMC was

given funding to carry out background checks that were

more thorough than the ones it had been performing up

to that time. In addition, in the course of recent years, the

technology used by the FBI to carry out fingerprint checks

has been greatly enhanced. These two factors help explain

why all mariners who seek to renew an MMD or obtain an

original-issue USCG license are now subject to an extensive

background check. A second change is that the NMC has

begun going back as far as possible into mariners’ records, a

substantial divergence from the practices of other branches

of government. Today, in fact, a “Secret” clearance to sail

aboard government-contracted vessels requires a check that

goes back 10 years at most. NMC, for its background checks,

is going back as far as records exist. NMC officials have said

that there should be no time limit on background checks

for MMD or Z-cards since a principal objective is to reveal

past infractions with implications for safety (such as serious

driving violations), no matter how old.

A related problem has also begun to emerge. A limited

number of mariners have discovered in fact that in cases

in which they had been told years earlier that their record

would be expunged [a plea-bargain agreement, for example,

or a probation-before-judgment for driving-while-under-

the influence (DWI)] the incident has emerged in the

NMC-FBI background check. When a mariner fails to list

an incident and it shows up on the background check, the

omission is considered to be tantamount to making a false

statement on an official government document. Correcting

the situation can take days, weeks or months, and possibly

require the intervention of a lawyer. Today, in fact, the

NMC considers any omission grounds for denying the

mariner an MMD. For this reason, the best course of action

is to list any incident that could have resulted in an arrest,

police or court record, even if it was not listed on prior

MM&P Special Projects Director Richard Plant poses with all the documents he will need to renew his USCG

license: Z-card, existing USCG license, drivers license, passport, application form downloaded from the USCG website and fingerprint cards (necessary in some cases).

The Master, Mate & Pilot January – February 2006 - �5 -

A do-it-yourself background check?Having a background check performed on yourself can show you what your record might contain, although

for purposes of license renewal, the NMC will not accept a background check that you yourself have arranged

to have carried out. The best place to have your own background check performed is through the Department

of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the same source the NMC uses for its background checks.

Mariners can by law request a copy of their own records directly from the Department of Justice, as stated in

Title 28 USC 16.30.**

Here’s how to proceed. First, go to your local police department, explain what you are trying to accomplish

and ask to be fingerprinted. Send the FBI your fingerprint card and proof of identify (a copy of your driver’s

license, passport, Z-Card and USCG license). How long does it take the FBI to issue a background check to an

individual mariner acting on his own behalf? To find out, I began the process myself in mid-November 2005.

In an upcoming issue of The Master, Mate & Pilot, I will update readers on how long the process took and on

whether or not the FBI charges a fee for the service.

Another option is to request a background check over the Internet. A Google search on “background

checks” generates a list of sites. As an example (this is not a recommendation that you use this particular site),

www.choicepoint.com offers to perform an immediate background check for $25 or a more thorough check for

about $50. The second option takes a few days and the results are sent out by regular mail. (Please note, however,

that it is possible that the companies that offer this type of web-based service may not use the same database the

FBI does, a factor that could be of critical importance when your goal is to view the same information that will

be accessed by the NMC.)

If you are concerned that a questionable event could emerge during the course of your background check,

the best advice may be to go the FBI route first, well in advance of filing the application for your MMD and

license renewal. After receiving your FBI background check, fill out the NMC application as thoroughly as

possible. If you realize you have left something out, call the NMC immediately at (202) 493-1001 to explain. If

you experience problems, please contact MM&P with details ([email protected]), since the union is moni-

toring the situation on behalf of members. USCG officials have said that in most cases, when relevant material is

left out, the mariner will simply be asked to update his or her application to include it.

applications. Mariners may also want to consider running a

background check on themselves.

What should be done on the national level?Together, the maritime unions are working to inform

lawmakers in Washington, D.C., of the importance of

placing a reasonable time limit on how far back the checks

can go. It is clear that the standards that the NMC is using

to analyze the information entered on MMD and Z-card

applications should be modified to conform to the intent

of Congress and that a time limit should be placed on

background checks. As stated earlier, a “Secret” clearance

requires a 10-year background check only. The Maritime

Transportation Security Act of 2002 requires a seven-year

check for certain felonies before a Transportation Workers

Identification Card (TWIC) can be issued. The NDR speci-

fies that a three-year check of driving records be performed

prior to issuance of an MMD.***

MM&P and other unions also believe that NMC should

be required to retain in its files the background checks for all

the applications it receives. That way, when a mariner renews

his or her documents again five years down the line, the

process will be simpler and faster because a check for the most

recent five (possibly three) years is all that will be needed.


Adapting to the situationThe main thing to remember is that you should start the

MMD renewal process early. Given the current situation,

you should no longer consider your license a document

that is valid for five years: consider it a four-year document

and start the renewal process at the end of the fourth year,

or at least six months prior to expiration. By law, you can

start the process one year before and up to one year after

your document expires. (Remember, however, that after

your document expires, you cannot sail on it.) Renewing

your document every four to four and a half years may

cost more in fees, but at least that way you can feel more

confident that you will have your documents in time to

ship. Remember, today tens of thousands of mariners are

affected by this process; countless others will join their

ranks in the not-too-distant future when inland river mari-

ners are required for the first time to obtain an MMD. You

are not alone. Good luck!

Richard Plant is director of special projects at MM&P. The union thanks the following NMC officials, who met with MM&P repre-

sentatives in November to discuss the situation: Capt. Ernest Fink, head of NMC, Cmdr. Robert Eastburn, Michael Jendrossek,

senior investigator, and William St. J. Chubb, chief of the Marine Records Branch. To read more on the topic, see the article by

NMC Director Capt. Fink, in Coast Guard Proceedings, Summer 2005, page 44, which is posted at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/

nmc/web/index.htm.

NOTES

**§ 16.30 Purpose and scope. This subpart contains the regulations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) concerning procedures to

be followed when the subject of an identification record requests production of that record to review it or to obtain a change, correction, or

updating of that record.

16.32 Procedure to obtain an identification record. The subject of an identification record may obtain a copy thereof by submitting a written

request via the U.S. mails directly to the FBI, Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division, ATTN: SCU, Mod. D-2, 1000

Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, WV 26306. Such request must be accompanied by satisfactory proof of identity, which shall consist

of name, date and place of birth and a set of rolled-inked fingerprint impressions placed upon fingerprint cards or forms commonly

utilized for applicant or law enforcement purposes by law enforcement agencies.

*** 49 USC – Driver Registration

§ 30305. Access to Register Information

“(5) An individual who holds, or is applying for, a license or certificate of registry under section 7101 of title 46, or a merchant

mariner’s document under section 7302 of title 46, may request the chief driver licensing official of a State to provide information

about the individual under subsection (a) of this section to the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating …

Information may not be obtained from the Register under this paragraph if the information was entered in the Register more than

three years before the request, unless the information is about a revocation or suspension still in effect on the date of the request.”

(Emphasis added)

law could not be used to infringe on the jurisdiction of

America’s longshoremen. In addition, the most recent

version would specifically: limit the scope of the proposal to

cargo vessels on international voyages in order to exclude

all Jones Act operations from the application of the riding

gang legislation; exclude any individual possessing merchant

mariners’ documents from being part of a foreign riding

gang to help prevent the erosion of traditional maritime

jurisdiction; and include, in its accompanying legislative

report, language stating that it is the intent of Congress that

nothing in the foreign riding gang proposal should alter any

provision in any collective bargaining agreement.

It remains to be seen, in any case, whether the propo-

nents of the proposal will be able to reach agreement with

the Coast Guard regarding the various background and

security check issues raised. The Coast Guard is concerned

that there is insufficient opportunity under the pending

legislation to adequately determine whether an individual

who is part of a foreign riding gang is a security or terrorist

threat to the U.S.-flag vessel, its American citizen crew or to

the United States itself.

(Washington Observer, continued from page 13)


Administrator’s Column: January – February 2006Valerie Verrecchio

The past five years have been challenging ones for all trustees

and administrators of employee benefit plans. Pension

plans failed in record numbers, health care costs increased at

an unprecedented rate and it often seemed that new regula-

tions were being issued on a monthly basis by the Internal

Revenue Service, the Department of Labor and the Center

for Medicare Services. Our MM&P Plans trustees struggled

to maintain benefit levels for our members while controlling

costs that were rapidly escalating in every area. As we move

forward into 2006, I think it important that we learn from

the experiences of the past five years.

One particularly valuable tool has been the opportunity

to learn from peers. In this regard, the trustees and I gain

valuable insights from our membership in the International

Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). The

foundation’s 34,000 members include 17,000 multi-

employer trustees and 5,000 plan professionals, including

administrators, attorneys and actuaries. Each year, many

of the trustees and I attend the IFEBP Annual Conference.

This year, approximately 6,000 participants signed up for

12 educational sessions focused on the responsibilities of

trustees, administrators, fund attorneys, actuaries, auditors

and others involved in union and public sector benefit plans.

Taught by experts in each field, the classes offer the oppor-

tunity to learn about the latest developments in regulatory

compliance, benefit plan administration and all aspects of

managing health and retirement plans in the 21st century.

The sessions are organized to highlight issues relevant to

specific types of benefit plans: one track focuses on health

benefits; others cover defined contribution and defined

benefit pension plans, investment education and fiduciary

responsibility. I always learn something new at the sessions

I attend. It is especially interesting to hear how other plan

administrators and trustees handle the challenges of our

industry.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Escape to

Learn,” a reference to the fact that, to keep abreast of devel-

opments in the industry, it can be useful to distance oneself

from the daily routine. In

the past few years, the day-

to-day challenges of admin-

istering multiple benefit

plans have left me little time

for educational reading.

I often read about health

and pension topics at night

when—I confess—they

sometimes put me to sleep!

Although of course, the trustees and I keep up with regula-

tory changes with help from our consultant actuary and Plan

attorney, we gain a comprehensive overview from the three

days of classes away from office, computers and cell phones.

Our Plans’ response to change is often based on the

specific needs of our membership and tailored to the way

our own office is structured. During the conference, on

many occasions I was challenged to consider alternatives

based on the experiences of others. I was pleased to learn

that we are doing the right things here at the Plan Office and

that we are not alone in facing change. Today, there are few

if any plans which are not struggling to maintain health

and retirement benefits in an economic era that presents a

constant series of challenges. Benefits are becoming increas-

ingly expensive, while at the same time we face higher

administrative costs stemming from new regulatory require-

ments. Here are just some examples of the new require-

ments that appeared on the scene in 2005.

Medicare Part D

In the past year, our entire health and benefit staff

invested untold hours in additional new tasks stemming

from the implementation of Medicare Part D. To deter-

mine what the benefit would mean to our members, we

required support from the Plan’s actuary, attorney and

prescription drug provider. The language in each notice

had to conform to requirements set by the Center for

Medicare Services (CMS). Such notices, which will now

Valerie Verrecchio Plans Administrator

Masters, Mates & Pilots Plans


have to be added as one of our yearly mailings, will be a

requirement going forward.

The Plan will be eligible to receive a subsidy for a

percentage of the prescription drug costs of the Offshore

Group retirees because the benefits they receive are consid-

ered “creditable coverage,” which means that the Plan

coverage is at least as good as the coverage offered through

Medicare prescription drug plans, and they do not have

to enroll in the Medicare Prescription Drug Program. To

receive the subsidy, however, we were required to file a

complicated application with CMS. I had to fill out one

section of the application. Separate sections had to be

completed by MM&P International Secretary-Treasurer

Glen Banks, Patrick McCullough and our actuary. The expe-

rience proved more of a challenge than we had anticipated.

We spent a number of hours on hold with CMS represen-

tatives trying to wade through glitches in their system. At

present, the Plan is scheduled to receive from CMS, on a

quarterly basis, about $1 million dollars, which should offset

some of our retiree drug expenses.

HIPAA Security Protocols

The incidence of fraud has increased, as criminals have

become more sophisticated. Today, in fact, our claims

processors don’t just process claims: they also have to act

as detectives, ensuring that each claim is legitimate and

that the provider listed is bona fide. Our staff has picked

up a number of bogus claims submitted by fake providers

in Florida, the state in which most fraudulent claims origi-

nate. Although our internal auditor provides oversight and

I myself review all large claims, it is still difficult at times to

guarantee that every charge on every bill is legitimate and

correct. Our members sometimes ask, “Wouldn’t it be more

cost effective if you stopped sending out an Explanation of

Benefit (EOB) statement for every claim?” The answer is

always “No,” because we need your help: you are the only

person who can verify—by reviewing your EOB—whether

the provider actually treated you and whether you received

the services described. The cost of mailing EOBs can be

easily outweighed by the discovery of a single large fraudu-

lent claim.

In the past, like most other plans, we used social

security numbers to identify our members. To combat

identity theft, in 2005, as required by HIPAA security

protocols, we reprogrammed the Plan’s claims system

and trained the benefit advisors and processors on new

safeguards to assure that only the member and authorized

family can access protected health information and social

security numbers.

Relative Value of Retirement Options

In response to recent rulings by the Department of Labor,

the actuary performed a study of our pension plan options

for retirement distributions to assure that the “relative

value” of all options is approximately equal. Compliance

required us to undertake yet another study and to imple-

ment a new disclosure notice. As you can see, each new

requirement takes time that used to be spent on other

tasks—all of which still need to be performed.

Important Plan ChangesOn Dec. 8, the Board of Trustees met to discuss the future of

the Offshore Pension Plan and to review proposed changes

to the Plan going forward that will help ensure its viability.

Before providing a synopsis of the Board’s actions, it

is important to note that between 1985 and 2004, some

75 percent of defined benefit pension plans across the

United States “disappeared.” Many of those that remain

have contributed to the $450 billion national defined benefit

pension deficit. The assets and liabilities of our Offshore

Defined Benefit Pension Plan have been affected by the same

combination of circumstances which have led to the demise

of other plans: primarily poor performance of the stock

market but also early retirements, lump sum pay-outs and

longer life expectancies.

Our Board of Trustees has been faced with a tremen-

dous challenge. For actuaries, investment advisors and

investment professionals, many of the circumstances that

affected the funding status of pension plans were both

unforeseeable and unavoidable. The urgent task for the

trustees was, and continues to be, how to address the long-

term funding of the Pension Plan. The changes decided on

by our trustees at the Dec. 8 meeting are measures that are

most likely to help decrease the current deficit while main-

taining the highest possible level of benefits for our members

going forward.



The following Plan changes will take effect on March 1, 2006

1. New participants who join the Pension Plan after March

1, 2006, will accrue benefits at the level of two percent for

each year of service.

2. New participants who join the Pension Plan after

March 1, 2006, will not be entitled to any Cost of Living

Adjustments (COLAs) unless specifically authorized by

the Pension Plan Board of Trustees. Authorization for

COLAs will be determined annually by the Trustees based

on the financial condition of the Plan.

3. Current participants in the pension plan will also accrue

pension benefits at the level of two percent per year for

all years after March 1, 2006. Since the law requires that

pension plan changes can only be prospective, any years

of service earned prior to March 1, 2006, at a higher

percentage rate of accrual will not be affected.

4. The following caps will be established for benefit accruals

going forward for the purpose of pension calculations.

Up to 20 years of service: $90,000

Over 20 years but less than 25 years of service: $105,000

Twenty-five or more years of service: $120,000

A review criterion contingency was also established.

This contingency provides that should the required

employer contribution, as determined by the Plan actu-

aries, fall to 16 percent plus Feinberg or lower, then #1 and

#3 above will be voided and the previous level of benefit

provisions will be re-established so long as the employer’s

required contribution level does not go above 19 percent

plus Feinberg or greater. (“Feinberg” is an adjustment

applied to a participant’s earnings to ensure that any vaca-

tion earnings are included in the participant’s pension

wages.)

The COLA provision for new participants described

above will remain in place for the duration of the Plan

and will be unaffected by the lower employer contribution

contingency.

In the future, more steps to reduce the costs of our

Pension Plan may be necessary. Additional cost saving

measures will be considered at the February Board of

Trustees meeting. Further changes will, in large part, be

determined by the financial performance of Plan invest-

ments during the last two quarters of 2005 and the final

determination of the 2006 contribution rate by the actuaries

after consideration of the March 1, 2006, changes.

Please contact the Plan Office if you would like an over-

view of your particular situation.

Health & Benefit Plan Notes

Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics is one of the nation’s leading providers

of diagnostic laboratory services. It is also a First Health

Network provider. For these reasons, our members are

frequently referred for services to Quest labs. Over the past

few years, the Plan Office has received numerous calls from

members about billing issues with Quest. One problem that

Important Regulatory Limits for 2006

Maximum Annual §415 Payout at Age 62

from a Defined Benefit Plan*

$175,000

Maximum Annual Contribution to an

Individual’s Defined Contribution Account

under §415(c)

$44,000

Maximum Elective §401(k) Deferral $15,000

§401(k) Catch-Up Limit for Individuals

Age 50 and Older

$5,000

Maximum Amount of Annual

Compensation That Can Be Taken Into

Account for Determining Benefits or

Contributions Under a Qualified Plan

$220,000

Wage Base:

a) for Social Security Tax

b) for Medicare

$94,200

No Limit



seems to occur frequently is that although our members give

their MM&P identification card to the lab, Quest fails to bill

the Health & Benefit Plan. Another problem that has been

brought to our attention is that Quest attempts to “balance

bill” our members for the total charges rather than billing at

the discounted PPO rate. The EOB you receive from the Plan

Office will list the billed charge, the negotiated rate and the

amount you owe. Please review any balance due bills with

your EOB in hand to verify that Quest has billed you the

correct amount.

2006-07 Optical Benefits

Don’t forget that Jan. 1 marks the start of the two-year

optical benefit for members and dependents. You and your

family are entitled to a $360 benefit over the next two years

for eye exams, glasses and/or contact lenses. The benefit is

not subject to Plan deductibles. You can go to a participating

Cole Optical provider and pay nothing out of pocket (Cole

will bill the Plan directly). Or you can go to the doctor and

optical provider of your choice, find the best deal and send

your bills to the Plan Office for reimbursement.

Health Notes

Employee Contributions to Health Coverage Increase

According to the Kaiser Health Research and Educational

Trust, since 1999, the average employee contribution to

health coverage has risen from an average of $25 per month

for single coverage to $50 per month. The average employee

contribution for family coverage rose from $125 per month

in 1999 to $225 per month in 2005.

Use of Generics Saves Money

Increased use of generic drugs could have saved $20 billion

in 2005, according to a new report, by pharmacy benefit

manager Express Scripts, which was published in the AP/

Albany Times Union. According to the report, generic drugs

cost, on average, $60 less per month than brand name drugs.

The report also found that a generic gastrointestinal drug

appropriate about 95 percent of the time is dispensed only

about 31 percent of the time. Generic drugs have lower co-

payments, which could result in savings for patients of about

$10 on each prescription.

Recognizing the Signs of Stroke

Neurologists say that if a stroke victim is treated within three

hours, there is a high likelihood that all negative effects of

the stroke can be reversed. But the symptoms of a stroke

can be difficult to identify. Widespread use of a simple test

described at the most recent meeting of the American Stroke

Association could enable prompt diagnosis and treatment.

An observer can recognize a stroke by asking the individual:

• to smile;

• to raise both arms;

• to speak a simple sentence coherently.

If the person has difficulty with any of these tasks, you

should call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to

the dispatcher.

Mammograms Save Lives

A study published in the Oct. 27 edition of the New England

Journal of Medicine concludes that 28 to 65 percent of the

sharp decrease in breast cancer deaths from 1990 to 2000

can be attributed to mammograms. The study attributed the

remainder of the decline to powerful new drugs. In 1985,

about 20 percent of women over 40 had mammograms. In

2000, that figure rose to 70 percent. We remind our female

members over 40 and those younger who are in high-risk

categories that the Plan covers screening mammography as

part of the annual $1,000 physical benefit.

The next Board of Trustee meetings will take place Feb.

1-2, 2006. Highlights of the meetings will be covered in the

next issue.

Generic drugs have lower co-payments, which could result in savings for patients of about $10 on each prescription.

The Master, Mate & Pilot January – February 2006 - 2� -

Notice to Participants in the Masters, Mates & Pilots Pension Plan and Any Alternate Payees

With Respect to Such Participants

Effective March 1, 2006, several changes will be made to

the program of benefits under the Masters, Mates & Pilots

Pension Plan (the “Plan”). These changes will reduce future

benefit accruals and impose certain “pension wage” caps

under the Plan but will not impact any benefits accrued to

date.

Under the terms of the Plan, participants’ pension

benefits are determined based on an average of each partic-

ipant’s best five calendar years of “pension wages” during

the 10 calendar years prior to when he first receives pension

benefits, and the number of pension credits accumulated by

the participant at retirement. Benefits are calculated using

a percentage formula. Furthermore, the benefits of certain

pensioners, and their surviving spouses or alternate payees,

are adjusted for changes in the cost of living.

The Board of Trustees of the Plan recently decided to

amend the percentage formula under which accrued benefits

are determined, the cost of living adjustment (“COLA”)

provisions and the amount of pension wages that are taken

into account in calculating a participant’s benefits. The

following is a description of these changes.

Currently, pension benefits accrue at a rate of 2 percent

per year for a participant’s first 20 years of pension credit

and 2.5 percent per year for over 20 years of pension credit.

In addition, participants who have attained age 60 or higher

as of their pension effective date and have accumulated at

least 30 years of pension credit are entitled to 2 percent per

year for the participant’s first 20 years of pension credit

and 2 2/3 percent per year for each year of pension credit

above 20 years. However, for pension credits earned by Plan

participants on or after March 1, 2006, including any new

participants in the Plan after that date, pension benefits

will accrue at a flat rate of 2 percent per year for all Plan

participants.

The earnings taken into consideration for calculating

pension benefits will also be capped as follows for service

performed on or after March 1, 2006:

Years of Service Wage Cap

Up to 20 $90,000

More than 20 - Less than 25 $105,000

Over 25 $120,000

For example, if Participant A, with more than 25

years of pension credit, earned $125,000 during 2007, only

$120,000 would be taken into account to determine his

average pension wage. Prior to this amendment, partici-

pant earnings were subject to an annual compensation

limit determined under Internal Revenue Code section

401(a)(17), which was set at $210,000 for the 2005 Plan year

and $220,000 for the 2006 Plan year.

Finally, COLAs will not be provided with respect to

pension benefits accrued based on service performed by

individuals who first become participants in the Plan after

Feb. 28, 2006.

You will continue to accrue benefits under the current

terms of the Plan through Feb. 28, 2006. For example, if your

earnings for service performed on or before Feb. 28, 2006

are greater than the new earnings limits described above, the

limits will not apply to such earnings.

A “snapback” provision to these amendments was

approved by the Trustees if the Plan’s required minimum

funding contribution falls to 16 percent of payroll plus

“Feinberg,” or lower. (“Feinberg” is an adjustment which

is applied to a participant’s earnings to ensure that any

vacation earnings are included in the participant’s pension

wages.) This snapback provision would allow the Plan’s

current benefit accrual and earnings provisions to be reap-

plied to all then still active Plan participants who have not

retired, except for the Plan’s COLA provisions, which will

still not apply to individuals who are new participants in

the Plan on or after March 1, 2006. However, the snapback

provision will not be triggered if the more generous benefit

accrual schedule causes the Plan’s required minimum

funding contribution to reach 19 percent or more of payroll

plus Feinberg.

This Notice is being sent to inform you of the

upcoming changes in the Plan’s benefit accrual schedule

and other Plan benefit modifications described above and

to meet the requirements of section 204(h) of ERISA and

section 4980F of the Internal Revenue Code.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the

Plan Office during regular office hours at (410) 850-8500.

— December 2005



George Brereton, a member of MM&P’s

United Inland Group. He last sailed as

captain for the Alaska Marine Highway

System.

David E. Cox, shipping out of Boston.

He last sailed in 2005 for American Ship

Management as master of the Singapore.

Donald D. Garlinghouse, last sailed for Cleveland Tankers

as third mate of the Gemini.

Richard John Jewett, last sailed with AHL Shipping

Company as second assistant engineer of the Monseigneur.

Joseph Vincent Johnson Jr., shipping out

of Boston. He last sailed for American

Ship Management as chief mate of the APL

Philippines.

John B. Lynch Jr., shipping out of New Orleans. He last

sailed for Waterman Steamship Company as second mate

of the Atlantic Forest.

Donald Marshall, shipping out of Seattle.

He last sailed for Matson Navigation

Company as master of the Maui.

John P. Metcalfe, shipping out of New York/New Jersey. He

last sailed with E-Ships Inc. as second mate.

Lloyd S. Rath, shipping out of San

Francisco. He last sailed for Matson

Navigation Company as master of the

Mahimahi.

Pensioners

The Master, Mate & Pilot January – February 2006 - 2� -

Honolulu: Captain Joe Brady, Julie Iinuma, Roland Hobson and Nick Moore.

Port Everglades: Adam Torres, Jim Kobis, George Insana and Bob Beauregard.

New Orleans: Brenda and Ed Higgins, former New Orleans port agent.

HoLIDAYS 2005As 2005 came to a close, MM&P members, their families and friends celebrated the holidays in union halls across the country. Many thanks to those who submitted photos of the festivities for publication in the magazine.

Jacksonville: John Marshall, Bernard Scott, MM&P International President Tim

Brown, Don Davis and Dean Culver.

Jacksonville: MM&P International Secretary-Treasurer Glen Banks with Dan Corn.

- 2� - January – February 2006 The Master, Mate & Pilot

Honolulu: Paul Hatley, Jim Rettke, Nick Moore, Randy Swindell and Duncan Brown.

Norfolk: Matt Parker, MM&P Representative Patti Powell and Damion Giles.

Boston: Jim Brennan, Bob Lamb, Vince Thompson and Don Laverdure.

New Orleans: Armando (Dale) Rodriguez, Bob Groh, William Weimers and Roger Johnson, with friend.

Los Angeles/Long Beach: Members and retirees enjoy the holiday buffet at the Los Angeles/Long Beach hall.

HoLIDAYS 2005

New York/New Jersey: Steve Werse, Ed Gras and Morgan McManus.


Jacksonville: Bill Hurlbert, James Avera, Bobby Meares, Tom Lane, Harold Mays and Connie Davis, with friends.

New Orleans: Manfred Osborne and wife, Ralph McDonald, Donald Hoffman and Ejnar Christiansen.

Port Everglades: Art Ruben, Bob Groh and Susan and Joe Fernandez.

San Francisco: Steve Sivell, Jim Dykes and Gordon White Boston: Bob Pechusick, Rocky Lavault, MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May, Tom

Sullivan, Ron Colpus and John Lynskey.

Boston: John Connor and Steve Kanchuga


Los Angeles/Long Beach: Members and retirees sample the buffet.

Jason and Michelle Bailey and their children.

Boston: Ed Shepherd with his dog, McTavish, Gerry Parlon, Bob Pechusick and Kerry Fitzpatrick.

Port Everglades: Susan Fernandez, Duane Koran and MM&P International President Tim Brown.

San Francisco: Members enjoying the food in the Sailors Union of the Pacific Library in MM&P’s San Francisco Hall.

New Orleans: Dale Rodriguez, Bob Chiesa, Luci Chiesa, MM&P Port Representative Sue

Bourcq, the bartender and Ed Higgins.

HoLIDAYS 2005


MM&P President Tim Brown and Secretary-Treasurer Glen Banks surrounded by headquarters staff: Audrey Scharmann, Gail Ways, Gene Weedon, Mary Seidman,

Marita Engler and husband, Earl, Kathy Klisavage, Cherie Orner, Juli Archer, Diane Chatham, Mike

Rodriguez, Heather Ortega and Beverly Gutmann.

Houston: Peter J. Bourgeois, Michael McCright, George McKay, Dennis Ferguson, MM&P Gulf Ports Vice President Bob Groh and Jack Lane.

Houston: Bob Groh, George McDonald Sr. and Jim Nelson.

Jacksonville: G. Van Haasteren, MM&P Pacific Ports Vice President Bob Groh, Dan

Corn, John Loftus and Jim Stebbins.

Boston: Dan Goggin and Dan Cartmill.

New Orleans: MM&P Gulf Ports Vice President Bob Groh with pensioner Ed Connelly.

- 2� - January – February 2006 The Master, Mate & Pilot

Port Everglades: MM&P Gulf Ports Vice President Bob Groh, Jimmy Pappas and Nancy Groh.

Houston: Michelle Bailey, Alice Brittain, Mary Beth O’Brien, Nell Wilkerson and friends.

Boston: John Lynsky and Paul Carty Boston: MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May with Dan Skwyra and Ron Colpus.

Jacksonville: Herb Blenkle and MM&P International President Tim Brown.

Port Everglades: Michael, Michela and Nittaya Kidd and Maike, Maya, Hannah and Paul Coan.

HoLIDAYS 2005


New York/New Jersey: John Johnson, MM&P International Secretary-Treasurer Glen Banks and Ed Morgan of E-Ships.

New York/New Jersey: Jay Tripaldi, MM&P assistant port agent.

Jacksonville: MM&P Representative Liz Pettit.

Boston: Kevin O’Halloran, Don Laverdure and MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May.

New York/New Jersey: (Front) Rich Sweeney, Henry Knox-Dick, MM&P International Secretary-Treasurer

Glen Banks, Mike Rodriguez and Victor Soto.

(Second row) Joe Miller, MM&P New York Representative Marilyn Brunner, Elliot

Friedman, Jim Frank and Homer McGee.

(Third row) Mika Frank, Charlie Moy, Bob Darley, Dot Darley, John Hayes, Dave McCauley, MM&P Atlantic

Ports Vice President Rich May, Victor Marquez, Thomas Larkin, Juancho Guitierez and Mell Issen.

(Rear) George Thompson, John Moustakas, John Papasiglou, Frank Davis, Henry Gonzalez, John Johnson, George Kanavos, John Seybert,

Ed Gras, Morgan McManus, Kevin Chicon, Steve Werse, Cyril Elias and Ted Matlack.


Directory of MM&P officesGovernment Employees’ Membership Group

Randi Ciszewski, Representative37 Edward Hart Dr., Jersey City, NJ 07305Phone: 201-433-7700; Fax: 201-433-7959E-mail: [email protected] H. Boatner, West Coast ContactIOMM&P – Los Angeles/Long Beach533 N. Marine Av., Wilmington, CA 90744-5527Phone: 310-834-7201; Fax: 310-834-6667E-mail: [email protected] Ciszewski, U.S. Navy Civil Service Pilots Representative37 Edward Hart Dr., Jersey City, NJ 07305Phone: 201-433-7700; Fax: 201-433-7959E-mail: [email protected]

Offshore Membership Group

Rich May, Vice President-Atlantic PortsBob Groh, Vice President-Gulf PortsDon Marcus, Vice President-Pacific Ports

BostonDan Cartmill, Dan Goggin, RepresentativesHarbour Pointe East80 Everett Av. – Suite 211, Chelsea, MA 02150Phone: 617-884-8680; Fax: 617-884-8438E-mail: [email protected]

CharlestonElise Silvers, Representative1529 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., 2nd Floor Charleston, SC 29407Phone: 843-766-3565; Fax: 843-766-6352E-mail: [email protected]

HonoluluRandy Swindell, Representative 707 Alakea St. - No. 212, Honolulu, HI 96813Phone: 808-523-8183; Fax: 808-538-3672E-mail: [email protected]

HoustonWayne Farthing, Agent-Gulf Ports Nell Wilkerson, Representative8150 South Loop East - Suite 207, Houston, TX 77017Phone: 713-649-8812; Fax: 713-649-6101E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

JacksonvilleLiz Pettit, Representative349 E. 20th St., Jacksonville, FL 32206Phone: 904-356-0041; Fax: 904-353-7413E-mail: [email protected]

International Headquarters

700 Maritime BoulevardLinthicum Heights, MD 21090Phone: 410-850-8700 • Fax: 410-850-0973

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.bridgedeck.org

WLO Marine Radio ITU SitorE-mail: [email protected]

International OfficersTimothy A. Brown, PresidentExt. 17; e-mail: [email protected] P. Banks, Secretary-TreasurerExt. 21; e-mail: [email protected]

Executive OfficesGeorge Quick, Vice PresidentPilot Membership GroupExt. 20; e-mail: [email protected]

Mike Rodriguez, Executive Assistant to the PresidentExt. 23; e-mail: [email protected]

Richard Plant, Director of Special ProjectsExt. 36; e-mail: [email protected]

Audrey Scharmann, Executive SecretaryExt. 17; e-mail: [email protected]

Diane Chatham, Executive SecretaryExt. 21; e-mail: [email protected]

Legal DepartmentJohn Singleton, International CounselExt. 19; e-mail: [email protected]

Gabriel Terrasa, Associate CounselExt. 45; e-mail: [email protected]

Communications OfficeLisa Rosenthal, Communications DirectorExt. 27; e-mail: [email protected]

Accounting OfficeJohn Gorman, International ComptrollerExt. 12; e-mail: [email protected]


Los Angeles/Long BeachDavid H. Boatner, Agent-Pacific Ports Bernadette Hertel, Representative533 N. Marine Av., Wilmington, CA 90744-5527Phone: 310-834-7201; Fax: 310-834-6667E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

Miami/Port EvergladesBob Groh, Vice President-Gulf Duane M. Koran, Port Representative540 East McNab Rd.,Suite BPompano Beach, FL 33060-9354Phone: 954-946-7883; Fax: 954-946-8283E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

New OrleansSue Bourcq, Representative3330 West Esplanade, Suite 209, Metairie, LA 70002-3454Phone: 504-837-5700; Fax: 504-834-1815E-mail: [email protected]

New York/New JerseyRichard May, Vice President-Atlantic Marilyn Brunner, Representative26 Journal Sq. - Suite 1502, Jersey City, NJ 07306Phone: 201-963-1900; Fax: 201-963-5403Assistant Port Agent: 201-963-1918E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]; [email protected] (Assistant Port Agent)

Norfolk, Va.Patricia Powell, Representative1058 West 39th St., Norfolk, VA 23508Phone: 757-489-7406; Fax: 757-489-1715E-mail: [email protected]

San FranciscoSandy Candau, Representative Frank Medeiros, Representative450 Harrison St. - Room 209San Francisco, CA 94105-2691Phone: 415-777-5074; Fax 415-777-0209E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

San Juan, Puerto RicoFrank Reyes, RepresentativeMiramar Plaza Ctr. - Suite 305954 Ponce de Leon Ave., Santurce, PR 00907Phone: 787-724-3600; Fax: 787-723-4494Office Hours: Monday-Friday — 0900-1330E-mail: [email protected]

SeattleDon Marcus, Vice President-Pacific Kathleen O. Randrup, Representative2333 Third Av., Seattle, WA 98121-1711Phone: 206-441-8700; Fax: 206-448-8829E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

TampaLaura Cenkovich, Representative202 S. 22nd St., Suite 205, Tampa, FL 33605-6308Phone: 813-247-2164; Fax: 813-248-1592E-mail: [email protected]

Pilot Membership Group

George A. Quick, Vice President3400 N. Furnace Rd., Jarrettsville, MD 21084Phone: 410-557-8757; Fax: 410-557-7082E-mail: [email protected]

East Coast Regional RepresentativeTimothy J. Ferrie201 Edgewater St., Staten Island, NY 10305Phone: 718-448-3900; Fax: 718-447-1582Email: [email protected]

Gulf Coast Regional RepresentativeRichard D. Moore8150 S. Loop E., Houston, TX 77017Phone: 713-645-9620

West Coast Regional RepresentativeKip CarlsonPier 9, East End, San Francisco, CA 94111Phone: 415-362-5436E-Mail: [email protected]

Alaska Marine PilotsStephan Moreno, PresidentP.O. Box 920226, Dutch Harbor, AK 99692Phone: 907-581-1240; Fax: 907-581-1372E-mail: [email protected]

Aransas-Corpus Christi PilotsJim DooleyP.O. Box 2767, Corpus Christi, TX 78403Phone: 361-884-5899; Fax: 361-884-1659

Associated Branch PilotsMike Lorino Jr.P.O. Box 3298Covington, LA 70434-3298Phone: 985-898-1116


Association of Maryland PilotsEric Nielsen, President3720 Dillon St., Baltimore, MD 21224Phone: 410-276-1337; Fax: 410-276-1364E-mail: [email protected]

Biscayne Bay PilotsJohn R. Fernandez, Chairman2911 Port Blvd., Miami, FL 33132Phone: 305-374-2791; 305-375-9453

Boston PilotsGreg FarmerMassport Pier 1, Berth 1, Bremen St., E. Boston, MA 02128Phone: 617-569-4500; Fax: 617-564-4502Boat: 617-569-4503

Canaveral PilotsDavid P. Callan, David A. Richard, Co-ChairmenBox 816, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920Phone: 321-783-4645

Caribbean Harbor PilotsP.O. Box 34336Ponce, PR 00734-4336787-848-7180

Charleston Branch PilotsWhit Smith6 Concord St., P.O. Box 179, Charleston, SC 29402Phone: 843-577-6695; Fax: 843-577-0632

Columbia Bar PilotsJohn TorjusenP.O. Box 87, Astoria, OR 97103Phone: 503-325-2641

Columbia River PilotsAlan J. Widme, Branch Agent13225 N. Lombard, Portland, OR 97203Phone: 503-289-9922

Coos Bay PilotsSteven H. Sweet, President686 North Front St., Coos Bay, OR 97420-2331Phone: 541-267-6555; Fax: 541-267-5256

Crescent River Port PilotsAllen J. “A.J.” Gibbs, President8712 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037Phone: 504-392-8001; Fax: 504-392-5014

Galveston-Texas City PilotsJohn Halvorsen1301 Pelican Island #1Galveston, TX 77552Phone: 409-740-3347; Fax: 409-740-3393

Hawaii Pilots AssociationSteve Baker, PresidentPier 19-Honolulu Harbor, P.O. Box 721Honolulu, HI 96808Phone: 808-532-7233; Fax: 808-532-7229E-mail: [email protected]

Houston PilotsMichael A. Morris, Presiding Officer8150 S. Loop E., Houston, TX 77017Phone: 713-645-9620

Humboldt Bar PilotsJohn Powell: 707-443-3878 Timothy Petrusha: 707-443-5365P.O. Box 3555, Eureka, CA 95502-3555

Key West Bar Pilots AssociationCapt. Michael McGrawP.O. Box 848, Key West, FL 33041Phone: 305-296-5512; Fax: 305-296-1388

Lake Charles PilotsMichael Miller, President4902 Ihles Rd., Lake Charles, LA 70605Phone: 337-436-0372; Fax: 337-474-4573E-mail: [email protected]: www.lakecharlespilots.com

Mobile Bar PilotsDavid W. Wittendorfer, PresidentP.O. Box 831, Mobile, AL 36601Phone: 251-432-2639; Fax: 251-432-9964

New Orleans-Baton Rouge SS PilotsCapt. William O. Watson IIICapt. Chris Rieder3900 River Rd. - Suite 7, Jefferson, LA 70021Phone: 985-867-5332; Fax: 504-832-1932

Pilots Association for the Bay & River DelawareMichael J. Linton, President800 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19147Phone: 215-465-8340; Fax: 215-465-3450

Port Everglades PilotsThomas Hackett & Bruce Cumings, Co-DirectorsP.O. Box 13017, Port Everglades, FL 33316Phone: 954-522-4491


Puget Sound PilotsCapt. Richard McCurdy101 Stewart St. - Suite 900, Seattle, WA 98101Phone: 206-728-6400; Fax: 206-448-3405

Sabine PilotsEllen K. Warner, President5148 West Pkwy., Groves, TX 77619Phone: 409-722-1141; Fax: 409-962-9223

Saint Johns Bar PilotsJoseph J. Brown, President4910 Ocean St., Mayport, FL 32233Phone: 904-249-5631; Fax: 904-249-7523E-mail: [email protected]

San Juan Bay PilotsP.O. Box 9021034San Juan, PR 00902-1034787-722-1166

St. Lawrence Seaway PilotsRichard G. Tetzlaff, PresidentP.O. Box 274, 733 E. Broadway, Cape Vincent, NY 13618Phone: 315-654-2900; Fax: 315-654-4491

San Francisco Bar PilotsBill Greig, Port Agent; Kip Carlson, MM&P Rep.Pier 9, East End, San Francisco, CA 94111Phone: 415-362-5436; Fax: 415-982-4721

Sandy Hook PilotsPeter Rooss, Branch Agent201 Edgewater St., Staten Island, NY 10305Phone: 718-448-3900; Fax: 718-447-1582

Savannah Pilots AssociationWilliam T. Brown, Master Pilot550 E. York St., P.O. Box 9267, Savannah, GA 31412Phone: 912-236-0226; Fax: 912-236-6571

Southeast Alaska Pilots AssociationTed Kellogg, President1621 Tongass Ave. - Suite 300, Ketchikan, AK 99901Phone: 907-225-9696; Fax: 907-247-9696E-mail: [email protected]: www.seapa.com

Southern New England Pilots AssociationHoward McVay243 Spring St., Newport, RI 02840Phone: 401-847-9050; Toll Free: 800-274-1216

Southwest Alaska Pilots AssociationMichael J. O’Hara, Branch AgentP.O. Box 977, Homer, AK 99603Phone: 907-235-8783; Fax: 907-235-6119E-mail: [email protected]

Tampa Bay PilotsAllen L. Thompson, Executive Director 1825 Sahlman Dr., Tampa, FL 33605Phone: 813-247-3737; Fax: 813-247-4425

Virginia Pilot AssociationJ. William Cofer, President3329 Shore Dr., Virginia Beach, VA 23451Phone: 757-496-0995

Western Great Lakes Pilots AssociationDonald Willecke, President1325 Tower Av., P.O. Box 248, Superior, WI 54880-0248Phone: 715-392-5204; Fax: 715-392-1666

Wilmington (N.C.) PilotsCapt. HerringP.O. Box 10070, Southport, NC 28461Phone: 910-457-6909

United Inland Membership Group

Steve Demeroutis, Vice President

ClevelandCharles Malue, Great Lakes Representative1250 Old River Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113Phone: 216-776-1667; Fax: 216-776-1668E-mail: [email protected]

JacksonvilleJames Avera, International Representative349 E. 20th St., Jacksonville, FL 32206Phone: 904-355-3534; Fax: 904-353-7413E-mail: [email protected]

PortlandJohn Schaeffner, Branch Agent2225 N. Lombard St. - No. 206, Portland, OR 97217Phone and Fax: 503-283-0518E-mail: [email protected]

San FranciscoRaymond W. Shipway, Branch Agent450 Harrison St. - East Mezzanine - Room 205San Francisco, CA 94105-2691Phone: 415-543-5694; Fax: 415-543-2533E-mail: [email protected]


San Juan, Puerto RicoLuis Ramirez, Atlantic & Gulf RepresentativeMiramar Plaza Center - Suite 305954 Ponce de Leon Ave., Santurce, PR 00907Phone: 787-725-7604; Fax: 787-723-4494

SeattleSteve Demeroutis, Vice President2333 Third Av., Seattle, WA 98121-1711Phone: 206-441-1070; Fax: 206-443-3752E-mail: [email protected]

WilmingtonRaymond W. Shipway, Branch Agent533 N. Marine Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744-5527Phone: 310-549-8013; Fax: 310-834-6667E-mail: [email protected]

Maritime Institute for Research and Industrial Development (MIRAID)

C. James Patti, President1025 Connecticut Ave, NW - Suite 507Washington, DC 20036-5412Phone: 202-463-6505; Fax: 202-223-9093E-mail: [email protected]

Masters, Mates & Pilots Federal Credit Union

Kathy Ann Klisavage, ManagerMM&P Plans Building Lobby700 Maritime Blvd.Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1941Phone: 410-850-8700, Ext. 43; Fax: 410-859-1623Toll-Free: 1-800-382-7777 (All U.S., PR and Panama)E-mail: [email protected]

MM&P Maritime Advancement, Training, Education & Safety Program (MATES)

Valerie Verrecchio, AdministratorGlen Paine, Executive Director

MM&P Health & Benefit, Vacation, Pension, JEC and IRA Plans

Valerie Verrecchio, AdministratorMM&P Plans700 Maritime Blvd. – Suite ALinthicum Heights, MD 21090-1996Phone: 410-850-8500; Fax: 410-850-8655Toll-Free: 1-877-667-5522E-mail: [email protected]: Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM Eastern

Atlantic & Gulf Region Health, Pension and Education, Safety & Training Funds

Wendy Chambers, Account ExecutiveAssociated Administrators Inc.4301 Garden City Drive, Suite 201, Landover, MD 20785Direct Line: 301-429-8964Member Calls: 1-800-638-2972

Pacific Maritime Region Pension & Benefit Plans

Columbia Northwest Marine Benefit TrustValerie Verrecchio, Administrator700 Maritime Blvd. – Suite ALinthicum Heights, MD 21090-1996Phone: 410-850-8500; Fax: 410-850-8655Toll-Free: 1-877-667-5522E-mail: [email protected]: Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM– 4:30 PM Eastern

Northwest Maritime Pension TrustRandy G. Goodwin, Account Executive P.O. Box 34203, Seattle, WA 98124Phone: 206-441-7574; Fax: 206-441-9110

Southwest Marine Health, Benefit & Pension Trust3545 Long Beach Blvd., Suite 220, Long Beach, CA 90807Toll-Free: 1-888-806-8943

Maritime Institute of Technology & Graduate Studies (MITAGS)

Glen Paine, Executive Director692 Maritime Blvd., Linthicum Heights, MD 21090Main Phone: 410-859-5700Toll-Free, Admissions: 1-866-656-5568Residence Center: 1-866-900-3517BWI Airport Shuttle: 1-866-900-3517 Ext. 0 (available 24 hours a day)Fax School: 410-859-5181Fax Residence: 410-859-0942E-mail: Executive Director: [email protected] Admissions: [email protected] Website: www.mitags.org

Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI)

Gregg Trunnell, Director1729 Alaskan Way, S., Seattle, WA 98134-1146Phone: 206-441-2880; Fax: 206-441-2995Toll-Free: 888-893-7829E-mail: [email protected]: www.mates.org


Richard P. Azevedo, 69, died June 27, 2005.

A pensioner since 1990 and a resident of

Escondido, Calif., he last sailed for Sealand

Services Inc. as third mate on the Sealand

Enterprise. A member of the Escondido

Country Club, he enjoyed golf and social activities, as well

as sailing, jogging and reading. He is survived by: his wife

of 20 years, Susanne; four children, Dan, Brian, Dana and

Tamara; six grandchildren; and a brother, Arnold.

Frederick T. Bock, 61, died Aug 5, 2005.

A resident of Port Angeles, Wash., he last

sailed for Black Ball Transport as master of

the MV Coho. He loved to read, fish and

design websites. He was treasurer of the

Clallam County Humane Society and a member of the U.S.

Merchant Marine Veterans Association. He is survived by:

his wife, Jan; children, Kellie, Fred and Tom; nine grandchil-

dren and four great-grandchildren.

Claude R. Dodd, 91, died June 7, 2005. A pensioner since

1972, he is survived by a nephew, Edgar R. Dodd.

Jacob A. Foster, 84, died May 10, 2005. A resident of the

Cayman Islands and a pensioner since 1985, he last sailed

for the Pascagoula Bar Pilots. He is survived by: his children,

Capt. Donald Foster, Carol Foster and Capt. J. Stephen

Foster; three grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.

James Franklin Jr., 80, died July 1, 2005. A resident of

Chesapeake, Va., and a pensioner since 1988, he last sailed

for Waterman Steamship Co. as third mate on the Robert E.

Lee. He is survived by: his wife, Sarah; daughter, Nadeese;

three sons, William, James and Carl; three granddaughters;

four grandsons; and two great-granddaughters.

Joseph A. Gage, 85, died July 18, 2005. A pensioner since

1971, he last sailed for Keva Corp. as master of the Keva

Ideal. In his free time, he enjoyed photography and watching

wrestling. He is survived by: a daughter, Judith; and a son,

Kevin.

Herrel L. Gallop, 91, died July 2, 2005. A pensioner since

1979, he last sailed for Sealand Service Inc. as second mate

on the New Yorker. He loved gardening, watching baseball

games and spending time with family and friends. He is

survived by: five children, John, Gloria, Laura, Herrel and

Joseph; 22 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; four

great-great-grandchildren; three brothers and eight sisters.

Arthur D. Hall, 85, died May 23, 2005. A pensioner since

1972, he last sailed for Hess Oil Corp. as master of the

Voyage. He enjoyed sports, politics, and yard work and was

community- and civic-minded. A daughter, Marie, survives

him.

Antoni Jankiewicz, 80, died July 27, 2005. A

pensioner since 1985, he last sailed as third

mate for Farrell Lines Inc. on the SS Export

Patriot. He enjoyed coin collecting and loved

to spend time with his grandchildren, family

and friends. He is survived by: his wife, Marian; two daugh-

ters, Sandy and Beth; and two sons, Anthony and Gary.

Curtis R. Klafert, 45, died July 12, 2005. He last sailed for

Sargeant Marine Inc. on the Asphalt Commander.

Arthur V. Kraak, 85, died Aug. 1, 2005.

A resident of San Marcos, Texas, and

a pensioner since 1984, he last sailed

for Trinidad Corp. as chief mate of the

Susquehanna. He was also a cattle rancher

who loved gardening, canning and cooking. He is survived

by: a brother, David and two half-sisters, Adrian and Judy.

Cross’d the Final Bar


Robert D. Lofberg, 81, died June 30, 2005. A pensioner since

1979, he last sailed for Sealand Service Inc. as master of the

SS San Francisco. He is survived by: his wife, Leslie; five chil-

dren, Stephen, Carl, Robert, Brenda and Jeanne; nine grand-

children; and two great-grandchildren.

Anargyros Loucas, 93, died Aug. 9, 2005.

A resident of Haverstraw, N.Y., and a

pensioner since 1974, he last sailed for

Oswego Steamship Co. as master of the SS

Rainbow. He enjoyed seafood, Greek cuisine

and spending summers in Greece. He is survived by: his son,

Nick; three grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

Aristide J. Morales, 84, died June 10, 2005. A pensioner

since 1986, he last sailed for Marine Transport Lines as chief

mate of the Sealife Indian Ocean.

Herrick E. Morgan, 85, died July 3, 2005. A pensioner since

1977, he last sailed for Pacific Far East Line as third mate on

the SS Canada Bear.

Raymond E. Page, 81, died July 28, 2005. A resident of

Bodfish, Calif. and a pensioner since 1990, he last sailed for

Matson Navigation Co. as third mate of the SS Matsonia.

Frank Pinkowski, 82, died June 21, 2005. A

resident of Allentown, Pa., and a pensioner

since 1986, he last sailed with United States

Lines as third mate of the American Veteran.

He served in World War II and Vietnam,

as well as other conflicts. He is survived by: four children,

Frank, Joseph, Doreen and Charmaine.

Burton A. Rogers, 72, died July 13, 2005.

A pensioner since 1996, he last sailed

for Sealand Service Inc. as third mate of

the Sealand Producer. Before joining the

Merchant Marine, he served in the Navy and

also worked as a realtor. He is survived by: his brother, Paul

“Buck” Simonds; a niece and a nephew.

Donald K. Rogers, 84, died March 7, 2005. A resident of

Seminole, Fla., and a pensioner since 1965, he last sailed

for Waterman Steamship Co. as second mate on the

SS Chatham. He served in the Navy during World War II

and also worked as an oceanographer for the government.

Ralph Rogers Jr., 81, died July 29, 2005. A resident of Boca

Raton, Fla., he became a pensioner in 1988. He last sailed for

Sealand Service Inc. as third mate on the Sealand Producer.

He enjoyed swimming and working with computers. He

is survived by: his wife, Violet; sister, Betty; sons, Rodney,

David and Richard; one granddaughter.

Isidoros A. Sarantis, 93, died Jan. 4. A pensioner since 1968,

he last sailed for Noank Navigation Inc. on the SS Mystic

Mariner.

Oscar F. Seeger, 86, died June 28, 2005. A pensioner since

1972, he last sailed for Hudson Waterways as third mate

on the Seatrain Maine. In his free time he was an avid bass

fisherman. He is survived by: his wife, Daisy; three children,

Karen, Fred and Linda; eight grandchildren; and ten great-

grandchildren.

Warren Shawger, 90, died July 30, 2005. A

resident of Willits, Calif., and a pensioner

since 1983, he last sailed for Marine

Transport Lines as second mate on the

MV Sealift Pacific. He is survived by: his wife,

Rotraud; and sister, Peggie.

Cross’d the Final Bar


James W. Smith Jr., 82, died April 23, 2005.

A pensioner since 1984 and a resident of

Texas City, Texas, he last sailed for Victory

Carriers Inc. as chief mate of the Montpelier

Victory. He enjoyed gardening and looking

after his two dogs and several cats. He is survived by: three

sisters, Juanita Cozart, Margaret White and Myra Street.

Perry J. Soli, 74, died June 23, 2005. A pensioner since

1987, he last sailed for Farrell Lines Inc. as third mate on the

Export Champion. He is survived by: his wife, Ethel Jean Soli;

a daughter, Sonya, and a son, Perry.

Gail D. Spafford, 78, died April 10, 2005.

A resident of Belleville, Kansas, and a

pensioner since 1986, he last sailed for

Lykes Brothers Steamship Co. as master

of the MV Charlotte Lykes. In his free time

he enjoyed chess, woodworking and hunting. He was a

commander of the American Legion and president of the

local branch of the American Cancer Society. He is survived

by: his wife, Peggy; two sons, James and David; and four

grandchildren.

Michael V. Staikoff, 84, died July 12, 2005. A

pensioner since 1987, he last sailed for OMI

Corp. as chief mate of the OMI Willamette.

His hobbies included golfing and fishing.

Boyd J. Stokes, 81, died July 11, 2005. A resident of

Corryton, Tenn., and a pensioner since 1983, he last

sailed for Transport Commercial Corp. as chief mate of

the MV Tamara Guilden. He served in World War II, the

Korean War and Vietnam. He was an avid genealogist.

Several nieces and nephews survive him.

A Message of Thanks to the MM&P Family

Sue Bourcq, MM&P New Orleans Hall

Christmas came as a big surprise this year. The usual

onslaught of catalogs never materialized. Just a few strands

of colored lights don the town. The only Christmas card

I received was from the manager of the self-storage unit

where I have stored my surviving possessions.

If only we could rewind the tape to last Christmas,

when we were standing in the street, our heads tilted back

in disbelief as we watched the snowflakes fall from the sky.

But Mother Earth had different plans for 2005.

Instead of wrapping gifts and making popcorn strings

and cookies, we’ve spent our time on the telephone arguing

with insurance adjusters, government agencies, suppliers

and tradesmen in an attempt to get back things we took for

granted, such as fresh water, electricity, cable TV and home

cooking.

Imagine that you had almost finished work on a giant

jigsaw puzzle. You left for a moment and returned to

discover that a thoughtless stranger had swept the puzzle to

the floor, spilled something on it and taken away the box.

You grit your teeth and pick up as many pieces as you can,

carefully cleaning each one as you go, regretting those that

cannot be saved. How will you ever find the strength to put

it back together? You don’t even have the picture on the

box to help.

Things will never be the same here in New Orleans,

but we soldier on. We put the pieces back as best we can,

shake off the blues and give thanks for what we have. We

are alive!

I am grateful to each and every one of you for your

prayers, good thoughts, well wishes and of course, for

donating your hard-earned money to the MM&P Disaster

Relief Fund. I thank you on behalf of each member of the

MM&P family who has benefited from the relief fund.

As a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, I will always be

grateful to all the wonderful brothers and sisters who

helped. You will never know how much all of us appreciate

it. May you be blessed in life for your kindness.


Make Your Voice Heard in WashingtonThe MM&P Political Contribution Fund Is Your Voice in WashingtonU.S. maritime jobs depend on MM&P’s work in Congress and the Administration. Make sure that your interests and those of your fellow merchant mariners receive the attention they deserve in Washington, D.C.

The MM&P Political Contribution Fund Works for You Supporting the MM&P Political Contribution Fund (PCF) is a direct way to support your own interests: Consider an annual donation of $100 or more.

Make your contribution today by visiting the Members Only section of the MM&P website at www.bridgedeck.org. If you’re already registered on the site, just log in. If you’re not registered, follow the simple directions to gain access. Then, on the drop-down menu, select “Make a PCF Contribution.” Fill in the information and choose from among the gifts appropriate to your contribution level.

The names below represent a partial listing of active and retired MM&P members who have voluntarily contributed $100 or more to the MM&P PCF in the past year.

Commodores Club recognizes contributions of $500 or more.Captains Club recognizes contributions between $250 and $499.Contributors level recognizes contributions between $100 and $249.

Bruce M. Badger Glen P. Banks Robert C. Beauregard Timothy A. Brown *

In memory of Charlie Darley

Michael F. Cotting Jeff G. Cowan Robert Darley


Walter R. Day * Steven J. Demeroutis Michelle M. Despot Raymond F. Dwyer * John W. Farmer III Edward W. Green John B. Harris Harold J. Held James F. Hill John R. Humphreys John J. Hunt Robert B. Lamb Lawrence T. Lyons

Charles W. Malue Donald J. Marcus Richard W. May Sean T. McNeice Paul F. McQuarrie Richard D. Moore

In Memory of J. Douglass Moore and Gordon E. Sides

Jared C. Myregard Paul H. Nielsen Joseph O. O’Connor * Ernest C. Petersen Peter A. Petrulis Richard M. Plant Jonathon S. Pratt George A. Quick Michael A. Rausa James G. Rodder Jack Slier Thomas E. Stone Donald G. Thomas Steven E. Werse Stanley M. Willis

COMMODORESScott F. Abrams

Jeffrey D. Adamson

Constatine Afanasief

Michael S. Anapol

John E. Belcourt

George Berkovich

Theodore E. Bernhard

Geoffrey Bird

James K. Boak IV

David H. Boatner

James T. Bordelon

James P. Brennan

Kevin P. Burke

Robert B. Burke

James A. Carbone

Kenneth J. Carlson Jr

Thomas J. Casynn

Bent L. Christiansen

Kevin S. Cichon

Donald P. Cocozza

Darren W. Collins

Dean R. Colver

Christopher D. Cooper

Paul Costabile

Barry V. Costanzi

Vincent J. Cox

Peter S. Curtis

Don F. Davis

Gerard H. DeGenova II

William A. Depping

Dorothy Dunn

In Memory of

Darrell Dunn

James C. Dykes

Robert N. Ethier

Jackson P. Everett

Malvina A. Ewers

In Memory of

Franklin Ewers

Mustafa I. Fakhry

Theodore F. Filipaw Jr

William H. Fisher III

Mark C. Foxvog

Allen Garfinkle

Nathaniel Gibbs

William D. Good Jr

In Memory of

William Good Sr

Lowell M. Gorman

Walter A. Graf Jr

Charles A. Graham

Paul Grepo

Robert H. Groh

Geoffrey F. Haley

Samuel A. Hanger

Travis J. Hansen

Michael K. Hargrave

Samuel W. Hartshorn Jr

Roger L. Haskell

Gerard Hasselbach

Rudolph A. Hendersen

Michael C. Herig

Andrew W. Hetz

Dennis H. Hoak

Jeff D. Hood

Alden W. Hoskin

Nicole L. Humphreys

David N. Hutchinson

Jeff H. Idema

Vance L. Idzal

John P. Jackson Jr

Earl W. Jones

James J. Kelleher Jr

John P. Kelley

John M. T. Kelly

Eric S. Kelm

John H. Kerwin

Duane M. Koran

Mark L. Lamar

Donald D. Laverdure

John S. Little

Hughston E. Lowder Jr

George P. MacDonough

Thomas P. MacKay Jr

Stephen Maher

William J. Mahoney

Daniel J. Martin

Robert C. McCarthy

Charles L. McConaghy

Daniel F. McGuire

Andrew J. Merrill

Thomas J. Mignano

Peter W. Mitchell

George B. Moran

John M. Morehouse

Paul A. Mospens

David V. Myles

Mark J. Nemergut

Frederick J. Nicoll

John J. O’Boyle Jr

James P. Olander

Steven A. Palmer

Peter J. Parise III

C. James Patti

Vasilios L. Pazarzis

Robert A. Pechusick

Joseph A. Perry

Norman A. Piianaia

Stephen F. Procida

Lloyd S. Rath

Bruno P. Ravalico

John P. Rawley

Mark D. Remijan

Karen A. Reyes

In memory of

Charlie Darley

Kathryn M. Roberts

In Memory of

Edgar Roberts

Jay M. Roche

Paul M. Rochford

Michael J. Rodriguez

Steven M. Rose

Allen M. Ross Jr

Edward B. Royles

Mark I. Ruppert

Paul B. Savasuk

John J. Schaeffner

Robert H. Schilling

Gary R. Schmidt

John F. Schmidt

Paul T. Schulman

Gary M. Setvin

Michael S. Shanley

Edwin L. Sherrill III

Steven P. Shils

Edward C. Smith

Michael D. Smith

James K. Staples

James Stebbins

Peter J. Strachota

Peter K. Strez

Einar W. Strom

William R. Travers

John S. Tucker

Gregory M. Tylawsky

Charles W. Viebrock

John C. Wallace

Michael K. Welch

Warren A. Weymouth

Erik P. Williamson

James G. Wilson

Jon C. Winstedt

CAPTAINS

* These active and retired members

have contributed $1,000 or more.


Larry D. Aasheim Mohamed A. Abbassi Richard Aldrich Frederick W. Allen George L. Allen John Allen Robert B. Allen Murray G. Alstott Hans W. Amador Gerald W. Anderson Robert N. Anderson William L. Anderson Noel E. Anthonysz John E. Antonucci Thomas E. Apperson Ray S. Armitstead Manuel H. Arosemena Brian D. Arthur Jenaro A. Asteinza Thomas A. Bagan Harvey N. Bailey Niles Baker Nick J. Ballas Evan B. Barbis David B. Barth Charles K. Barthrop Russell T. Baskin Brian W. Bassett Steve J. Batchelor Jr Edward S. Batcho Jr Dorinda L. Beach

William K. Beach John R. Beattie Olgierd C. Becker John W. Behnken David E. Behr Herbert S. Bell Derek J. Bender Fred A. Bennett Charles T. Beresheim Shankar Bhardwaj Ken A. Bhear Gene C. Bingham Lyle R. Bjelde Earl R. Blakely Joseph J. Blazich Sarah A. Bostwick Carl E. Bowler William H. Boyce Jr Robert N. Boyd Warren J. Bragg P.J. Branca Frank W. Branlund Stanley E. Breedlove Allan R. Breese Steven A. Brickley

Jeffrey C. Bridges Anders K. Brinch Jr Alfred A. Brown Clifford B. J. Brown Wardell E. Brown Dean K Bruch J. Michael Buffington Fernando C. Buisan David C. Burchard Walter J. Burleigh Joseph A. Byrne Thomas V. Cadloni Paul D. Calvin Gene M. Cameron Craig P. Campbell Todd J. Campbell John H. Carlisle Edgar S. Carlson Michael J. Carolan Chriss B. Carson Robert J. Carter Jr Juan C. Carvajal Manuel A. R. Casanovas Joseph M. Casey Konstantinos J. Catrakis Christoforos Catsambis Cyril Catton James F. Caylor Elmo J Cerise III Warren R. Chamberlain Richard P. Chandler

Hao C. Cheong Hao H. Cheong Paul Christ Nicholas A. Christian Christiaan R. Christiansen Ejnar G. Christiansen Francis H. Ciccosanti Garrett H. Clark O. J. Clausen Paul E. Coan Harold W. Coburn Harry C. Collins Martin N. Collins Richard R. Conlin John V. Connor John Q. Conrad Richard W. Conway Frederick D. Cook Mark Cooper Gary J. Cordes Andrew R. Corneille Jon C. Cornelius Richard F. Corso John M. Cotter Scot A. Couturier

David E. Cox James Crandall Richard W. Crane Matthew C. Craven Jacob A. Crawford Anthony E. Crish John F. Cronin Todd C. Crossman James J. Cullen Kirk W. Cully Thomas J. Cunningham George Cutucache Wilbur J. Dahn III Robert A. Dalziel George M. Darley


Michael H. Daugherty Adrian C. DeBoer David D. DeCastro George A. Defrain Ronald T. Degrazia Thomas A. Delamater Marguerite Delambily

In Memory of Robert Delambily

Joseph F. Delehant Denny Dennison Edward J. DesLauriers Timothy A. Devine Charles A. Dickman

Stephen J. Diederiks Bernard J. Diggins Robert M. Dobrowolski Claude R. Dodd William H. Doherty John M. Dolan Richard J. Domnitz Nancy A. Donnelly Lyle G. Donovan Jerome J. Dorman Ornulf C. Dorsen Gerald T. Dougherty Moulton Doughty Robert Drew Dale S. Dubrin Oswald A. Dudley John T. Duff Fred J. Duffy George Dunham Geoffrey P. Dunlop Richard Eastwood Robert W. Eisentrager Gordon W. Elden Bruce R. Elfast Danny Ellis

Jacob M. Elmstrom John C. Emmel David K. Engen Glen E. Engstrand Edward W. Enos JrEric L. Eschen Edward M. Evans Karl P. Fanning Scott A. Farnham Eddo H. Feyen Jose Fidalgo Harry A. Filkins Gary G. Finkelmeier Todd Fisher Glenn E. Fortin Milton K. Foss Ryan K. Foster James E. Franklin Kevin L. Franssen Jan M. Fraser J. Peter Fritz Angelo F. Gazzotto David M. George Daniel A. Glazier Thurman G. Godfrey Bradley D. Goodwin Gerald M. Gordon Donald P. Gorman Peter S. Grate Orie F. Graves Paul A. Gregware Jr

Stanley V. Griffin Adam W. Guice Juancho A. Gutierrez Jorge Gutman David C. Haa P.R. Haertel Francis M. Haggerty Curtis B. Hall Richard S. Haller Michelle E. Hallmark Herman Hallock Kenneth J. Halsall Lloyd W. Hamblet James D. Hamblett Dianna L. Hand Daniel J. Harmon Douglas M. Harrington Fred Harris Jack F. Harry Robert O. Harvey John J. Healey Kenneth R. Hele Richard H. Hemingson Joseph D. Henderson Franklin J. Hennessy

Patrick J. Hennessy Thomas E. Henry William H. Hermes Earl W. Herring James D. Herron Edward Hervias Cornelia Heyman

In Memory of Robert Heyman

Edward B. Higgins Jr Jeffrey S. Hill Michael D. Hill Alan G. Hinshaw Richard G. Hoey Roger L. Hoffman Kurt Holen John Holster William J. Hopewell Kurt J. Hopf Shimon D. Horowitz Robert B. Howard Steven P. Huse John D. Hutsell William H. Imken Clark S. Inman Angel Irlanda Samuel S. Irvin III Christine D. Isakson Donald L. Isler Theodore F. Jablonski Thomas J. Jacobsen

Manuel A. James James Jannetti Gregory R. Janney J. Kevin Jirak Eric B. Johnson William L. Johnson Eldon D. Jones Erik P. Jorgensen Jorgen A. Jorgensen Donald F. Josberger Timothy R. Kalke Eleftherios G. Kanagios Christopher G. Kavanagh William H. Kavanaugh Jr Charles S. Keen Sven E. Keinanen Colin D. Kelly Ralph C. Kelly Clyde W. Kernohan Jr Joseph E. Keyes Michael J. Kidd John F. Kihm Odd J. Killie Robert A. Kimball John M. King

Robert E. King John R. Kinlein James Kitterman Richard A. Kleineweber Robert E. Klemm Henry C. Knox-Dick James E. Kobis Laura L. Kohler Jonathan F. Komlosy Johan Kooystra Brian M. Koppel Wayne L. Korb John D. Kourian C. Kovell Damion Krowicki Kevin W. Kuebler Roy G. LaBrie Salvadore F. Lacava Anthony C. Lafayette Theodore W. Laing Cecil H. Lamb William C. Laprade John E. Larson Mark Laurence Keith Lawrence Samuel P. Lesko Thomas H. Lewis Gary W. Lightner Thomas N. Lightsey Jr John W. Lincoln William J. Lindros

John R. Lindsay Jr Leif H. Lindstrom James R. Londagin Karl P. Lonsdale Manuel F. Lopez Douglas M. Lord Mellannie L. Lovercheck Peter J. Luhn Thomas W. Luke John T. Lutey Jeremiah F. Lysaght William C. Mack Will L. MacLeod John A. Madison Rohit Malhotra John J. Malone III Charles W. Malue John W. Mangrum Victor R. Manoli III Adam V. Mara George E. Mara Michael A. Mara Todd M. Mara Nicholas A. Marcantonio Thomas C. Marley

PCF CONTRIBUTORS

Protect Our Future: Contribute to the MM&P PCFThe economic well-being of MM&P members, pensioners and their families depends on our ability to support policymakers in Washington who share our position on issues of critical importance to the U.S.-flag merchant marine. Our PCF is a non-partisan polit-ical action committee funded exclusively by your voluntary contributions. Without your donation, our voice is diminished. Give generously to the PCF today!

Sporting MM&P T-shirts are twins Emily Rose Fitzgerald (left) and Allison Elizabeth Fitzgerald, granddaughters of Jim and Beth Patti. Jim is president of MIRAID, the organi-zation which represents MM&P’s interests in Washington, D.C.


Brett J. Marquis Daniel P. Marsh Donald U Marshall John P. Marshall Robert Martin Edward T. Matlack Robert G. Mattsen Alexander S. Mauricio Richard L. Maxwell Eugene Mayer Marcus D. Mazsick David McAulay Rodney D. McCallen Thomas C. McCarthy Michael J. McCormick Michael J. McCright Thomas D. McDorr James P. McGee Scott P. McGeough John E. McGrane Kevin J. McHugh David A. McLean III Marci R. McNamara Louis A. Mendez Colin Mepstead Mark P. Michals William L. Miles Joseph E. Miller Steven J. Miller Richard D. Mills Cloyde L. Miner Bruce D. Mitchell James L. Mixon Klaus Moller Steven J. Moneymaker Jose Montero Cesar A. Montes Dale A. Moore Nicholas C. Moore Jaime Morlett Brian A. Mossman John Moustakas Philip D. Mouton Charles P. Moy Darrin N. Muenzberg Shane M. Murphy Curtis G. Murray Douglas J. Nagy Daniel S. Nakos Roland L. Nalette Eric B. Nelson Kenneth R. Nelson Michael E. Nelson Ernesto O. Nemesio Douglas A. Nemeth Henri L. Nereaux Floro I. Nerida Joseph W. Neuman Edward B. Newman T.K. Newman Howard W. Newton JrGeorge B. Nichols Marc D. Northern Nicholas J. Nowaski Bernard G. O’Brien Robert J. O’Donnell Gregory S. Oelkers Peter R. Ohnstad Jr Hans Olander Timothy J. O’Laughlin Patrick J. O’Leary James E. O’Loughlin Cornelius C. O’Malley

Edgardo T. Opao James E. Orton Michael B. O’Toole Robert R. Owen Jeffrey J. Oyafuso Henry M. Pace Glen M. Paine


Errol F. Pak Kenneth T. Palumbo Michael Papalios Robert F. Park Michael V. Parr Wesley C. Penney Joaquin Pereira Jr Joseph L. Perreault Henry Petersen Alfred E. Peterson Mark G. Peterson Ioannis M. Petroutsas Kerry D. Phillips L.B. Eugene Phillips William E. Phurrough Peter J. Piaseckyj Arthur E. Pierce Joseph P. Pierce Rick Pietrusiak Charles R. Pillsbury Sandra L. Pirtle Kirk C. Plender Ross E. Pollock Elmer W. Poser Joseph L. Pospisil Jr James A. Potter Demetrios A. Poupalos George C. Previll Carmon L. Pritchett Joseph V. Pulitano David S. Putty William J. Rabatsky Lance E. Raleigh James W. Ramsden Thomas W. Ramsden Patrick J. Rawley Scott B. Reed Frank E. Reed Jr Christopher Reiblein Timothy R. Reinholdt Robert A. Reish Thomas A. Rekart James G. Rettke John J. Reynolds Javier Riano Steven P. Roberto James R. Robey James J. Robinson Carson L. Rock Theodore F. Rodes Brian Rogers Burton A. Rogers G. Kenneth Rose Herbert P. Rosen Alan Y. Rosenberg Edmund J. Rothwell Bruce Rowland Randy E. Rozell Dennis L. Ruff Jon D. Ruffatto Craig A. Rumrill Edwin W. Rutter David C. Ryan Roberto H. Salomon

Philip F. Same James J. Sanders Michael A. Santini Edmund J. Santos Jr Peter A. Sarandinaki Robert C. Sargeant Keith A. Sauls Scott D. Saunders Thomas J. Savoie Michael E. Schilling Christopher D. Schlarb Charles R. Schmidt Carl E. Schneider Mitchell Schoonejans Ross E. Schramm Gary W. Schrock Andrew Schroder Henry L. Schroeder William F. Schumacher Benjamin L. Scott Wahid N. Shaker Ralph H. Sheffield Daniel S. Shelton Paul R. Shepard Raymond W. Shipway Ned J. Shore Edwin J. Shuttleworth Edward Simmons George J. Single Harold V. Sipila Kaare G. Sivertsen Bruce W. Skillman Ernest P. Skoropowski Peter R. Skywark Gerald V. Smeenk Brendan S. Smith Francis X. Smith Frederick D. Smith K. W. Smith Peter S. Smith Glen E. Smith Jr Frank W. Snell Eugene A. Spaulding Robert R. Spencer Joseph B. Stackpole Egon K. Stage Michael V. Staikoff Paul W. Stallings Thomas M. Stapleton James W. StClair A.H. Stegen Leonard A. Stenback Richard C. Stephens Sam Stern Robert W. Stevenson John G. Stewart Mark S. Stinziano Laurence B. Stone Glenn D. Strathearn Robert P. Strobel Jr Tore Stromme Harold A. Stumme Roy T. Sturdivant Andrew C. Subcleff David A. Sulin Thomas Sullivan Joseph A. Swan Chris D. Sweeny Robert E. Sweet Roy E. Tallaksen Kevin M. Tapp Thomas F. Taylor Jason Teal

Antoine I. Tedmore

Donald D. Thayer Jr

Arthur J. Thomas

Brian D. Thomas

Deatra M. Thompson

Gary E. Tober

John E. Tonningsen

Norman B. Toroni

Adam Torres

Daniel C. Tucker

Joel E. Tucker

James L. Turman

Stephen L. Turn

Jeremiah L. Turner

Jed J. Tweedy

Edward J. Usasz

Jose L. Valasquez

Federico D. Valdez

Stephen R. Vandale

Robert Vasko

Peter R. Veasey

Philip A. Vecchione

Pedro M. Velez

Valerie S. Verrecchio

Glenn E. Viettone

Douglas C. Vines

Ren W. Vurpillat

Nancy L. Wagner

David I. Wainwright

Jeremiah W. Walcik

Lacy J. Walker

Gregory S. Walsh

Milton Walter

Harry Walton

Andrew A. Wargo

James H. Warmack

Anderson Warwick

Paul M. Washburn

Edward L. Watson

Kevin L. Watson

Steven D. Watt

Robert L. Weber

George E. Weisgerber

William H. Weiss

Nathaniel R. Weissman

Lawrence L. Welsh

George A. Werdann Jr

John L. Westrem

William J. Westrem

Eugene K. Whalen

George C. Whealton Jr

Michael D. Wholey

Aaron Widerman

Ronald C. Wilkin

Lester S. Williamson

Denis J. Wilson

Steven M. Wilson

John B. Winterling

Kahai H. Wodehouse

Arthur R. Wood

John R. Wood

Michela L. Worthington

Janusz A. Wozniak

William D. Wright

Jose B. Yap

John B. Young

Frank Zabrocky

James R. Zatwarnicki Jr

Demetrios Zouzoulas

PCF CONTRIBUTORS

Buy a Piece of MM&P History and Promote Your PCF

Dramatic, colorful prints of

the steamboat Seawanhaka are

being offered for sale to benefit

MM&P’s Political Contribution

Fund. (Above) Artist Brian

Hope with MM&P International

President Timothy Brown. Hope

has signed a limited number

of the prints to be sold for the

benefit of the union’s PCF. The

$40 cost of each print includes

shipping, handling, and a brief

history, on parchment, of the

union’s dramatic origins in the

fire aboard the Seawanhaka.

Capt. Hope sailed in the Vietnam

Sealift and with U.S. Lines

before joining the Association of

Maryland Pilots. His paintings

hang in museums, businesses

and private homes. To obtain

a colorful print and further

the interests of our nation’s

merchant mariners, contact

MM&P Asst. Comptroller

Beverly Gutmann by phone

(410-850-8700, ext. 11), fax

(410-850-8384) or e-mail

([email protected]).


Alice Robinson Executive HousekeeperWhen Alice Robinson arrived at MITAGS, she already had

experience in both supervision and housekeeping. In 1989,

she joined My Cleaning Service—the company to which

MITAGS contracts housekeeping services—as a supervisor.

It was only a matter of time

before My Cleaning recog-

nized Alice’s abilities: after

three months on the job, she

was promoted to operations

manager for the company’s

retail and medical clients in

Baltimore.

In 1989, Alice was

assigned to MITAGS. Again,

she demonstrated her orga-

nizational and managerial

capabilities and was quickly promoted to executive house-

keeper, a position she still holds today.

Alice describes herself as a “take charge organizer” who

approaches the job as if it were her own business. She takes

great pride in her work, always managing by example, and

communicates the same values to her staff. “Our goal is to

provide all our customers with a pristine environment and

quality services,” Alice says.

Originally from Council, N.C., Alice has been a long-

time resident of Baltimore, the city in which her daughter

also resides. She is an avid sports fan who particularly enjoys

basketball and football. Her hobbies include gospel singing,

dancing and cheering for the Baltimore Ravens.

Hotel, Game Room and Pool Renovations The guestrooms in the South Residence Tower have

almost all been completely upgraded. The rooms have

new furniture, including a desk with executive chair and

cable TV. All have a refrigerator, coffee maker and high

speed Internet.

The indoor swimming pool on the lower level of the

North Tower has also been completely overhauled. The 50-

foot pool was totally resurfaced, with the addition of racing

lanes and targets. A new heat exchanger, a three-horsepower

pump and a filtration system were also installed. The pool is

typically used for Basic Safety Training, but is also available

for recreational use. Please check with the front desk staff for

availability.

The game room has now been completely renovated.

Along with new carpeting and heating/air conditioning,

there is also new gaming equipment, including two pool

tables, a ping pong table, a foosball table, dart boards, air

hockey and shuffleboard. Next time you visit MITAGS,

come and enjoy an evening of games with your friends.

MERPAC to Give Input on STCW Rulemaking The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has asked the Merchant

Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) to

provide input on the final rulemaking for implementa-

tion of the 1995 Amendments to the Standards of Training

and Certification of Watchstanders (STCW). MERPAC

is expected to discuss the comments at its April meeting.

For more information on MERPAC, please visit the USCG

website at http://www.uscg.mil.

MITAGS Receives Maryland Governor’s Citation The Governor of Maryland has presented MITAGS and the

Conference Center at the Maritime Institute of Technology

(CCMIT) with a citation for their contributions to the

education of Maryland students in the field of mathematics.

MITAGS Executive Director Glen Paine accepted

the citation on behalf of the institute from Baltimore/

Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce President

Walter Townsend. In presenting the citation, Townsend

read a statement by Governor Robert Ehrlich, who

thanked MITAGS for “enhancing mathematics education

for Maryland students and allowing Maryland to remain

competitive in the regional and world marketplace by

providing necessary skills for today’s workplace…” The

statement also thanked MITAGS and CCMIT for their

“commitment to public–private initiatives linking schools,

government and the business community to benefit

Maryland’s future.”

For more information on the conference facilities

offered by the institute, please contact the Sales Department

toll free at (866) 629-3196 or by e-mail at [email protected].

You can also visit the website at http://www.ccmit.org.

the Maritime Institute of technology


MM&P Political Contribution Fund700 Maritime Blvd., Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1941

Receipt is hereby acknowledged from:

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

IN THE SUM OF $

With my contribution or pledge of $250 or more, please send: Watch: ❏Men’s ❏Ladies OR MM&P Jacket: ❏M ❏L ❏XL ❏XXL ❏XXXL

With my contribution or pledge of $100 or more, please send: MM&P Pocket Polo Shirt (Blue) ❏M ❏XL ❏XXL OR MM&P Pocket Polo Shirt (Patterned) ❏M ❏L ❏XXL OR MM&P Silk Tie: ❏Blue or ❏Maroon OR MM&P Sweatshirt: ❏Grey or ❏Yellow Size: ❏L ❏XL ❏XXL ❏XXXL OR MM&P Safety Vest: ❏L ❏XL ❏XXL

With my contribution or pledge of $50 - $99, please send: MM&P T-Shirt: ❏Blue or ❏White Size: ❏L ❏XL ❏XXL ❏XXXL OR Blue MM&P Baseball Cap ❏ One size fits all OR MM&P Glasses ❏ Set of 4

With my contribution or pledge of $25–$49, please send: MM&P Travel Mug ❏

Contributors who fullfill their pledge with recurring payments on

the Members Only section of www.bridgedeck.org will receive their

gift upon reaching the minimum amount due. Please check below if

you have fulfilled your annual pledge, and make sure to clearly indi-

cate your selection above.

Questions? Call 410-850-8700 ext. 29 or e-mail [email protected].

I’ve reached my mark! ❏This is a voluntary contribution to the MM&P Political

Contribution Fund. No physical force, job discrimination, finan-

cial reprisals or threat thereof has been used to secure this contri-

bution. The contributor has been advised of his or her right to

refuse to contribute without reprisal.

AUTHORIZED COLLECTOR

PORT DATE

MEMBER AUTHORIZATION DATE

Support U.S. Maritime Labor and Industry With a Contribution to the MM&P PCFPCF

back ✂

700 Maritime BoulevardLinthicum HeightsMaryland 21090-1941

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