Rear Admiral Mark Buzby visited the Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School this week just weeks after taking over as Commander of the Military Sealift Command. RAdm. Buzby, accompanied by aide Lt. Dan Sullivan, was greeted at the School by M.E.B.A. President Don Keefe, Secretary-Treasurer Bill Van Loo and Interim Director Chuck Eser who showed the Commander our topnotch training facility in Easton. MD. In addition, Government Fleet Representative Randi Ciszewski and Assistant School Directors Barry Van Vechten (Academics) and Lee Brown (Operations) helped enhance the tour for the MSC visitors. They also participated in a productive discussion at lunch concerning the strengthening of M.E.B.A.’s relationship with the Military Sealift Command. The MSC contingent was very impressed with our School and in particular, was enamored by the training provided in courses most utilized by MSC civilian mariners, especially on the T-AKE vessel, such as High Voltage Safety, Marine Electric Propulsion, Programmable Logic Controllers, and Data Communications & Networking. The CMES has proven extremely valuable for M.E.B.A. mariners sailing with the MSC as well as non-M.E.B.A. mariners working with MSC that help benefit the School while receiving the best training available in the world today.

Coast Guard Attorney Advisor Megan Allison of the Office of the Chief ALJ, the Director of Prevention Policy Kevin Cook from the Marine Safety department, and the Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel Rear Admiral William Baumgartner met personally with M.E.B.A. Secretary-Treasurer Bill Van Loo and Chief Counsel Nils Djusberg to catalog the scorecard of improvements the Coast Guard has made to the system. The M.E.B.A. came away encouraged with the Coast Guard’s voluminous checklist to further guarantee a more evenhanded system. Among the initiatives either completed or well on their way include increasing public availability of relevant ALJ decisions and documents to promote transparency and to further separate ALJ and Coast Guard from each other to better improve program integrity. In addition, Coast Guard has stepped up training in the relevant departments, launched programs to improve the effectiveness of investigations into complaints against ALJs, added staff and resources and enhanced service delivery to mariners and industry customers.

The US Coast Guard is accepting nominations for its 2010 William M. Benkert Marine Environmental Protection Awards. The award recognizes maritime industry businesses and corporations involved in marine facility or vessel operations that have demonstrated sustained excellence and outstanding achievement in protecting the marine environment. The award program also encourages innovations in operations, maintenance, cargo handling, refueling, training and the sharing of best practices throughout the industry.

Applications should be submitted by March 1, 2010. The presentation of awards will take place in June 2010. Award candidates must follow a prescribed format for the submission of nominations. That and more information is available by going to the Coast Guard homepage (https://homeport.uscg.mil)  and typing "Benkert award" in the search box at top. The supplied link will bring up all the information you need.

Members and applicants will have the convenience of paying dues and service charges online as well as setting up a schedule to automatically take care of their payment needs. A secure area has been set up on the M.E.B.A. website, through Sun Trust Bank, enabling safe online transactions. The site can also be used to pay vacation dues or initiation fees as well as to make a tax deductible contribution to M.E.B.A.’s Good & Welfare Fund.

Members and applicants can now stay timely without missing a beat. It is especially helpful for those at sea who may face logistical difficulties in keeping up with their payments. Built-in security features provide a private and secure online experience that will assign you a confirmation number and help you print a payment receipt for your records. The site will also allow members to view their transaction history and account statements online in a secure manner.

Members can go to the M.E.B.A. Home Page (www.mebaunion.org)  and click on the "Dues" dollar sign icon on the far right about halfway down on the page. After registering, you can easily navigate the site to make single or recurring payments drawing from your checking or savings account.

Remember to print out the confirmation page when you complete online dues payments. Union halls will not register or ship someone without proof of dues payment.

The ITF threw down the gauntlet to flag states and shipowners who have not taken action to fight Somali piracy to act now, before the threat makes it virtually impossible for seafarers to pass through the ever-widening danger area. The Federation stated that: "save in exceptional circumstances, ships should not transit the (affected) area. The risk of attack is now so great that putting seafarers in harm’s way amounts to a breach of the shipowner’s duty of care." It went on to describe a motion adopted by its Fair Practices Committee as a statement of intent that flag states and shipowners have to assess the risks and act definitively to combat them, or risk finding themselves outside the law.

ITF Maritime Coordinator Steve Cotton explained: "There are countries actively fighting piracy and there are owners training and supporting their crews to resist it. Then there are others who are shirking responsibility and as good as accepting its steadily growing menace, which has now brought us to the point where one of the world’s great trading routes is now almost too dangerous to pass through."

He continued: "Today’s statement reflects the frustration of all those who work at sea at the dire situation we’ve reached. One where pirates act virtually unmolested and, even if intercepted, with virtual impunity from arrest. It calls into question the very legality of continuing to send ships through much of the Indian Ocean. It is therefore imperative that not only must protective escorts be used but that flag states immediately decide on the protective measures that they must recommend for the ships that are flying their flag and that those ships’ operators comply with them."

He concluded: "We, and many others, also want to see the end of what’s virtually an open secret in shipping – that many of the world’s largest ship registers have provided not one vessel to patrol an ocean that can only be made safe by an increase in the number of warships needed to aggressively patrol and police it. I am not aware of a single flag of convenience country that is acting in this way to protect the ships that are supposedly their responsibility."

If flying with your documents on the way to a hall, double-check that you haven’t left any essential documents at home and make sure to keep your documents with you in your carry-on luggage. The primary documents you’ll need include your License, STCW, MMD, TWIC, Passport, Annual physical card, Drug free certificate, Group Card, Dues Receipt, proof of Return to Work Date and your 1% medical card. Certain jobs require proof of Horizon or Maersk qualifications, benzene or your shot records. Some mariners have the new orange color Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC). That document combines your license, MMD and STCW together. If you have questions about your documents, direct them to your local hall.

The transit of container ships through the Gulf of Aden in both directions is subject to high costs caused by the prevailing risks of piracy in the area, which has led CMA CGM to apply a "Aden Gulf" surcharge of $41 per TEU.

CMA CGM also advised that when travelling through the Gulf of Aden ships should cross at increased speed, apply a route deviation and whenever available join convoys protected by coalition warships. They are implementing the Aden Gulf Surcharge on all containers transiting the area, effective December 15th, 2009.

Monday, Dec. 7 – Boston; Jacksonville; Seattle;
Tuesday, Dec. 8 – Baltimore/Calhoon School@CMES, Houston, San Francisco (Oakland);
Wednesday, Dec. 9 – Charleston, New Orleans;
Thursday, Dec. 10 – L.A. (Wilmington), New York (New Jersey), Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, Dec. 11 – Honolulu.