MARINE ENGINEERS' BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION (AFL-CIO)
         "On Watch in Peace and War Since 1875"

MEBA TELEX TIMES           JULY 18, 2008

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 29

In this issue...
New M.E.B.A. ships closer to delivery...Trustees make beneficial changes...West Coast memorial for M.E.B.A., MFOW ship... M.E.B.A. MSC vessel on outreach mission...Top of the morning! The toast of the town, we continue our cereal excellence and juice up another hash-browned, stud-muffin edition that's hot off the griddle. Bad-egg, waffling weeklies that scramble the news should wake up and smell the coffee! Dollars to doughnuts, we rise and shine, knock them flat as a pancake and bring home the bacon. Kiss my grits! The breakfast of champions, the over-easy Telex Times is the most important meal of the day!

AKER LAUNCHES OVERSEAS TEXAS CITY
Aker Philadelphia Shipyard has launched the fifth of twelve M.E.B.A.-crewed product tankers - a series that is scheduled for completion in 2011. In the early morning hours last Friday, the 46,000 dwt OVERSEAS TEXAS CITY was floated off its blocks and transferred from the Building Dock to the Outfitting Dock. In the Outfitting Dock, testing, commissioning and onboard work will continue until the ship embarks on sea trials where it will be thoroughly tested prior to delivery to American Shipping Company and subsequent bareboat charter to OSG America.

The TEXAS CITY has been modified to incorporate three improved diesel powered electrical generating sets to power the vessel's electrical system. These diesel engines comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's latest Tier II requirements. When in operation these new engines will produce lower levels of pollutants such as NOx, SOx, and particulate than previous versions. The ship's emergency diesel generator, hydraulic power packs, and rescue and lifeboat engines have all been upgraded as well.

"American Shipping Company is committed to having the newest, most modern and most efficient vessels in our fleet," said Rob Kurz, American Shipping Company President and CEO. "As our build program with Aker Philadelphia Shipyard progresses, each vessel incorporates improvements over the previous vessels."

NASSCO SCHEDULES CHRISTENING, LAUNCH OF NEXT T-AKE
San Diego's NASSCO shipyard has announced the christening and launch of the USNS CARL BRASHEAR, the seventh dry cargo ammunition ship in the T-AKE program. The Navy is building a series of Lewis & Clark-class ships that will be owned and operated by the Military Sealift Command and crewed with expert M.E.B.A. engineers. MSC will use the T-AKEs to deliver food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions to Navy combat ships at sea. The ceremony for the BRASHEAR will take place on Thursday morning, September 18, 2008 and will be open to the public. So far, NASSCO has delivered the first five ships of the Lewis and Clark class.

The T-AKE ships incorporate international marine technologies and commercial ship-design features, including an integrated electric-drive propulsion system to minimize operating costs over their projected 40-year service lives. NASSCO has contracts to build 11 T-AKEs. The Navy has options to build three additional ships for a total class of 14 vessels.

M.E.B.A. BENEFIT CHANGES
After a successful and productive trustees meeting in San Diego, M.E.B.A. President Don Keefe has announced that several changes have been made that directly benefit members and future retirees. After a long and protracted meeting, the company trustees finally agreed, as of September 1, 2008, to eliminate the 6% fee that members had to pay when converting overtime to vacation. This has been an issue for many members who sail out of the hall and sometimes need the extra benefits coverage. Also, effective immediately, the trustees approved an additional option for members looking to retire or those members with retirements now pending. This extra option includes a 50% partial lump sum buyout with a continuing monthly annuity giving a member who is planning to retire, the option of investing a portion of his pension while still maintaining the security of an M.E.B.A. pension-fund backed annuity. To get further details, members should contact the M.E.B.A. Plan Office.

M.E.B.A.-CREWED MSC SHIP SAILS OFF ON INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH MISSION
Military Sealift Command rescue and salvage ship USNS GRASP departed Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Norfolk in late June to begin a four-month international outreach deployment to the Caribbean. The deployment, called Navy Diver-Global Fleet Station 2008, is directed by the U.S. Southern Command and is designed to enhance maritime security in the region.

The M.E.B.A.-crewed GRASP will partner with maritime officials throughout the region to conduct a range of dive-related activities, exchange information and build relationships. In addition, GRASP's civil service mariners plan to work with local civic organizations to conduct goodwill projects ashore.

"This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the range of missions that this ship is fully capable of doing, from recovering gear to assisting a ship in distress to towing vessels and, now, hosting dive operations in coordination with our international partners," said Capt. Jose Delfaus, GRASP's civil service master. "The whole crew is excited about this mission and is approaching it with a very positive attitude."

GRASP is one of MSC's four 255-foot salvage and recovery ships that are able to deploy rapidly to recover objects from the sea, tow stranded vessels and provide firefighting assistance.

SS BATON ROUGE VICTORY MEMORIAL RESTORED ON SAN FRANCISCO WATERFRONT
After 9 years of confinement inside a Pier 50 warehouse, the SS BATON ROUGE VICTORY memorial has finally been liberated to a viewing location on the San Francisco waterfront.

The monument was placed on the east apron of Pier 45 between the USS PAMPANITO submarine and the SS JEREMIAH O'BRIEN liberty ship museums.

Also placed at the site was the WWII Merchant Marine Veterans plaque which was previously removed from the San Francisco Embarcadero around the same time as the SS BATON ROUGE VICTORY monument.

Restoration of both memorials on the San Francisco waterfront was accomplished in a joint effort by the Marine Firemen's Union and the American Merchant Marine Veterans Association.

The SS BATON ROUGE VICTORY memorial specifically honors members of the Marine Firemen's Union and the M.E.B.A. who lost their lives in 1966 when a mine that had been attached to the ship's hull by a Viet Cong diver and was detonated from shore flooded the engine room. Those who perished included 1st A/E John A. Bishop (M.E.B.A.), 2nd A/E Charles B. Rummel (M.E.B.A.), Chief Electrician Raymond C. Barrett (MFOW), Second Electrician Earl T. Erickson (MFOW), Oiler James McBride (MFOW), Fireman/Watertender Robert J. Rowe (MFOW) and Wiper Timothy M. Riordan (MFOW).

Only the Chief Engineer and one Oiler, who were both on the throttle grating, made it out of the engine room ahead of the rushing water. Immediately after the attack, Captain Konrad Carlson, the ship's Master, nosed the vessel into the bank of the Saigon River to avoid blocking the channel and to keep the vessel from sinking completely.

The SS BATON ROUGE VICTORY monument also functions as a reminder of the sacrifice and dedication of all U.S. merchant seamen who served their country in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

ADDITIONAL $30 CONTAINER CHARGE WINDS THROUGH CALIFORNIA CONGRESS
A bill that would tack an additional fee on most cargo containers entering California ports has moved through the State Assembly by a 45-23 vote. SB 974, called the Clean Ports Investment Bill, would assess at least a $30-per-TEU charge on containers processed at ports in Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland. With 16 million containers expected to be affected, that could generate about $480 million in revenue. The collected fees would be put towards transportation infrastructure and cleaning up air quality along California's coast.

The legislation is still subject to a pair of votes in the California legislature before it can be submitted to the Governor's office for signature. That could happen by the end of the summer. A similar version of the bill was put before Governor Schwarzenegger two years ago and was vetoed. Reportedly, this is a compromise version of the legislation that is more digestible to the Governator.

MAKE SURE YOU UPDATE YOUR INFO WITH HQ
Be sure to inform Headquarters if you recently changed your contact information. There is an address change form on our website to help expedite the process. Address changes now require a signature for validation along with your new information. You can get the form in either a .pdf or a Word document from www.meba.us. Once there, click on the "Members Only" tab and toggle "Address Changes." The form can be printed out by the member or retiree, filled out completely with a signature and faxed or mailed to Headquarters. Those of you with scanners can complete the document with your signature then scan and e-mail it back to us.

Those active and retired members who have not received mailings from Headquarters such as the Marine Officer or other important information may want to log onto our website to clarify their address. Because the M.E.B.A. Plans office in Baltimore and Headquarters databases are NOT linked you must also forward a signed change of address form to the Plans Office if you wish to update your information with them.

NON-DUES PAYERS GET DUMPED
A number of applicants and members who hadn't been keeping up with their dues payments were dropped from the rolls after the District Investigating Committee put them under review. That practice will continue for those who don't keep up with their dues or service charges. If you are in arrears and desire to retain your membership or applicant status, you must contact Headquarters IMMEDIATELY to make payment on your arrearage and return to good standing.

CERTAIN TEXAS, N.C. COTP ZONES GET EARLY TWIC START DATE
The Coast Guard and Transportation Security Administration have announced that Nov. 28, 2008 will the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program compliance date for owners and operators of facilities located within the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Zones of Cape Fear River, N.C., Corpus Christi, Texas, North Carolina, and Port Arthur, Texas.

The Coast Guard plans to announce those additional ports scheduled for the compliance phase of the TWIC program in coming weeks. Compliance will be phased in by Captain of the Port Zones between Oct. 15, 2008 and April 15, 2009, after which all ports must be in compliance and all credentialed mariners must be in possession of a TWIC. A framework showing expected compliance dates by Captain of the Port Zone is available on the U.S. Coast Guard's Homeport Website at http://homeport.uscg.mil/twic. 

Mariners are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible and can pre-enroll for their TWIC online at www.tsa.gov/twic.  Pre-enrollment speeds up the process by allowing workers to provide biographic information and to schedule a time to complete the application process in person. The pre-enrollment process reduces the time it takes to fully enroll in the TWIC program and eliminates waiting at enrollment centers.

"Facility owners and operators must ensure that those who need unescorted access to secure areas get their TWIC as soon as possible," said Capt. Mark. O'Malley, Chief of the U.S. Coast Guard's Office of Port and Facility Activities. "It is vital we work together to achieve this important port security initiative." Additional information can be found at http://homeport.uscg.mil/twic and www.tsa.gov/twic.

ITF WANTS ILO CONVENTION RATIFICATION TO IMPROVE SEAFARING LIFE
The ITF is calling for the prompt ratification of vital international conventions that would improve working conditions at sea. Participating in a panel on seafarers at the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on the Law of the Sea (UNICPOLOS) in New York on late June, ITF Seafarers Section Secretary Jon Whitlow highlighted the importance of  improving quality of life at sea. He argued that seafaring was becoming increasingly difficult as a result of poor shore leave access, the criminalization of seafarers and inadequate facilities for communication with family and friends.

Whitlow pointed out that it is crucial to ratify and implement the International Labor Organization (ILO) Maritime Labor Convention and ILO Convention 185 on seafarers' identity documents. He also reminded delegates of the need for real and effective flag states.

Following the discussions, participants agreed on a number of points, which will be put to the UN General Assembly. Among them were proposals that the General Assembly emphasize the need to promote a culture of safety in the shipping industry; ensure that security and safety measures are implemented with minimal negative effects on the working conditions of seafarers and invite all states to ratify and implement the Maritime Labor Convention and the Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention.

MARAD SIGNS DEAL TO UNLOAD TWO MORE RUSTBUCKETS
The Maritime Administration has sold two obsolete ships to Southern Scrap Material, LLC, for $1,675,376. The New Orleans-based firm has purchased the AMERICAN EXPLORER for $1,052,788 and the COURIER for $622,588. Both ships are currently moored at the National Defense Reserve Fleet site in Beaumont, Texas, and are expected to depart within 45 days. While most ship disposal contracts in recent years have involved the federal government paying to have ships recycled, in this transaction the recycler is purchasing the ships. High worldwide prices for scrap steel have recently made such ships more valuable to recyclers, who sell the steel and other materials recovered from the ships. Since the beginning of fiscal year 2001, the Maritime Administration has awarded contracts to recycle 122 ships from all of its fleet sites; 28 of those contracts have been sales, and most of the sales have been within the past 18 months.

"These ships have served the American people well, and continue to serve by fetching the best value for the taxpayer dollar," said Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton. The COURIER was originally launched as the cargo vessel M/V COASTAL MESSENGER in 1945. The COASTAL MESSENGER was transferred to the control of the Department of State in 1952, renamed the COURIER, and put into service as a mobile relay station for Voice of America broadcasts into communist-controlled countries. It served in that capacity until 1964. The AMERICAN EXPLORER is a tanker built in 1958 at the Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss.

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, August 4 - Boston, Jacksonville, Seattle;
Tuesday, August 5 - Baltimore, Houston, San Francisco;
Wednesday, August 6 - Calhoon School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, August 7 - L.A., New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, August 8 - Honolulu.

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