Posted:
October 2, 2013
Military Sealift Command and Maersk Line, Limited have agreed upon a temporary contract that will extend for up to six months and will cover the five T-AGOS vessels and two T-AGM vessels.
The seven vessels covered by what is known as the 'bridge' contract are manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers. In addition to extending MLL's operating charter for the vessels, the bridge contract incorporates the pay and benefit increases that were contained in the labor package provided by AMO in May of 2012 to its operating companies in response to MSC's request for proposals on a new contract for the T-AGOS and T-AGM vessels.
Every optional extension of the existing contract has been exercised by MSC and the bridge contract covers the continued operation of these crucial surveillance and missile range instrumentation vessels until a new operating charter is awarded.
"We're extremely pleased the jobs of the AMO officers in the T-AGOS and T-AGM fleets will be sustained, at least for the near future and hopefully beyond," said American Maritime Officers National President Tom Bethel. "As we await the announcement of a contract award, our members will now benefit from the increases we submitted for the RFP.
"The AMO officers serving in these fleets are uniquely qualified for their jobs and have collectively achieved an outstanding and extensive record of exceptional service to MSC," Bethel said. "They deserve a lot of recognition for their continued and characteristic professionalism during what has become a very long and involved contracting process for these vessels."
The T-AGOS fleet is composed of the USNS Victorious, USNS Loyal, USNS Effective, USNS Impeccable and USNS Able. The T-AGM fleet is composed of the USNS Invincible and USNS Observation Island.
AMO jobs sustained in T-AGOS, T-AGM fleets under temporary 'bridge' contract
Military Sealift Command and Maersk Line, Limited have agreed upon a temporary contract that will extend for up to six months and will cover the five T-AGOS vessels and two T-AGM vessels.
The seven vessels covered by what is known as the 'bridge' contract are manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers. In addition to extending MLL's operating charter for the vessels, the bridge contract incorporates the pay and benefit increases that were contained in the labor package provided by AMO in May of 2012 to its operating companies in response to MSC's request for proposals on a new contract for the T-AGOS and T-AGM vessels.
Every optional extension of the existing contract has been exercised by MSC and the bridge contract covers the continued operation of these crucial surveillance and missile range instrumentation vessels until a new operating charter is awarded.
"We're extremely pleased the jobs of the AMO officers in the T-AGOS and T-AGM fleets will be sustained, at least for the near future and hopefully beyond," said American Maritime Officers National President Tom Bethel. "As we await the announcement of a contract award, our members will now benefit from the increases we submitted for the RFP.
"The AMO officers serving in these fleets are uniquely qualified for their jobs and have collectively achieved an outstanding and extensive record of exceptional service to MSC," Bethel said. "They deserve a lot of recognition for their continued and characteristic professionalism during what has become a very long and involved contracting process for these vessels."
The T-AGOS fleet is composed of the USNS Victorious, USNS Loyal, USNS Effective, USNS Impeccable and USNS Able. The T-AGM fleet is composed of the USNS Invincible and USNS Observation Island.