Posted:
November 26, 2018
The significance of merchant mariners and the importance of improving their lives in the future were the themes for all three recipients of The United Seamen's Service (USS) 2018 Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards (AOTOS) presented at the 49th annual event on November 2. The awards were presented by Kenneth Wykle, LTG, USA (Ret.) before some 600 maritime labor and industry leaders to President and CEO of Hapag-Lloyd USA Salvador "Tony" Bruno, the National President of American Maritime Officers, and Chairman of the ARC Group Raymond Fitzgerald, USS reported.
AOTOS Mariner's Plaques were awarded during the ceremony to the officers and crews of the M/V Norfolk and M/V Edgar B. Speer, among other vessels.
During the event, the AMO National President accepted the AOTOS Award on behalf of the AMO membership and AMO families, and emphasized the urgent need to promote, sustain and expand the U.S. merchant fleet in international trade.
"I have absolute confidence in the spirit and character that define the American merchant mariner, the loyalty and courage that have driven our mariners in wartime from the Revolution through World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf in 1990 and 1991, and most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq," he said.
The M/V Norfolk is operated by Argent Marine Operations and is manned in all licensed positions by AMO. The M/V Edgar B. Speer is operated by Key Lakes and AMO represents the licensed engineers and stewards aboard the vessel. USS published the following summaries of the actions of the officers and crews aboard these vessels.
M/V Edgar B. Speer - 15 miles WNW of Ashtabula, Ohio on the Great Lakes, August 25, 2018: A distress message on a ship's radio triggers immediate action. This was the case with M/V Edgar B. Speer, a bulk carrier traveling Lake Erie, and for Third Mate Kris Brecht who received the distress message.
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo advised the crew that a fishing vessel had capsized. The Speer immediately mustered the crew to station for a rescue, changing course to assist. A fast rescue boat was launched, and moved to assist another vessel, DB Charter, in recovering three fishermen clinging to the sinking vessel.
The full crew of the Speer quickly became involved, including engineering personnel who took quick action bringing generators online for bow thruster maneuvering and lookouts maintaining watch over the foundering fishing vessel. The deck crew, led by Chief Officer Jim Stengel and ABU Frank Jackson, provided extra lifesaving gear and manned the fast recue boat moving through 25-30 mph winds and a 3-4' chop.
M/V Norfolk - 700 miles east of Windward Islands, February 4-5, 2018: When the Mayday words sounded on the radio, the M/V Norfolk scrambled to respond. The subsequent call from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) was the trigger that sent the 18,000-ton cargo vessel heading to the scene in the Caribbean.
A 15-meter sailing sloop, the Moflete, sailing from France to Martinique, was taking on water and sinking, and the crew was abandoning ship. The call was actually not how it started. M/V Norfolk had responded to an earlier call to the same vessel, which had a medical emergency on board and was in distress running on one engine as the mast was damaged. A crewmember had two fingers severed, and the ship had provided medical aid.
Later, with winds blowing 30 knots with a three-meter swell, things worsened for the Moflete, and M/V Norfolk was sent to effect a rescue. With weather too rough to launch a fast rescue boat and the Moflete foundering, the M/V Norfolk navigated alongside the sinking sloop, allowing the four crewmen to be rescued. The crewman with the amputated fingers was the captain, and M/V Norfolk's medical team stabilized him as the vessel sailed to Martinique. He was subsequently transferred by helicopter to a hospital while the M/V Norfolk sailed to port and discharged the others.
Proceeds from the AOTOS event benefit USS community services abroad for the U.S. merchant marine, seafarers of all nations, and U.S. government and military overseas.
For AOTOS 2018, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) was honorary chairman. Seafarers International Union President Michael Sacco served as dinner chairman. F. Anthony Naccarato of American Maritime Officers Service and Joseph Cox were national committee co-chairmen.
AMO National President, officers and crews of M/V Norfolk and M/V Edgar B. Speer honored by United Seamen's Service at AOTOS ceremony
The significance of merchant mariners and the importance of improving their lives in the future were the themes for all three recipients of The United Seamen's Service (USS) 2018 Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards (AOTOS) presented at the 49th annual event on November 2. The awards were presented by Kenneth Wykle, LTG, USA (Ret.) before some 600 maritime labor and industry leaders to President and CEO of Hapag-Lloyd USA Salvador "Tony" Bruno, the National President of American Maritime Officers, and Chairman of the ARC Group Raymond Fitzgerald, USS reported.
AOTOS Mariner's Plaques were awarded during the ceremony to the officers and crews of the M/V Norfolk and M/V Edgar B. Speer, among other vessels.
During the event, the AMO National President accepted the AOTOS Award on behalf of the AMO membership and AMO families, and emphasized the urgent need to promote, sustain and expand the U.S. merchant fleet in international trade.
"I have absolute confidence in the spirit and character that define the American merchant mariner, the loyalty and courage that have driven our mariners in wartime from the Revolution through World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf in 1990 and 1991, and most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq," he said.
The M/V Norfolk is operated by Argent Marine Operations and is manned in all licensed positions by AMO. The M/V Edgar B. Speer is operated by Key Lakes and AMO represents the licensed engineers and stewards aboard the vessel. USS published the following summaries of the actions of the officers and crews aboard these vessels.
M/V Edgar B. Speer - 15 miles WNW of Ashtabula, Ohio on the Great Lakes, August 25, 2018: A distress message on a ship's radio triggers immediate action. This was the case with M/V Edgar B. Speer, a bulk carrier traveling Lake Erie, and for Third Mate Kris Brecht who received the distress message.
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo advised the crew that a fishing vessel had capsized. The Speer immediately mustered the crew to station for a rescue, changing course to assist. A fast rescue boat was launched, and moved to assist another vessel, DB Charter, in recovering three fishermen clinging to the sinking vessel.
The full crew of the Speer quickly became involved, including engineering personnel who took quick action bringing generators online for bow thruster maneuvering and lookouts maintaining watch over the foundering fishing vessel. The deck crew, led by Chief Officer Jim Stengel and ABU Frank Jackson, provided extra lifesaving gear and manned the fast recue boat moving through 25-30 mph winds and a 3-4' chop.
M/V Norfolk - 700 miles east of Windward Islands, February 4-5, 2018: When the Mayday words sounded on the radio, the M/V Norfolk scrambled to respond. The subsequent call from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) was the trigger that sent the 18,000-ton cargo vessel heading to the scene in the Caribbean.
A 15-meter sailing sloop, the Moflete, sailing from France to Martinique, was taking on water and sinking, and the crew was abandoning ship. The call was actually not how it started. M/V Norfolk had responded to an earlier call to the same vessel, which had a medical emergency on board and was in distress running on one engine as the mast was damaged. A crewmember had two fingers severed, and the ship had provided medical aid.
Later, with winds blowing 30 knots with a three-meter swell, things worsened for the Moflete, and M/V Norfolk was sent to effect a rescue. With weather too rough to launch a fast rescue boat and the Moflete foundering, the M/V Norfolk navigated alongside the sinking sloop, allowing the four crewmen to be rescued. The crewman with the amputated fingers was the captain, and M/V Norfolk's medical team stabilized him as the vessel sailed to Martinique. He was subsequently transferred by helicopter to a hospital while the M/V Norfolk sailed to port and discharged the others.
Proceeds from the AOTOS event benefit USS community services abroad for the U.S. merchant marine, seafarers of all nations, and U.S. government and military overseas.
For AOTOS 2018, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) was honorary chairman. Seafarers International Union President Michael Sacco served as dinner chairman. F. Anthony Naccarato of American Maritime Officers Service and Joseph Cox were national committee co-chairmen.