The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) says that its two key sealift programs, the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and the new Tanker Security Program (TSP) are now fully enrolled. The
The Department of Defense Inspector General (DOD IG) has released a redacted version of its audit of whether U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) provided adequate oversight of the reporting on surge sealift activation
MARCH 30, 2016 — World Marine of Alabama (WMA), a division of World Marine, LLC, competitively bid and won a contract to drydock and repair the USNS Lawrence H. Gianella (T-AOT-1125), a
SEPTEMBER 8, 2015 — The Navy’s Military Sealift Command has exercised one year time charter options worth a total $24.5 million with Sealift Inc., Oyster Bay, NY, for two U.S. flagged, self-sustaining
One of the biggest concerns in shipping is finding and retaining qualified mariners. This is further exacerbated by the downturns in the oil and bulker markets, where vessels are being laid up or sold for scrap, leaving crews to find work where they can, possibly outside of the industry. Even before these mariners actually get their jobs, there is a plethora of regulatory barriers to obtain the original Certificate of Competency for officers, and even numerous hoops to jump through for the unlicensed as well. The 2010 Manilla Amendments to the STCW and the Maritime Labor Convention of 2006 have created further requirements than seen previously.
First and foremost a mariner must obtain a Transportation Worker Identity Credential (TWIC). In the past, mariners background checks were conducted by the USCG. Now the TWIC card reduces the Coast Guard need to conduct said checks, since the TSA is doing so. An original TWIC costs $128.00 out of the prospective mariner’s pocket, before they even have credentials or a job. At this point we are going to focus solely on the U.S. Mariner. Although STCW has standardized much of the training, the implementation in different countries can be vast.
The second step, and sometimes the most difficult to complete is the mariner physical. One would think that it is as easy as walking in to your family doctor’s office, handing them the form, and doing the physical. Unfortunately many doctors are not equipped to deal with the more specific items such as the color vision test. If your doctor cannot do this, then going to the eye doctor may suffice, but call ahead. Yours truly has found that not all eye doctors’ offices have the requisite tests that the Coast Guard wants. It is best to go to an OSHA clinic or a doctor who conducts FAA pilot physicals. The entire medical requirements can be found in NVIC 01-14.
The next step is to have a drug screening. Not any drug screening is acceptable. This must be done in accordance with 46 CFR 16.220, filled out on the appropriate DOT form and submitted to a USCG approved testing facility. This can range from $50 to $150 depending on your location. Many civil service drug tests do not count for the USCG requirements.
With the addition of an entry level rating application and the fees totaling $140 for MMC issuance and evaluation, a mariner is ready to begin looking domestically for a job. At this point the prospective mariner has possibly spent well over $400 of their own money, just to get a credential to work on board. What can an Able Seafarer expect to make? The monthly minimum according to the ILO is $614.00. Now on a U.S.-flag vessel, this low of a wage likely will not be seen. But U.S. seafarers working on foreign-flag vessels may see this.
This, however, is only the beginning. Gone are the days where an Ordinary, or even a Mess man could work their way up the hawse pipe all the way to Captain, without having to take an inordinate amount of classes and jump through bureaucratic hoops.
The next rung on the ladder to advancement is the Rating Forming Part of a Navigational or Engineering Watch. In order to accomplish this the candidate must either have a Qualified Assessor sign off on certain competencies. This is in addition to the required six-month sea time. Another option for the seafarer is to complete a training program approved by the USCG that includes two months of sea time. The price of this course? Anywhere upwards of $1,000.00.
After that, one can either go to a Maritime University, Union Training Center, local Captains School or acquire the requisite sea time and have the competencies signed off on in order to become a vessel officer. Either way the process takes several years of hard work, study, and dedication. In the end it is all worth it. But once you reach officer level, the workload to upgrade that license increases substantially. We will also touch on customer specific requirements for the training of crew and officers.
When I graduated SUNY Maritime in 1997, the school had not fully implemented STCW 95 in to the curriculum yet. Therefore, after graduation, myself and many of my classmates stuck around for a few weeks to complete these requirements. Nowadays the STCW requirements are included in to the curriculum and the cadets graduate ready to sail. From there however, the price of ambition can be high as we will see. Once upon a time officers would sit for each and every upgrade to their license. Now, at least on the deck side, a Third Mate only needs sea time to upgrade to Second Mate. Engineers are far more complicated as the type of plant must be taken into consideration. Plus, I am a deck officer, so I’m a little biased on the subject.
Upon upgrading to Second Mate, this officer must now go through a large amount of training to upgrade to Chief Officer. If the prospective Chief Officer has someone willing to sign off on their Celestial Navigation and Advanced Navigation competency sheets, they have just shaved 80 hours off of their training. If not, then the prospect may be taking close to 450 hours of training. This can be up to 12 weeks of classroom time. The cost? Upwards of $10,000.00. This is before paying the Coast Guard their fees for examination, evaluation, and license issuance. If the mariner is lucky their employer or union sponsors them for this training. As a former union sailor, I had no out of pocket costs for this training. If the mariner does not have a sponsor for this training, the price tag is quite substantial, especially in a market such as this, where jobs are becoming more and more scarce.
One would be led to believe that there could not possibly be any more training required after this. This is not necessarily the case. Management officers are often required to have undergone the Medical Person in Charge training and Fast Rescue Boat. Of course there is also the specialty training that needs to be taken in certain trades such as Person in Charge for Tankers, or Liquid Carriers, Crowd control and Crisis Management for those working passenger vessels. Those officers working for Military Sealift Command may be required to take Small Arms, Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Officer (CBR-D), and a manner of other courses dependent on the vessel the mariner will sail upon. These extra courses can total another month or two of the mariner’s off time.
There is a fair proportion of the maritime industry with personnel who have never spent any significant time at sea. That in it of itself is not a problem; not all jobs require seagoing experience. For many however, the mariner is viewed as a tool and not a person who has hopes, dreams, and aspirations. These mariners spend on average six months a year on the ship. Some may trade coastwise, some international
If six months is spent on the ship and then contract requirements or career ambitions require further training, a mariner can only have a total of a few weeks off each vacation to spend with family, friends, and loved ones. I am not proposing that we reduce the educational requirements. I believe that we will see a downward trend in accidents across the board in the coming years due to increased training. But other measures need be considered by ship owners and managers in order to allow the mariners to have a fair amount of time off to do the things that life may require of them and get that much needed rest in order to return refreshed and ready for work. If we are to retain the talent that is required to crew the vessels, than we must remember their humanity.
Work by the shipyard will include clean and gas free tanks, voids, cofferdams and spaces, deck non-skid renewal, ballast tank preservation, cylinder head and liner overhaul, main engine overhaul, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning support, degaussing system repairs, annual lifeboat certification, galley ventilation system cleaning, docking and undocking, propeller system maintenance and boss cap replacement, bow thruster maintenance, overhauling sea valves, and underwater hull cleaning and painting.
The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $16,566,073.
Work will be performed in San Francisco and is expected to be completed by April 1, 2016.
Fiscal 2016 maintenance and repair funds in the amount of $16,501,090 will be obligated in 2016.
The contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and two offers received.
The Navy’s Military Sealift Command is the contracting activity (N32205-16-C-4308).
Work by the shipyard will include general services for ship, clean and gas free tanks void and cofferdams and spaces, number seven port and starboard cargo tanks preservation, number two center cargo tank preservation, number ten center cargo tank preservation, close survey inspection, main deck overhead preservation, main house preservation, main engine exhaust insulation replacement, lifeboat repair and maintenance, reefer container installation and underwater hull preservation.
The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $9,788,394.
Work will be performed in Portland and is expected to be completed by March 2, 2016. If options are exercised, work will continue through March 12, 2016. Fiscal 2016 maintenance and repair contract funds in the amount of $8,931,411 are being obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received.
Now standalone business segments, they were previously embedded in other company business units.
Leading the new business units are industry veterans Mike Golonka, vice president, government services, and Wendy MacDonald, vice president, global ship management.
The Government Services provides bundled vessel management solutions for the United States Maritime Administration, Military Sealift Command, and other agencies; custodial services for vessels seized by U.S. Government agencies; naval architecture and marine engineering services; project management and salvage and dive operations; and many other services. The team combines the technical and professional capabilities of the company’s owned and managed fleets, under the direction of a team of tenured professionals, many of whom are mariners, to bring together best-in-class operations, engineering and contracting personnel.
The Global Ship Management group – which includes international partnership Crowley Accord and Seattle-based subsidiary Maritime Management Services, Inc. (MMS) – provides technical services and crew management as well as a broad range of back-office services to a variety of conventional vessel types such as tankers, container and general cargo, and Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro/Ro) vessels; along with specialized vessels such as deep-water pipe-layers, geotechnical and seismic research vessels; and offshore construction support vessels. With offices in the U.S., Mumbai, Goa, Hong Kong and Amsterdam, Crowley’s global ship management group, including Crowley Accord, manages over 60 vessels in the U.S. domestic and international markets. The company has developed longstanding working relationships with vendors, suppliers and major foreign and domestic labor organizations, allowing them to provide professional management services, with an emphasis on Crowley’s No. 1 core value, safety. The policies and procedures reflected in every aspect of Crowley’s management system are based on recognized ISO and ISM standards to ensure regulatory compliance.
“Establishing these two new business groups will help Crowley focus its services for its distinct customer bases,” said Crowley’s Todd Busch, senior vice president and general manager, technical services. “Crowley offers both industries extensive experience, a reputation for working safely and honestly, and relationships that matter. Customers can expect all of that to continue, with the added benefit of more targeted and improved customer service.”
Leading the Government Services group is Mike Golonka, who previously served as vice president, ship management. He will continue reporting to Mr. Busch, and remain based in the company’s headquarters in Jacksonville, FL. He and his team will develop and synchronize government services offerings across the Crowley portfolio and will further align the group with government contracting requirements, including time keeping, cost accounting and compliance with Federal Acquisition Requirement (FAR) clauses.
“Mike did a great job building the ship management business and establishing Crowley as a serious competitor for government contracts,” said Mr. Busch. “He has shown the commitment to the business and represents the company as a respected professional. This is represented in the recent award of the TAGOS / TAGM and ROCON contracts from Military Sealift Command, both very important contracts from the U.S. Government.”
Mr. Golonka, who graduated from Calhoon MEBA Engineering School and holds an unlimited chief engineer license, joined Crowley in 1987 and has served as senior port engineer, manager of ship operations, director of engineering and director of contract operations prior to his appointment to general manager in 2009. In that role, he coordinated all sales, marketing and operations activities for Crowley’s ship management group and its growing number of customers and vessels served. In 2011, he was awarded the company’s highest honor, the Thomas Crowley trophy, given to employees who have aligned themselves closely with Crowley’s values and displayed outstanding performance along with dedication, leadership, initiative and productivity. .
Ms. MacDonald, now leading the Global Ship Management group, is the former vice president of procurement. She remains based in Jacksonville and also reports to Mr. Busch. She is responsible for all sales, marketing, engineering and operations activities for Crowley’s commercial ship management group and its growing number of customers and vessels. She will also oversee the activities for Marine Management Services and Crowley-Accord Ship Management, based in India.
“Wendy’s operational experience, organizational skills and management will be a great benefit to the ship management group,” Mr. Busch said. “She has done an excellent job building teams, and partnering with our vendors. Wendy has supported the business for several years, so she understands much of the business needs and the customer expectations. In her 20-plus years with the company, she has shown a drive and passion for the maritime industry, which has led to her successes.”
Ms.MacDonald, who has a California Maritime Academy bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on marine transportation and intermodalism, joined Crowley in 1992 as a management trainee and has held various positions of increasing responsibility within the company’s container shipping organization, including manager of freight services for the Puerto Rico/Caribbean services group, manager of pricing for the Latin America services group, director of inland operations and most recently vice president of procurement.
The tug is deploying to a search area northeast of Crooked Island in the Bahamas island chain, which is the last known location of the vessel.
The initial search area is 100 square miles, and water depth is estimated to be 15,000 feet across the expected search area. Transit to this search area is expected to take four-to-five days due to weather.
Apache is equipped with several pieces of underwater search equipment, including a voyage data recorder locator, side-scan sonar and an underwater remote operated vehicle.
The Navy’s mission will be to first locate the ship and then, if possible, to retrieve the voyage data recorder (VDR) – commonly known as a black box.
The U.S. Navy operates some of the world’s most advanced underwater search and salvage systems. Though this equipment is typically used to search for and recover downed military ships and aircraft, the Navy has a long history in assisting other federal agencies in underwater search and salvage operations, including the search and recovery of TWA 800 and the space shuttle Challenger. In 2013, the Navy assisted the government of Australia in its search for missing Malaysian Airliner MH 370.
USN Apache is a fleet ocean tug operated by the Military Sealift Command. The ship provides towing, diving and standby submarine rescue services for the Navy.
The ship is 226 feet long and has a crew of approximately 22 civilian mariners and uniformed Navy personnel.
The crew will be joined by a team from the Navy’s Supervisor of Diving and Salvage.
Also on board is the NTSB Investigator-in-Charge, Tom Roth-Roffy, and representatives from the USCG, TOTE and ABS, all parties to the NTSB investigation (see new story).
The overhaul will address numerous steel repairs; flight deck resurfacing; fuel oil, feed, and potable water tank repairs; sewage piping modifications; fire main piping replacements; annual crane inspections; and underwater hull preservation to support in the ship’s daily operations.
The contract includes six optional work items which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $12,670,810.
Work will be performed in Vigor’s, Portland, OR, shipyard, and is expected to be completed by the end of January 2016.
Fiscal 2016 maintenance and repair funding in the amount of $11,797,840 are being obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
The contract was competitively procured with two offers.
The Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, VA, is the contracting activity (N32205-16-C-4400).
