Merchant Mariners News

With a fleet of nine U.S.-flag RoRo ships, American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC), is the U.S.’ premier commercial RoRo carrier of U.S. government and military cargo. As the world becomes an increasingly contentious place, Eric P. Ebeling, President & CEO, ARC, discusses the vast capabilities of the ARC fleet and logistics network, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead for U.S.-flag ships in the international trade.By the numbers’ is a simplistic means to gauge the size and shape of any shipping company…

Philly Shipyard on Friday held a keel laying ceremony for the fifth and final vessel in a series of new purpose built, state-of-the-art training ships for America’s state maritime academies.The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) new vessel program – known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) – was designed to provide world-class training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions…

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group Inc. (ARC) added ARC Honor as the ninth American flag roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel to its fleet.“This tremendously capable and flexible U.S.-flag ship is crewed by American merchant mariners and now operates in ARC’s global network supporting America’s national defense and economic security through trade,” said Eric Ebeling, ARC President & CEO. The vessel is ARC’s fourth large car/truck carrier (LCTC) vessel.The former Tulane was re-flagged to American registry and re-named the ARC Honor on February 2, 2024.

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations will hold two hiring events in the Gulf Coast region to recruit professional mariners to work aboard NOAA’s ocean research ships. The first event will be in Mobile, Alabama on Jan. 23 and the second is in New Orleans on Jan. 25.NOAA operates a fleet of 15 hydrographic survey, oceanographic research and fisheries survey vessels. NOAA ships operate in the U.S. and around the world. The ships are run by a combination of NOAA commissioned officers…

Seafarers International Union President Emeritus Michael Sacco died December 28, 2023, in St. Louis, surrounded by family members. He was 86 years old and passed away from natural causes.Mike was the longest-serving president in SIU history, having led the organization from 1988 until his retirement in February 2023, a period spanning nearly 35 years.The Seafarers International Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO, represents professional United States merchant mariners sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels in the deep sea…

Philly Shipyard this week held a keel laying ceremony for the fourth of five new purpose built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies.The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) new vessel program – known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) – was designed to provide world-class training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations will hold a hiring event in Norfolk, Virginia to recruit professional mariners to work aboard NOAA’s ocean research ships. The event will be held on Nov. 15 at the NOAA Marine Operations Center - Atlantic. NOAA operates a fleet of 15 hydrographic survey, oceanographic research and fisheries survey vessels. NOAA ships operate in the U.S. and around the world. The ships are run by a combination of NOAA commissioned officers and civilian professional mariners.

The United States has bolstered its fleet of U.S.-flagged sustainment sealift vessels and product tankers to support the Department of Defense (DoD) during times of armed conflict or national emergency.The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) in recent months has been building up fleets of commercial vessels under its Maritime Security Program (MSP) and Tanker Security Program (TSP), and on Tuesday it announced full enrollment in each.The newly selected MSP vessels Liberty Power and Tulane operate under Liberty Global Logistics, LLC of Lake Success, N.Y. and American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group Inc.'s (ARC) shipowning component Fidelio Limited Partnership of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., respectively.

In the United States, marine transportation is responsible for $361 billion, or 1.7% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Marine transportation, a key part of global logistics and responsible for 40% of international trade, goods and services, is the backbone of U.S. trade. In the U.S. in 2021 alone, ships have transported more than 1.5 billion tons of cargo valued at more than $1.5 trillion; in that same time period, U.S. ports have facilitated approximately 450,000 ships, which is more than 10% of the global amount (McLean, 2021).

Florida-based Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG) has announced that the Military Sealift Command has awarded the Overseas Mykonos a time charter contract to provide ongoing fuel transportation services.The Overseas Mykonos will be delivered to the Military Sealift Command at Pearl Harbor in August. The time charter awarded is for a one-year base period with the option to extend the contract out to a maximum period of five and a half years.The vessel, built in 2010, is a medium range product tanker with 12 cargo tanks and a cargo capacity of 333,000 barrels. The ship has the ability to perform consolidated cargo replenishment at sea operations, providing flexibility and options for refueling the U.S. military fleet while underway.

In addition to wind, offshore wind demands human energy, individuals with knowledge and skills first to build and then operate and maintain the dozens of projects required to meet President Biden’s 2030 goal of 30 GW of offshore generation. In an October 2022 National Renewable Energy Laboratory report – “U.S. Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment” – the authors estimate that it will require, on average, between 15,000 and 58,000 employees annually, depending on domestic content scenarios, to build out a huge new wind machine.Mariners and mariner training are integral to offshore wind.

Each year on May 22 the US celebrates National Maritime Day. May 22 was declared National Maritime Day in 1933 to honor the SS Savannah’s departure from Georgia to England in 1819 to become the first successful steam-powered ship to successfully cross any ocean. The US Merchant Marine has been a pillar in the country’s foundation of prosperity and security. They power the world’s largest economy and strengthen ties with trading partners around the world, all while supporting our military forces by shipping troops and supplies wherever they need to go.During World War II more than 250…

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has approved the first vessels for participation in its Tanker Security Program (TSP), a newly created public-private partnership program that makes U.S.-flag commercial product tankers available to support U.S. armed forces.Modeled from MARAD's Maritime Security Program (MSP), the TSP assures the Department of Defense has access to U.S.-registered product tankers that may be used to supply the armed forces with fuel during times of armed conflict or national emergency.

When Atlantic offshore wind (OSW) projects move into high gear they will kick-start a series of impacts affecting almost the entire East Coast economy, from logistics to transportation to utility projects and, of course, just about every aspect of port and maritime activities.The related topics of workforce development and employment are among the fundamental issues being pushed and pulled by OSW. How workforce development and education and training proceed – and succeed – will be critical for the U.S.

Philly Shipyard held a steel cutting ceremony for the fourth in a series of new training ships it is building for the United States' state maritime academies.Scheduled for delivery to the Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas in 2025, the new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) is being built under a program for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), which owns and operates training ships for the nation's state maritime academiesMARAD's NSMV program is designed to provide a purpose-built…

The Sailors’ Snug Harbor (SSH) is a charity based out of New York that provides assistance to retired merchant mariners. In 2022, SSH helped more than 400 mariners in 33 states and Puerto Rico. SSH helps mariners live more comfortably by assisting them with their living expenses such as rent, mortgages, and utilities. SSH also helps them find other assistance and local services. In recent years, SSH has expanded its eligibility criteria to include inland mariners as well as deep sea mariners.SSH was incorporated in 1806 as the result of a bequest made by Captain Robert Richard Randall.

The U.S. Navy announced it has accepted delivery of the lead ship of its new class of fleet replenishment oilers, USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), built by General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego.T-AO 205’s July 26 delivery follows the completion of Acceptance Trials with the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey to test the readiness and capability of the craft and to validate requirements.“USNS John Lewis will provide much needed capability to the fleet as the primary fuel pipeline at sea,” said John Lighthammer, program manager, Auxiliary and Special Mission Shipbuilding Program Office.

Philly Shipyard has received an order from the U.S.-based ship management company TOTE Services for the construction of one additional National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV), following the authorization by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD).This marks the fifth and final NSMV in the training ship series. The modern vessel will replace the aging training vessel at California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, California.Construction of the new vessel (NSMV 5) is expected to start in 2023.

Offshore wind developers Ørsted and Eversource announced Thursday that they have chosen two regional vessel operators that will partner with Rhode Island shipyards to build crew transfer vessels (CTV) to service their wind farm projects in the U.S. Northeast. The joint venture partners revealed plans to charter five new Jones-Act-compliant CTVs, including three from New York-based WindServe Marine and two from Massachusetts-based American Offshore Services (AOS).The purpose-built aluminum catamarans are designed to handle the unique offshore conditions at the wind farms…

Philly Shipyard on Friday hosted a keel laying ceremony for the first of up to five new purpose built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies.The new vessels—known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV)—will be owned and operated by U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) and are designed to provide training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

Another eight current and former merchant mariners have been indicted in a a test score-fixing scheme at a U.S. Coast Guard exam center in Louisiana.The defendants are charged with obtaining, and intending to use, officer-level licenses that were procured through falsified exam scores. The fraudulent scores were for examinations designed to test the mariners’ knowledge and training to safely operate under the authority of those licenses.The allegations stem from an investigation…

U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday urged the Transportation Department to take action to address persistent allegations of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment made by midshipmen at the government's main school for merchant mariners.Lawmakers said a "toxic culture" had allowed sexual abuse to fester and go unchallenged at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), which works with major shipping lines to prepare new recruits for a life at sea.Senator Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Commerce Committee…

U.S. Coast Guard licensed officers in Boston are commanding an autonomous workboat on a voyage around Denmark.The American Maritime Officers (AMO) trade union has entered into a labor agreement with autonomous command and control systems developer Sea Machines Robotics for the project, which will see AMO-represented merchant mariners support Sea Machines’ first-of-its-kind 1,000 NM autonomous journey.The voyage, which Sea Machines is calling "The Machine Odyssey", aims to prove the world’s waterways are primed and ready for long-range autonomous vessel operations…