OMSA’s Smith: Defending US-Flag Vessels is about Economic, National Security
Anyone who knows Aaron Smith, president and CEO of OMSA, knows that he is passionately focused on the U.S. maritime industry and staunchly defending the U.S. Jones Act fleet and mariners. We caught with Smith on the sidelines of the Workboat Show in New Orleans last week. Highlights of the conversation are below – including an update on the American Offshore Worker Fairness Act – the full interview can be seen on Maritime Reporter TV.Let’s talk a bit about the offshore energy industry today. What is the focus of OMSA?Aaron Smith: Right now is an exciting time for the offshore
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Names Madiwal as VP of Operations and Supply Chain
been appointed as Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain, effective immediately.Madiwal brings more than 30 years of experience in maritime operations and supply chain to the role. He joined the port authority in 2019 as Director Marine Operations and Harbor Master.Madiwal is a certified Master Mariner—the highest internationally recognized level of seafarer qualification available—and holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University. He sits on the boards of Clear Seas and the International Sailors Society of Canada. At the age of 18, he left his home of Mumbai to begin what would be a
Furetank Names Björn Stignor CEO
,” Höglund said.Stignor moves back to Sweden after a 13 year appointment for Stena in Singapore. He headed their joint venture with Golden Agri International, Golden Stena Baycrest Tankers: ship owners, commercial managers and pool managers operating tankers world wide. He has a master mariner degree and started his career on board intermediate tankers in the Broström fleet. Stignor has known Lars Höglund and Furetank for more than 20 years.”I have always appreciated and respected Furetank’s work. They are at the forefront of technical development, which is a matter
Southern Devall Names Verloka Director of Cargo Stewardship & Fleet Allocation
specific cargo and voyage requirements. Furthermore, he will oversee all cargo stewardship programs and manage product quality events.Verloka brings to the role more than 20 years of experience in the oil and chemical industry. A former captain sailing on board chemical tankers, he holding a USCG Master Mariner Unlimited license. Verloka formerly spent 20 years in various port operations positions at Stolt Tankers from captain/chief officer to port operations manager.Verloka graduated from Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping with a master’s degree in Navigation on Sea
Maritime Employers: Working to Find Workers
workforce recruitment is top of mind for us.” Murphy is working with union halls and workforce development programs in the cities of Richmond and Oakland. “We have put together,” Murphy explained, “a group called the Working Waterfront Coalition to help recruit and train future mariners and shipyard workers.”The employer-led coalition was established two years ago. Bobby Winston is one of the Coalition’s leaders and owns Bay Crossings, a company that sells ferry tickets in San Francisco's iconic Ferry Building.(© sheilaf2002 / Adobe Stock)In a recent presentation
MARAD’s Centers of Excellence: Addressing Maritime Workforce Needs and Preparing the Next Generation
with the Office of Apprenticeship of the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor, may apply for a CoE designation as well.Although CoEs all support the maritime industry, every training program and educational facility does not necessarily prepare students for life as a mariner. According to Kumar, CoE programs prepare students for maritime industry careers both afloat and ashore as they “collaborate with local, regional, and national business, maritime industry, and education partners to advance maritime education and industry-specific training.”Kumar said
Help Wanted: US Maritime Industry Struggles to Fill Key Gaps
A shortage of U.S. mariners presents a major threat to the United States’ national and economic security, and the problem is growing day by day.According to a 2017 study prepared by the Maritime Workforce Working Group and released by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the estimated pool of U.S. mariners actively sailing with unlimited tonnage credentials was comprised of 11,768 mariners. Assuming that all these mariners would be both willing and available to sail as needed, this number falls 1,839 qualified mariners short of the 13,607 needed to sustain a full activation of the Ready
No Shortage of Good Ideas to Address the Mariner Shortage
The U.S. mariner shortage continues to be a strategic national security concern for all maritime industry stakeholders. So what can the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) do to address the problem?Subcommittees on Readiness, and Seapower and Projection Forces on the “Posture and Readiness of the Mobility Enterprise.” Both Administrator Phillips and Gen. Van Ovost focused on the mariner shortage as a key readiness concern. Gen Van Ovost stated, “The U.S. maritime industry is confronting manpower shortages that create a national security risk. Merchant Mariner
Texas A&M to Reduce Tuition For Merchant Mariner License Students
Texas A&M University at Galveston said it will reduce fees for current and future out-of-state students seeking a merchant mariner license from the Texas A&M Maritime Academy, in an effort that aims to help the maritime industry fill worsening labor gaps.Texas A&M Maritime Academy students earn their U.S. Coast Guard license while completing one of several license-option four-year bachelor’s degree programs at Texas A&M at Galveston.Effective September 1, under a new three-tiered fee structure approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, students from Louisiana
Steve Nevey Tapped to Lead Washington State Ferries
secretary for the Washington State Ferries Division, the state's Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar announced on Thursday. Nevey will succeed Patty Rubstello, who is stepping down as head of WSF after more than 33 years of service with the Washington State Department of Transportation.A career mariner, Nevey progressed directly from high school to a maritime academy in the U.K. For the past two years he has served as director of marine operations for WSF and has been instrumental in the development of programs that address ongoing staff shortages in the industry.WSF, a division of the Washington
US Coast Guard Announces New Merchant Mariner Credential
The U.S. Coast Guard announced a new merchant mariner credential (MMC) set to launch on March 1, 2024, marking the first comprehensive revision of the mariner credential in nearly a decade.The Coast Guard is the exclusive source of U.S. MMCs, which are required for U.S. mariners who serve on commercially operated vessels such as passenger boats, tug and barges, offshore supply vessels, and deep draft ocean going cargo vessels throughout the nation and internationally.The Coast Guard said it is replacing the legacy MMC passport-style booklet (“Red Book”) with a new certificate size one page
Structural Safeguards in Coast Guard Suspension and Revocation Proceedings
article examines 10 structural safeguards in Coast Guard Suspension and Revocation (S&R) Proceedings that ensure Coast Guard Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) decisional independence. These safeguards separate potential agency influences from the ALJ decision making process and are critical to mariner due process and fundamental fairness. We will start with an overview of Coast Guard S&R proceedings, followed by brief discussions of the Administrative Procedure Act, Administrative Law Judges, and U.S. Office of Personnel Management oversight. We will then examine the ten structural
Talos Energy Names Spath EVP & Head of Operations
his career at McDermott as a Process Engineer, followed by over eight years at Marathon Oil Corporation, leading offshore projects as a Facilities Engineer, Production Foreman, and Deepwater Drilling Engineer. Spath served as an independent consultant on deepwater drilling and completion projects at Mariner Energy, Stone Energy, Deep Gulf Energy, and Helix Energy Solutions Group before joining deepwater drilling operations at Talos. Spath holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Talos Energy President and CEO Timothy S. Duncan said, "
USCG Eases Firefighting Training Requirements for Towboats
The U.S. Coast Guard has moved to ease firefighting training requirements for towing vessels operating on America's inland waterways.The agency this week issued a final rule revising the training requirements for national Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements as master of towing vessels (limited) or mate (pilot) of towing vessels on inland and western rivers routes, excluding the Great Lakes.Consistent with recommendations from the National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (NMERPAC) and the National Towing Safety Advisory Committee (NTSAC), this rule gives mariners seeking these
Fowler Appointed to Lead Crowley Shipping
operation of a diverse range of vessels, port and offshore energy infrastructure, as well as advanced energy solutions including liquefied natural gas (LNG). Its services include ship assist and harbor escort services, and offshore energy installation and project management. Besides vessel design and mariner engineering group Crowley Engineering Services, Crowley Shipping also operates and manages liquid energy tank vessels and global cargo ships.While serving in various industry and community leadership roles, Fowler also serves on the board of the American Waterways Operators.Fowler earned his Master
Singapore Announces Maritime Scholarship Awards
Officers’ Union, the Singapore Organisation of Seamen, and industry partners comprising Fleet Ship Management, NYK Shipmanagement, OSM Thome Group, and PACC Ship Managers. Swire Shipping came onboard as a scholarship sponsor for the first time. “I was inspired to become a master mariner by my lecturer at the Institute of Technical Education who was a seafarer. I hope to role model him and inspire more females to join the maritime industry, including going out to sea. I know there are also many careers ashore for experienced seafarers,” said Putri Sri Wahyuni, a TMSS 2023
Labor Shortages, Climate Change & Technology: They’re All Related
those delays, the labor markets across many, if not all, markets have changed. “Help wanted” signs hang in every storefront, office building and government agency. In no uncertain terms, the maritime industry has been dealing with labor problems, and none of this is news to our industry. The mariner shortage has been discussed at length for years, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to crew not only U.S. flag commercial vessels, but foreign registered ships as well. The labor shortage does not only affect crew labor; it has affected the labor required to fulfill our shipyard production
