Official Organ of the Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, … 04.pdfdal systems made available to DOD by...

The Marine FireManOfficial Organ of the Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association

Volume 74 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, APRIL 13, 2018 No. 4

Maritime industry storms Capitol Hill

Continued on page 4

On March 20, 2018, more than 115 officers and representatives from U.S.-flag shipping companies, American maritime labor unions, and related mar-itime organizations and associations were dispatched to Capitol Hill for the ninth annual Maritime Industry Con-gressional Sail-In. The maritime indus-try leaders met with senators, represen-tatives and staff in 169 Congressional offices to discuss the importance of the U.S.-flag commercial shipping industry and America’s civilian merchant mari-ners to our nation’s economic, military and homeland security. They provided these offices with up-to-date informa-tion about the programs and policies that enable the U.S.-flag merchant ma-rine and its American crews to continue to meet the commercial sealift require-ments of the Department of Defense, in-cluding the Maritime Security Program, the Jones Act and the U.S.-flag cargo preference shipping programs. Most im-portantly, they emphasized that, as our nation dedicates its efforts to Buy Amer-ican and Hire American, it must also ensure that American cargo is Shipped American as another means to increase domestic employment, bolster Ameri-ca’s economy, and strengthen America’s commercial sealift capability.

2018 Maritime Action Items and Priorities

Maritime Security Program Fund-ing — The Maritime Security Program (MSP) and its 60-ship maritime security fleet of privately-owned militarily use-ful U.S.-flag commercial vessels provide the Department of Defense with access to the U.S.-flag commercial sealift capa-bility, private shipping companies’ glob-al intermodal and logistics systems, and U.S. civilian mariners needed to support American troops and to protect Ameri-ca’s security interests around the world. And all at a fraction of what it would cost the federal government to provide this capability itself!

A 2006 report prepared for the Na-tional Defense Transportation Associ-ation concluded that “the likely cost to the government to replicate just the ves-sel capacity provided by MSP dry cargo vessels would be $13 billion.” In addi-

tion, the United States Transportation Command has estimated that it would cost our government an additional $52 billion to replicate the global intermo-dal systems made available to DOD by MSP contractors.

Since 2009, U.S-flag commercial ves-sels and their civilian crews have car-ried more than 90 percent of the cargo needed to support U.S. military opera-tions and rebuilding programs in Af-ghanistan and Iraq, and vessels enrolled in the MSP carried 99 percent of those cargoes.

However, significant reductions in the amounts of defense and other gov-ernment cargoes available to U.S.-flag vessels, the proliferation of tax and oth-er economic incentives available to for-eign flag vessels and foreign crews, the regulatory compliance requirements imposed only on U.S.-flag vessels by the U.S. government, and the growing com-petition for cargoes from foreign flags of convenience vessels are all forcing ship-ping companies to reduce their U.S.-flag vessel operations, causing a dangerous decline in the number of qualified and available American merchant mariners to meet the needs of the Department of Defense.

At Congressional hearings held in 2017, representatives from the Depart-ment of Defense and Maritime Admin-istration warned that there is a shortage of approximately 2,000 mariners avail-able to meet national security require-ments. They said this shortfall threatens DOD’s access to the sustained commer-cial sealift capability needed beyond the first few months of a conflict.

We must reverse this dangerous de-cline and put American mariners need-ed to meet Department of Defense requirements back to work aboard U.S.-flag commercial vessels. Otherwise, we will be turning over to foreign flag ves-sels and their foreign crews the security of our nation and the safety of American troops deployed overseas. It is essential that the Administration and Congress focus on ways to stop the further loss of U.S.-flag vessels and the outsourcing of American maritime jobs.

As one critically important way to help maintain U.S.-flag vessel opera-

tions and their U.S. citizen crews, we urge Congress and the Administration to support full fiscal year 2019 funding for the Maritime Security Program at its authorized levels of $300 million.

Cargo Preference Shipping Re-quirements — U.S.-flag cargo prefer-ence shipping requirements ensure that at least a portion of taxpayer financed United States government cargoes will be carried on U.S.-flag vessels crewed by American mariners. Cargo preference helps to ensure the continued availabili-ty of the privately-owned U.S.-flag com-mercial fleet which, along with its asso-ciated American maritime manpower, is a critical national defense asset.

It is important to understand that every U.S.-flag vessel has important military utility by providing the em-ployment base necessary to maintain the cadre of American merchant mari-ners needed by the Department of De-fense. Regardless of type, every U.S.-flag vessel, including all those participating in the carriage of U.S. government gen-erated cargoes under the various cargo preference programs, is militarily use-ful. The full implementation of the car-go preference requirements helps guar-antee that American maritime jobs will not be outsourced to the benefit of for-eign maritime workers, and that the dangerous decline in the number of available American merchant mariners will not worsen.

All too often, federal agencies and departments fail to comply with car-go preference, denying American ves-sels their rightful share of these car-goes and denying American maritime workers important job opportunities aboard these vessels. In addition, this means that American taxpayer dollars will be spent exclusively on foreign-flag shipping services, to the benefit of for-eign rather than American maritime workers.

Similarly, proposals to transform the existing PL 480 Program into a pro-gram that sends taxpayer dollars in-stead of American produced agricultur-al commodities overseas to help feed the world’s neediest peoples should be op-posed by Congress and the Administra-tion. Rather, the PL 480 Program should continue to ensure that American tax-payer dollars benefit American farm-ers, American shipping, and American maritime and other domestic transpor-

tation workers.Finally, questions as to the applica-

bility of cargo preference should be de-cided by the Maritime Administration. We ask the Administration to make clear to all federal agencies and departments that the Maritime Administration has the final say on questions relating to the applicability of cargo preference, and that the Maritime Administration fully exercises this authority.

As another means to help maintain U.S.-flag vessel operations and their U.S. citizen crews, we urge Congress and the Administration to express their support for the full implementation of U.S.-flag cargo preference shipping requirements and to work to ensure that the statuto-ry requirements for the use of U.S.-flag vessels represent the minimum rather than the maximum utilization of Amer-ican ships and American crews.

Restarting the Export-Import Bank — Since 1934, the Export-Import Bank has provided direct loans, loan guarantees, working capital guarantees and credit insurance to encourage the foreign purchases of U.S.-made prod-ucts. It helped to facilitate more than $37 billion in export sales in fiscal year 2013, supporting more than 200,000 American jobs.

Equally important, a percentage of Export-Import Bank financed exports must be shipped on U.S.-flag commer-cial vessels, providing an important source of cargo for the U.S.-flag fleet. The U.S.-flag vessels and American crews supported by Export-Import Bank car-goes are crucial to protecting America’s security and economic interests.

We urge Congress and the Admin-istration to take the necessary steps to enable the Export-Import Bank to re-sume its important activities on behalf of American businesses and American workers as a way to generate jobs for American workers in the U.S. manufac-turing and service industries, including the U.S. maritime industry.

Bilateral Shipping Agreements — The negotiation of bilateral cargo shar-ing agreements between the United States and its trading partners is an im-portant and very effective way for our government to address the tax, econom-ic and subsidy programs available to for-eign flag vessels that impede the ability of U.S.-flag commercial vessels to carry

Left to right: APL Director Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Timothy Perry, Congressman John Lowenthal (D-California), IBU National President Marina Secchitano, MFOW Vice President Cajun Callais, and SUP Vice President Dave Connolly.

Left to right: APL Director Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Timothy Perry, MFOW Vice President Cajun Callais, Congressman John Garamendi (D-Cal-ifornia), IBU Regional Director San Francisco Robert Estrada, IBU National President Marina Secchitano, and SUP Vice President Dave Connolly.

The Marine FiremanPublished Monthly By

The Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association

ORGANIZED 1883

Affiliated with the Seafarers International Union of North America, AFL-CIO

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Central Gulf ports investing in the futureWith terminal expansions moving

forward at most of the region’s ports, the U.S. Central Gulf region is getting ready to meet cargo demands.

Alabama State Port Authority — Terminal development at the Port of Mobile, Alabama includes expansion of the APM Terminals container facility and a state-of-industry roll-on/roll-off terminal. At a $50 million cost, the lat-est phase at the Mobile container ter-minal includes a 20-acre yard expan-sion, 400-foot dock extension and two new outbound lanes, complementing recent improvements, such as two new super-post-Panamax cranes. The proj-ect looks to bring the facility’s annual throughput to 650,000 TEU.

The roll-on/roll-off terminal and vehicle processing center involves con-version of a former bulk-handling facil-ity into a new installation on a 40-foot-draft ship channel and accessible by five Class I railroads. At full buildout, it is to have capacity to annually handle 180,000 units, supporting emergence of automotive import and export sup-ply chains through the Port of Mobile.

Port of Pascagoula — The Jackson County Port Authority’s Port of Pas-cagoula is moving forward with ex-pansion of capabilities at its 50-acre South Terminal in the Pascagoula Riv-er Harbor, with 10 acres of grading im-provements and asphalt paving aimed at enhancing opportunities for han-dling more multipurpose cargos and vehicles.

Also, the Port of Pascagoula is on schedule to this spring awarding an es-timated $9 million contract to help cre-ate a more efficient rail link. That proj-ect is a key part of a broader $54 million intermodal endeavor that is to deliver a new export marine terminal as well.

Mississippi State Port Authority — The federally backed $570 million project to restore the Mississippi State Port Authority’s Port of Gulfport fol-lowing devastation wrought in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina is on target for com-pletion in late 2018, with nearly every part of the west terminal area having been reconstructed. A further endeav-or calls for a 282-acre dredge-and-fill program for further expansion of west pier, north harbor and east pier areas, including building a 4,000-linear-foot breakwater system.

Plaquemines Port — While ex-tensive marine cargo activity along the nearly 100 Louisiana miles on the southernmost reaches of the Missis-sippi River are within the jurisdiction of the Plaquemines Port Harbor & Ter-minal District, plans are underway for introduction of commercial air car-go operations at a U.S. Navy installa-tion in the northern portion of the ju-risdiction. A proposal submitted to the Navy calls for cargo planes to utilize the 10,000-foot runway at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Or-leans in Belle Chase and then taxi off the military reservation through a se-cure gate. About 3,000 acres are avail-

able for development of warehouse and light manufacturing facilities adjacent to the base.

Port officials say introduction of air cargo capabilities will give the port its fifth mode of transportation, augment-ing existing river, rail, highway, and pipeline systems, while reducing threat of closure of a base that serves as one of Louisiana’s largest employers.

St. Bernard Port — The St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District will rehabilitate two original wharf sections, known as A and F, which have been maintained but have exceeded their useful lives over the past 110 years.

Port of New Orleans — The Port of New Orleans is looking to release its Gateway Master Plan, to lay out a 20-year vision and strategic roadmap for increasing breakbulk capacity, expand-ing container capacity, revitalizing un-dervalued industrial real estate prop-erties and identifying investments to enhance operational efficiencies of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad.

On the marine infrastructure front, the port is conducting due diligence re-lated to development of a second con-tainer terminal at the Napoleon Av-enue complex. Feasibility studies are looking at development to also encom-pass value-added transloading, ware-housing, distribution and light manu-facturing on the 675-acre Sinclair tract, about five miles downriver from cur-rent Napoleon Avenue Container Ter-minal operations. The goal is to bring the Sinclair site an annual container-handling capacity of 1.5 million TEU, equivalent to that offered by the exist-ing Napoleon Avenue footprint.

Port Manchac — The 140-acre Port Manchac intermodal terminal is con-structing a 25,000-square-foot lay-down storage pad designed to handle future container trans-loading and storage operations adjacent to the Ca-nadian National Railway mainline. Port Manchac has completed the first phase of a state-backed $3 million in-frastructure redevelopment plan, en-tailing bulkhead, dredging, internal roadway, rail and drainage work, and is now moving ahead with the initiative’s second and final phase — to include a storm surge protection barrier and fur-ther improvements to paving, drainage and safety lighting, in addition to the building of the storage pad. These en-hancements aim to facilitate safe, effi-cient inland trans-loading and storage operations for bulk, breakbulk, neo-bulk and containerized cargos.

Port of South Louisiana — Port of South Louisiana officials are encour-aged by the opening last fall of the first port-operated hangar at the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport, known as KAPS, in Reserve, Louisiana. The $739,000 hangar proj-ect was self-funded by the port. Since the port acquired the airfield in 2009, numerous other improvements have been made, including extension of the main runway to 5,150 feet, with a par-

allel taxiway, new lighting and an auto-mated weather observing system.

Port of Greater Baton Rouge — The port is enjoying success with the container-on-barge service that was initiated in 2016 by SEACOR AMH LLC. SEACOR has doubled to twice a week its number of tows down the river to the Port of New Orleans, from which such cargos as resins and lubrication oils are put on oceangoing vessels for export. The port is also benefiting from the recently enhanced Louis Dreyfus Commodities LLC grain elevator and the Drax BioMass wood pellet export facility that is now in its third year of operation. Both those facilities and other port users should derive gains from the port’s soon-to-begin $20 mil-lion rail chambering yard project, as well as a $14 million interchange track endeavor currently under construction by Union Pacific Railroad. Other infra-structure projects under way include a $10 million dock enhancement to facil-itate better efficient accommodation of larger vessels.

Port Fourchon - Louisiana’s south-ernmost port continues to advance de-velopment of slip infrastructure, while also pursuing a deeper draft in support of expanding U.S. capabilities for ser-vicing deepwater drilling rigs. A fea-sibility report looking at taking depth from its present 27 feet to 35 feet, or possibly as many as 50 feet, is to be filed by June with federal officials.

Recently completed infrastructure, finishing the west side of the port’s Slip C includes a 950-foot bulkhead for Omni/Trussco and a 939-foot bulk-head for FCC Environmental Services. On Slip C’s east side, 1,671 linear feet of waterfront are being developed, in-cluding 400 feet for subsea engineering firm Oceaneering International Inc., to adjoin 800 feet that company already has in place and form 1,200 feet of con-tiguous berthing. Development at Slip D has moved into the hydraulic dredg-ing stage, and port officials are working with industry representatives and en-vironmentalists in creation of 90 acres of recreational area. Also on the hori-zon is a liquefied natural gas produc-tion and export facility being pursued by Energy World USA.

Port of Lake Charles - In Southwest Louisiana, the Port of Lake Charles is increasing efficiency and augmenting cargo-handling capacity to better serve current needs and prepare for accom-modation of future volumes. The 13 berths and large laydown areas at the port’s City Docks facilitate the loading, offloading, staging and storage of proj-ect cargo needed by industrial facilities that require over-dimensional pieces to be as close as possible to project con-struction sites. Over the course of the last few years, more than $100 billion in megaprojects have been announced in the area around the Port of Lake Charles, including major undertakings of such companies as Cameron LNG, Magnolia LNG and Driftwood LNG.

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018 T H E M A R I N E F I R E M A N

Both of Matson’s new Kanaloa-class vessels are now under construction in various stages at San Diego’s NASSCO shipyard. NASSCO announced it has started work on the Matsonia, the sec-ond Kanaloa-class combination con-tainer and roll-on/roll-off (Con-Ro) ves-sel that will join Matson’s Hawaii fleet.

Construction of the Matsonia be-gan with a ceremonial first cut of steel at NASSCO, where the first ship in the series, Lurline, is 15 percent complete. Both ships will transport containers, automobiles and rolling stock between the West Coast of the United States and Hawaii. Using proven design standards, the ship design incorporates liquefied natural gas-capable main and auxiliary engines, which are compliant with Tier III emission requirements. Future in-

stallation of a LNG fuel gas sytem can be accommodated on the 870-foot-long, 3,500 TEU platform Con-Ro vessels.

Construction of the Lurline is sched-uled to be complete in the fourth quar-ter of 2019. Matsonia is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2020. The Lurline will be the sixth Matson vessel to carry that name, while the sec-ond vessel will be the company’s fifth named Matsonia.

Matson also has two Aloha-class ships under construction at Philly Ship-yard in Philadelphia with deliveries scheduled for the third quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019, respectively. These 850-foot long, 3,600 TEU vessels will be Matson’s largest ships and the largest containerships ever built in the U.S.

LNG and electric propulsion are gaining traction for passenger vessels in the Pacific Northwest. Last year, B.C. Ferries began service with a new class of three LNG-fueled ferries. Private B.C. operator Seaspan Ferries took delivery of two LNG-fueled, hybrid-propulsion vessels at about the same time. Now, neighboring ferry services in Alaska and Washington are also considering green alternatives to replace or upgrade their diesel-powered vessels.

A spokesman for the Alaska Marine Highway System recently said that two new small ships for the Juneau-Haines-Skagway run will be fitted with dual-fu-el engines, and the existing ferry Mata-nuska is getting a repower that will leave her with a similar capability. Further down the road, if equipment costs come down, shorter routes in Prince William Sound could be candidates for Norwe-gian-style all-electric ferries.

To the south, Washington State Fer-

ries has a mandate from the state leg-islature to look into converting some of its vessels to all-electric propulsion. This year’s budget includes $600,000 to examine the possibility of battery-power conversions for the Tacoma, the Wenatchee and the Puyallup, WSF’s three largest ferries. All three already have electric propulsion drives, which could simplify the conversion.

Local authorities in Skagit County want to move quickly on electric propul-sion as well. The county operates a small diesel-powered ferry on the 1,100-yard run between Anacortes and Guemes Is-land. The vessel has been making the same short trip for 38 years, and a coun-ty commissioner said that he wants to replace it with an electric model. How-ever, the cost could be prohibitive: a bat-tery-powered ferry and its charging in-frastructure could be up to 60 percent more than a new diesel ferry.

To operate in California, seaports must have a master plan approved by the California Coastal Commission that guides their development and ensures ports are using coastal lands and waters in accordance with state law. The Port of Long Beach has met this requirement ever since the mandate took effect in the late 1970s. Over the years, the port revised its Master Plan twice, with the most recent update in 1990.

The port is looking for representa-tives of the maritime and goods move-ment industries, environmental and health groups, local business and com-munity organizations, and prospective tenants and developers to participate in focus group discussions on the Master Plan Update this spring.

The public process kicked off on April 4, with a Let’s Talk Port workshop in Long Beach. This event was the first in a series of public meetings and fo-cus groups that will be held over a nine-month span to explain the purpose of the Port Master Plan and get feedback on the best use of port property.

Ports must have a master plan un-der the California Coastal Act in order to have local authority to make land use de-cisions and issue development permits.

For the Port of Long Beach, the docu-ment covers the use and development of nearly 2,700 acres of land and more than 4,500 acres of water that make up the Port of Long Beach Harbor District.

Process and elementsSince the 1990 Master Plan update,

the Coastal Commission has certified 12 amendments. The new Master Plan will be a single, consolidated document that integrates those changes, as well as exist-ing capital projects and ongoing improve-ments to the port’s on-dock rail network. Document elements will address termi-nal operations, intermodal rail, naviga-tion, environment and sustainability, cli-mate change adaptation, transportation and circulation, oil operations, and rec-reation and public access, which includes pedestrian and bicycle paths.

When completed, the new Port Mas-ter Plan will reflect the port’s overarch-ing goals and strategies for maximizing land and energy resources and environ-mental goals to accommodate projected cargo growth. In conjunction with the update, the port will prepare a Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) that analyzes the environmental impacts of various levels of future development.

More truckers now visit the Port of Oakland at night than at any time in its 91-year history. Oakland’s larg-est marine terminal said that it is con-ducting between 1,500 and 2,000 daily truck transactions after sundown. That is up from 800 a year ago. Port officials said that the difference is night and day, pointing out that night gates have:

• curbed daytime congestion even though Oakland’s containerized cargo volume broke records in 2017;• reduced truck traffic on city streets and freeways;• accelerated shipment deliveries to cargo owners; and• enabled truck drivers, most-ly independent operators, to trans-port more containers daily, thereby boosting their income.Oakland International Container

Terminal (OICT) introduced night gates two years ago to take pressure off over-burdened daytime operations. It was the first terminal to open for a second shift in Oakland history. Nearby Tra-Pac marine terminal has been testing

night gates as well. Freight haulers use the gates for everything from picking up loaded import containers to dropping off refrigerated exports.

According to OICT, truck transac-tion times have averaged 60-to-90 min-utes since night gates began. In the past, a driver could wait two-to-three hours to conduct business. The terminal said night gates account for about 30 percent of its daily transaction volume.

OICT is the second-busiest marine terminal in the U.S. It handles 60-to-70 percent of all containerized cargo in Oakland. By stretching its workday, the terminal has helped Oakland improve overall operating performance.

Since 2017, a number of U.S. ports have followed Oakland’s lead by intro-ducing night hours. Ports in Los Ange-les and Long Beach said they are study-ing Oakland as they consider revamping night operations.

OICT assesses a $30 fee on all con-tainer loads to finance night operations. The fee is used primarily to cover labor costs.

The Port of Seattle Commissioners took action last month to create its 2018 Energy and Sustainability Committee and identify top environmental priori-ties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and further innovative collaborations to protect the air and water quality of sur-rounding communities. The committee develops policy recommendations and provides oversight of strategic conserva-tion decisions the port will make in 2018 and 2019. These efforts are designed to further the port’s goal to be the greenest and most energy-efficient Port in North

America and meet all increased energy needs through conservation and renew-able sources.

“The port is making good on its promises to protect the environment both locally and globally. It’s our com-mitment to improve both the health and wealth of our communities,” said a port commissioner.

“We appreciate the work of the many agency, industry, community and envi-ronmental advisors who provided in-valuable assistance in developing our goals.”

Air pollution related to Port of Ta-coma operations has decreased signif-icantly since 2005, according to a re-gional report released in March. The report is the result of the 2016 Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inven-tory, which provided an update to the 2005 baseline and 2011 inventories. The inventory estimated greenhouse gases, diesel particulate matter and a number of other pollutants, such as sulfur diox-ides and volatile organic compounds. It focused on emissions from ships, harbor vessels, cargo-handling equipment, rail, heavy-duty trucks and other fleet vehi-cles associated with maritime activities.

In 2015, the ports of Tacoma and Seattle launched the Northwest Sea-port Alliance (NWSA), a partnership to manage their marine cargo facili-ties and business. The emissions asso-ciated with those activities are report-ed through the NWSA.

Much of the clean air progress is due to more stringent fuel and engine stan-dards and voluntary investments in new-er, cleaner-burning equipment and vehi-cles, shore power for ships and efficiencies that reduce truck and train idling.

The Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, a ground-breaking initiative of the ports of Tacoma, Seattle and Van-couver, B.C., has helped further reduce emissions in the Puget Sound and Geor-gia air basins. Mandatory engine and fuel standards have also reduced emis-sions as older equipment, vehicles and vessels are replaced with newer models and as cleaner fuels are adopted.

Inventory results will help focus fu-ture efforts and investments. The ports of Seattle and Tacoma, under their part-nership as the NWSA, are updating their Northwest Ports Clean Air Strat-egy goals based on the inventory results.

The 2016, 2011 and 2005 reports were commissioned by members of the Puget Sound Maritime Air Forum, a voluntary association of private and public maritime organizations, ports, air agencies, environmental and public health advocacy groups and other par-ties with operational or regulatory re-sponsibilities related to the maritime in-dustry. The study area covered the U.S. portion of the Puget Sound/Georgia Ba-sin International Airshed, an area about 140 miles long by 160 miles wide.

Port of Long Beach seeks input on updated master plan

First steel cut for the new Matsonia

Port of Oakland increases night gates

Port of Seattle establishes 2018 environmental priorities

Report shows significant Port of Tacoma-related clean air progress

PNW ferry operators switch to cleaner fuels

Active MFOW membersRetain your Welfare Fund eligibility.

MAIL or TURN IN all your Unfit for Duty slips to:

MFOW Welfare Fund, 240 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94105


MFOWPresident's

ReportBy Anthony Poplawski

TRUST FUNDSThe trustees of the various MFOW plans met on March 14 at MFOW Headquar-

ters. The trustees of the various SIU Pacific District plans met on March 15 at the plan offices on Harrison Street in San Francisco.

Discussions took place regarding man day contributions to the SIU Pacific Dis-trict Pension Plan. As a result of these discussions, the three Pacific District unions agreed to the following memorandum of understanding:

March 27, 2018Re: SIU Pacific District Pension Plan MOU

In bargaining with Matson Navigation Company in 2017, the SIU Pacific District Unions (SUP, MFOW, SIU-AGLIW) proposed and the company agreed to increase its contribution to the SIU-Pacific District Pension Plan by $10.00 per manday for all covered employment effective January 1, 2018. Matson’s contribution to the Plan is now $20.00 per manday.

In the course of bargaining on this issue, Matson requested that the Unions, either through bargaining or by allocation, have the other contributing employers to the Plan make the same increased contribution. The Unions agreed to Matson’s request.

Therefore, to show good faith, the Unions agreed that on the October 1, 2017, an-niversary date of the Agreement with Patriot Contract Services covering the Watson-Class LMSRs (Charlton, Dahl, Pomeroy, Red Cloud, Sisler, Soderman, Watkins, Wat-son) that a $10.00 per manday portion of the 3% Total Labor Cost increase would be allocated to the Pension Plan. The Unions also agreed that an amount equal to $10.00 per manday be allocated from the October 1, 2017, 2% Total Labor Cost increase for the Patriot-operated SLNC PAX.

The MFOW and SUP drafted the $10.00 allocation calculations for the LMSR and PAX Agreements that were approved by Patriot, resulting in $20.00 per manday going to the Pension Plan effective October 1, 2017.

The Unions agreed that on the January 27, 2018, anniversary date of the Agree-ments with Matson and Patriot covering Ready Reserve Force vessels that a $10.00 per manday portion of the 2% Total Labor Cost increase would be allocated to the Pension Plan. Matson operates the Cape Henry, Cape Horn and Cape Hudson. Patriot oper-ates the Admiral Callaghan, Cape Orlando, Cape Taylor, Cape Texas, Cape Trinity, Cape Victory and Cape Vincent).

The MFOW and SUP drafted the $10.00 allocation calculations from the RRF Agreements that were approved by Matson and Patriot, resulting in $20.00 per man-day going to the Pension Plan effective January 27, 2018.

The Unions also agree that in bargaining with APL Marine Services in September of this year a key proposal will be to increase the company’s contribution to the SIU-Pacific District Pension Plan by $10.00 per manday for all covered employment; and the Unions further agree that the $20.00 per manday contribution to the Pension Plan shall be allocated in the Service Contract Act Wage Determination for future govern-ment vessel bids made by companies with Agreements with the SIU Pacific District./s/ Gunnar Lundeberg, President/Secretary-Treasurer, Sailors’ Union of the Pacific/s/ Anthony Poplawski, President/Secretary-Treasurer, Marine Firemen’s Union/s/ Nick Marrone, West Coast Vice President, SIU-AGLIW

SPENDING BILLOn March 23, President Trump signed the $1.3 trillion omnibus bill, averting an-

other government shutdown. The House passed the 2,232-page bill on March 22 and the Senate followed suit on March 23. Notwithstanding the controversy surround-ing the massive spending measure, maritime fared well in the clutter. The legislation provides the following:

• Full funding ($300 million) to the Maritime Security Program (MSP) for the rest of fiscal year 2018. The $300 million provides a $5 million annual stipend to 60 militarily-useful commercial vessels. Full funding at the authorized level will help ensure that the U.S.-flag commercial sealift capability provided by MSP will continue to remain available to support Department of Defense operations worldwide. However, the budget submitted to Congress by President Trump for the next fiscal year (2019) recommends only $214 million to MSP.• For necessary expenses of operations and training activities authorized by law, the spending bill authorizes $513.6 million. $22 million of this amount shall re-main available until expended for maintenance and repair of training ships at State Maritime Academies; $300,000,000 is for the National Security Multi-Mis-sion Vessel Program, including funds for construction, planning, administration, and design of school ships (in addition to their function as training vessels for cadets, the ships would also be used to provide humanitarian and disaster relief as needed); $2.4 million shall remain available through September 30, 2019, for the Student Incentive Program at State Maritime Academies; $1.8 million shall remain available until expended for training ship fuel assistance payments; $52 million is for facilities maintenance and repair, equipment, and capital improve-ments at the United States Merchant Marine Academy; and $3 million is for the Maritime Environment and Technology Assistance program.• The omnibus spending legislation also funds the Food for Peace Program, an important source of cargo for American ships and crews, at $1.7 billion. Food for Peace helps feed starving people in the developing world while also providing critical support to U.S. shipping and American farmers. Despite strong bipartisan support for Food for Peace, Trump’s fiscal year 2019 budget provides no funding for this critically important program.• $7 million shall remain available for the Short Sea Transportation Program (America’s Marine Highways).• $20 million allotted to make grants to qualified shipyards.• $116 million is for necessary expenses related to the disposal of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet of the Maritime Administration.• $30 million is for the Maritime Guaranteed Loan (Title XI) Program.

ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL MARITIME SAIL-INA cross-section of maritime industry representatives, including MFOW Vice

President Cajun Callais, turned out in force on Capitol Hill on March 20 to inform members of Congress the importance of U.S. shipping and to solicit support for cru-cial statutes and programs. This was the ninth edition of the annual Maritime Con-gressional Sail-In. Twenty-six Sail-In groups visited 169 Senate and House members from both sides of the aisle.

Lawmakers were reminded that their support of the Jones Act, Maritime Security Program and cargo preference is critical. In Senate offices, Sail-In participants asked members to sign an MSP letter; and, in the House, they were asked to sign a Cargo Preference letter and join the Maritime Caucus.

MFOW members are urged to write a letter or email your District and State leg-islators to ask them to do the right thing when it comes to the maritime industry.

GOVERNMENT VESSELSRRF Tabletop Exercise — On March 20, the Maritime Administration launched

its annual tabletop government-vessel fleet activation. The annual simulated break-out helps to evaluate whether the industry’s workforce is capable of supporting a ma-jor breakout of surge sealift ships. It is a paper exercise and mariners were not re-quired to report to the vessels.

The MFOW quickly satisfied exercise obligations by filling unlicensed engine bil-lets on 13 Ready Reserve Force and Military Sealift Command surge vessels. All of this took place while I was in New Orleans for the Merchant Marine Personnel Advi-sory Committee meeting and Vice President Callais was in Washington D.C. for the Maritime Sail-In.

Bravo Zulu to San Francisco Business Agent Bobby Baca, Wilmington Port Agent Sonny Gage, Honolulu Port Agent Mario Higa, and Seattle Representative Brendan Bohannon for getting the job done.

USNS Watson — In March, the crew of the USNS Watson worked alongside U.S. Army soldiers supporting the 841st Transportation Battalion in Charleston, South Carolina to load and transport vehicles and equipment for the 82nd Airborne Divi-sion. The Watson then departed Charleston for the U.S. Gulf Coast to deliver the ve-hicles and equipment for training exercises at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana. A total of 1,727 pieces of equipment were delivered to Port Ar-thur, Texas. The Watson will remain berthed at Port Neches, Texas until the military training exercise is completed.

CV Kamokuiki — The Union received an update from Matson Navigation Com-pany regarding the CV Kamokuiki. The ship is berthed in Nantong, China and re-quires additional repairs before it can be deployed on the Honolulu-Marshall Islands commercial cargo run. A dry dock period is planned for August-September 2018. In the meantime, the company is making the vessel available for government charter work.

The Kamokuiki was recently crewed up for a 25- to 30-day charter run. The plan was to sail from Nantong on April 8, pick up government cargo in Naha, Okinawa and deliver it to Australia. The charter fell through at the last minute and activation of the ship was cancelled.

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Continued from page 1a greater share of U.S. exports and im-ports. In fact, it is estimated that the U.S.-flag fleet carries a mere two percent of all the cargo entering and leaving our country, and none of the liquefied nat-ural gas and oil products our country now exports.

We urge the Administration to vig-orously utilize its authority to negoti-ate meaningful bilateral cargo sharing agreements to ensure that U.S.-flag ves-sels with U.S. citizen crews carry a great-er portion of America’s foreign trade.

The Jones Act — The Jones Act re-quires that cargo transported by water between ports in the United States is carried on vessels owned and crewed by American citizens and built in Ameri-can shipyards. According to a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Jones Act generates 500,000 high-quali-

ty American jobs, produces an econom-ic output in the U.S. of more than $100 billion annually and provides critical homeland security, economic, environ-mental, and safety benefits to our na-tion. An additional U.S. Maritime Ad-ministration study concluded that the American shipbuilding and repair in-dustry supports annual employment in the U.S. for more than 400,000, gener-ates annual labor income of about $24 billion, and creates an annual gross do-mestic product of $36 billion.

The full enforcement of the Jones Act is essential to ensure that vessels carrying cargo along our coasts, in our non-contiguous trades, on our rivers and on the Great Lakes are not con-trolled by foreign shipping interests and foreign citizen crews. We urge Congress to continue to support this critically im-portant national maritime policy.

Maritime industry storms Capitol Hill


Shout-outs this month go to Busi-ness Agent Bobby Baca and Control-ler Karen Mohr for covering the office while other staff was out on business or vacation.

On March 14 and 15, I attended the SIU Pacific District and MFOW Trust Fund meetings. All plans are in good shape.

I was in Washington, D.C. from March 19-22 attending the 9th Annu-al Congressional Sail-In. A rare spring Nor’easter blew in on the 20th, bring-ing heavy snow and forcing airport clo-sures from D.C. to the Canadian Mar-itimes, which resulted in a one-day delay for outbound travelers. The mar-itime industry was well represented by 129 attendees. My team met with the following Congressional representa-tives from California: John Garamen-di, Alan Lowenthal and Karen Bass. We also met with Congressman Ron Lars-en of Washington state. We discussed various issues, including food aid, cargo preference, the Jones Act and the need for full FY’19 Maritime Subsidy Pro-gram (MSP) funding. On behalf of the SIU Pacific District Unions, I thanked Congressman Lowenthal for his assis-tance regarding the Matson Navigation

Company/Aqua Lane restrictions.

VESSEL RUNDOWNAll vessels continue to call for Stand-

by E/Rs and Standby Wipers.Matson: The Lihue and Maui are

still in long-term layup.We dispatched a Watch Jr. Engineer

to the Matsonia, which is on the OAK-HON yo-yo run. We also dispatched a Reefer/Electrician to the Kauai, which is on the Pacific Northwest triangle run, along with the Manoa. The Mahimahi is on the Pacific Southwest triangle run.

APLMS: All vessels were in and out clean, calling for Standby Wipers. APL Thailand, APL Korea, APL China and APL Philippines — no problems. Dis-patched a Day Jr. Engineer to the Philip-pines. APL Singapore — the ERJ quit at the last minute and the vessel also need-ed a second Reefer. Both jobs went open and went to Seattle!

PCS: Surge Sealift vessels Shughart, Yano, Gordon and Gilliland — all are waiting on orders for turnover. The Moku Pahu is still en route to Somalia with a load of Food Aid cargo.

Respectfully,“Cajun” Callais

Vice President's Report

Business Agent's ReportIn March, we dispatched the follow-

ing jobs to Patriot Contract Services (PCS) vessels:

USNS Soderman — one Oiler was flown to Saipan. USNS Watkins — one Wiper was flown to Diego Garcia.

If you renew your documents, please update your file at the union hall prior to shipping out. Thanks!

Fraternally, Bobby Baca

Anticipating rising container traffic with the advent of new Mississippi Riv-er vessels, port officials in Missouri and southern Louisiana recently signed agree-ments to share marketing, studies and data. The arrival of bigger containerships through the expanded Panama Canal to the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast has port planners looking at how they might become new import portals to the Mid-west states where most containers now are shipped in by rail from California.

In February the Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District signed a memorandum of agreement with the Jefferson County Port Authority locat-ed near St. Louis, as part of the Louisi-ana port’s ongoing effort to build rela-tionships with ports on the upper river. A similar agreement was formally inked

in March in St. Louis with five other re-gional transport and port agencies. The memorandum sets a five-year term for cooperating on new river services with interconnections by barge, truck and rail.

American Patriot Holdings LLC, of Miami, says it is moving ahead with final engineering for its planned river liner de-sign, having completed scale model test-ing in Germany in September 2017. The self-propelled container vessel will have a capacity of 2,500 TEU, compared to 300 TEU on current Mississippi container-on-barge services. With liquefied natu-ral gas-fueled diesel electric propulsion and fore and aft thrusters, it will have an upriver speed of 13 knots with low wake. That will make round trips possible from the Lower Mississippi to Memphis in seven days and to St. Louis in 11 days.

In a first for vessel classification and inspection, the American Bureau of Ship-ping is embarking on a two-year proj-ect with the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command to deliver bow-to-stern, condi-tion-based “class asset management.” ABS will build a “digital twin” for each of three MSC vessels based on detailed survey as-sessments. It will then use data from sen-sors mounted on the ship’s hull and ma-chinery to update that “twin,” creating a comprehensive digital record of the ship’s condition that can be used to detect ab-normal conditions and predict prob-lems before they occur. It will also inform maintenance planning. The program will provide a data platform to support timely decisions as well as enhanced planning of vessel overhaul and repair periods.

The program will also alter the way that the vessels are classed. As ABS’ de-tailed records and software analytics will create a real-time picture of the vessel’s condition, the class society’s inspectors will be able to focus their surveys on the actual condition of structures and ma-chinery, rather than on traditional main-tenance and inspection timetables.

The three vessels in the trial pro-gram cover most of the spectrum of MSC’s civilian-crewed fleet. ABS and its partners will create digital twins for the USNS Spearhead, an aluminum-hulled expeditionary fast transport; the USNS Amelia Earhart, a dry cargo/ammuni-tion vessel; and the USNS Pomeroy, a Watson-class LMSR ship in the MSC’s prepositioning program.

ABS and MSC initiate trial classification and inspection program

Mississippi River port operators plan for new container services

The Queen Mary is in trouble More than a dozen critical Queen

Mary maintenance projects approved in 2016 have been sidelined or have yet to be started due to cost overruns and unforeseen expenses, according to doc-uments obtained by the Long Beach Press-Telegram. The projects, identified in a 2015 marine survey that analyzed the ship’s condition, were recommended by a team of naval architects and marine engineers who predicted a bleak future for the Queen Mary — including some internal collapse over the next 10 years — if work wasn’t done soon. The survey was released to the public in March 2017 with repairs estimated to cost $235 mil-lion to $289 million, figures the ship’s operator disputes.

The City of Long Beach approved $23 million in November 2016 to pay for the most urgent repairs, such as structural issues, leaks and water breaches that could lead to flooding. The remaining costs were to be foot-ed by Urban Commons, a Los Angeles real estate investment firm that oper-ates the ship through a lease agreement with the city.

City officials believed their share of the funding, a combination of preser-vation money and a bond debt, would cover 27 projects, and executives at Ur-ban Commons said the remainder of the work could be done later, after revenues started to flow in from a $250 million proposed shoreside development, Queen Mary Island, which has yet to be built.

To date, 20 of the 27 city-fund-ed projects planned for completion by year’s end have either not begun or have been shelved due to significant cost

overruns on other projects, including:• Repairs and replacement of rotted teak wood decking and roofing. The work was budgeted for $2.1 million, but has so far cost over $7 million, with an anticipated June completion date.• Safety corrections to a lengthy list of issues aboard the ship, ordered by the Long Beach Fire Department, which was budgeted for $200,000. The work, which is nearly complete, has so far cost $4.8 million.• Revamp of the Ghosts and Legends Tour, a supernatural journey through the ship’s haunted history, is the only major project on the list to have been completed. Budgeted for $2 million, it cost $3.8 million, including repairs to the ship’s boiler rooms.Six additional projects, including

the fire upgrades and flooring fixes, are slated for completion this year. Smaller projects including renovations to exhib-its like the Princess Diana display, and upgrades to restaurants also have been completed. And a new state-of-the-art 4D theater was recently installed to use in a series of educational programs rolled out last year. One of the offerings, the Ellis Island Experience, saw some of its first students last summer.

The Long Beach Fire Department put the Queen Mary on fire watch last July, which required intensive around-the-clock checks for smoke or signs of fire. The department simultaneously imposed an obstructive investigation, which required repairs to all inoperable pipes and sprinkler heads, according to city documents.

Gulf of Guinea pirate attacks on the riseA surge in armed attacks against

ships around West Africa is pushing up global levels of piracy and armed rob-bery at sea, warns the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB). The IMB Pi-racy Reporting Center recorded 66 in-cidents in the first quarter of 2018, up from 43 for the same period in 2017, and 37 in the first quarter 2016.

Worldwide in the first three months of 2018, 100 crew were taken hostage and 14 kidnapped from their vessels. A total of 39 vessels were boarded, 11 fired upon and four vessels hijacked. IMB received a further 12 reports of attempted attacks.

The Gulf of Guinea accounts for 29 incidents in first quarter 2018, more than 40 percent of the global total. Of the 114 seafarers captured worldwide, all but one were in this region. All four vessels hijackings were in the Gulf of Guinea, where no hijackings were re-ported in 2017.

Two product tankers were hijacked

from Cotonou anchorage in mid-January and early February, prompting the IMB PRC to issue a warning to ships. Towards the end of March, two fishing vessels were hijacked 30 nautical miles off Nige-ria and 27 nautical miles off Ghana.

Nigeria — Nigeria alone record-ed 22 incidents. Of the 11 vessels fired upon worldwide, eight were off Nigeria — including a 300,000 metric ton dead-weight VLCC tanker more than 40 nau-tical miles off Brass.

Somalia — One incident was report-ed off Somalia, where a product tanker was fired upon and chased by two skiffs around 160 nautical miles southeast of Hobyo. At the end of March, a 160,000- ton tanker reported being fired upon in the Gulf of Aden, while transiting within the Maritime Security Transit Corridor. The distance from land, sighting of lad-ders and firing upon ships continues to il-lustrate that the Somali pirates retain the capability and intent to attack merchant shipping in the wider Indian Ocean.

Indonesia — Indonesia recorded nine low level attacks against anchored vessels. Five bulk carriers reported actu-al or attempted attacks at Muara Berau anchorage in Samarinda, while waiting to load coal cargoes.

I “Cajun” Callais, #3592 ..............$200.00Glen Cook, P-2631.......................... $25.00Henry Disley, P-2617....................$100.00Travis Kehoe, JM-5137 ................$100.00Anthony Lefebre, #3750 ................$60.00Joel E. McCrum, P-2536 ................ $50.00Jason Medeiros, JM-5285 ............. $50.00Dylan Melendy, JM-5154 .............. $25.00Yehya Mohamed, JM-5324 ........... $50.00Rodolph Roaque, P-2363 ............... $20.00

Political action Fund

Voluntary donations for March 2018:

Death BenefitsNone

Burial BenefitsJames Knapp, P-2333 $1,000.00Burdette Smart, P-2685 $1,000.00Excess Medical $9,542.24Glasses and Examinations $804.05

Benefits paid during March


Interested members who meet the Training Program eligibility require-ments and prerequisites outlined for each course may obtain an application online at mfoww.org or at Headquarters and branch offices. All applications must be accompanied by a copy of the member’s Merchant Mariner Credential, including current endorsements and RFPEW certification.

Eligible participants are MFOW members who: (1) Have maintained A, B or C seniority classification. (2) Are current with their dues. (3) Are eligible for medical coverage through covered employment. (4) Have a current Q-card (annual physical) issued by the Seafarers’

Medical Center and are fit for duty.Non-seniority applicants: (1) Non-seniority applicants may be selected for required government

vessels training as required to fulfill manning obligations under the various MFOW government vessel contracts.

(2) Selectees under this provision must meet all other requirements for seagoing employment and shall have demonstrated satisfactory work habits through casual employment.

Training Resources, Ltd. (TRL)Courses are conducted at Training Resources, Ltd. in San Diego, California, con-

tingent on enrollment levels. Tuition, lodging and transportation are pre-arranged by the MFU Training Plan.

MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND TRAININGThis five-day course includes the following segments: Shipboard Damage Con-

trol; Environmental Programs; Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense ori-entation; Helo Firefighting; Anti-Terrorism (one-year validation); Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (three-year periodicity). These segments are required for employment aboard various MSC contract-operated ships.

May 7-11

HIGH VOLTAGE SAFETYThis five-day course is open to members who have electrical equipment back-

ground and training. Each student should:• Have the requisite skills (knowledge and techniques) to distinguish exposed

energized electrical conductors and circuit parts from other parts of electri-cal equipment, capability to determine nominal system voltages

• Have the ability and be capable of providing first aid, including resuscitation, CPR and AED (where provided)

• Be capable of determining the proper use of personnel protective equipment to protect against shock and arc flash.

Prerequisites: Electrician-Refrigerating Engineer/Junior Engineer/RFPEW and Able Seafarer-Engine endorsements. May 7-11 May 21-25 June 4-8 June 25-29

ENDORSEMENT UPGRADINGQMED Fireman/Oiler/Watertender

A member who successfully completes the 160-hour Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED) Fireman/Oiler/Watertender course will satisfy the re-quirements needed for the national endorsements as QMED Fireman/Watertender and QMED Oiler, provided all other requirements, including sea service, are also met. Prerequisites: 180 days or more of MFOW-contracted sea time as Wiper; PLUS Coast Guard approval letter for endorsement upgrading, which certifies minimum of 180 days’ sea time as Wiper. May 28-June 22 July 9-August 3

STCW Rating Forming Part of an Engineering Watch A member who successfully completes the 40-hour Rating Forming Part of an

Engineering Watch (RFPEW) course will satisfy the requirements needed for the STCW endorsement as RFPEW. Prerequisites: See QMED Fireman/Oiler/Water-tender course. It is recommended that eligible candidates schedule the QMED Fireman/Oiler/Watertender and RFPEW courses back-to-back for a five-week combined training session. May 21-25 June 25-29

August 6-10

QMED Electrician/Refrigerating EngineerA member who successfully completes the 240-hour QMED Electrician/Re-

frigerating Engineer course will satisfy the requirements needed for the national endorsement as QMED Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer, provided all other re-quirements, including sea service, are also met. Prerequisites: Endorsements as QMED Fireman/Watertender, QMED Oiler, and RFPEW; PLUS 180 days’ of MFOW-contracted sea time while qualified as RFPEW. May 21-June 29 July 9-August 17

August 20-September 28

STCW Able Seafarer-EngineA member who successfully completes the 40-hour Able Seafarer-Engine (AS-

E) course will satisfy the requirements needed for the STCW endorsement as AS-E. Prerequisites: Endorsements as QMED Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer, QMED Fireman/Watertender, QMED Oiler and RFPEW; PLUS 180 days’ or more of MFOW-contracted sea time while qualified as RFPEW. May 7-11 June 11-15 July 9-13 August 6-10

QMED Pumpman/MachinistA member who successfully completes the 240-hour QMED Pumpman/Ma-

chinist course will satisfy the requirements needed for the national endorsement as QMED Pumpman/Machinist. Prerequisites: 360 days or more of MFOW-con-tracted sea time while holding the endorsements as QMED Electrician/Re-frigerating Engineer, QMED Junior Engineer, QMED Fireman-Watertender, QMED Oiler, RFPEW and AS-E. May 21-June 29 July 9-August 17

August 20-September 28

QMED Junior EngineerThe MFOW Training Plan does not sponsor the QMED Junior Engineer course.

A member who has successfully completed the modules for QMED Electrician/Re-frigerating Engineer, QMED Fireman/Watertender, and QMED Oiler can be issued the national endorsement as QMED Junior Engineer without testing provided he or she has met all other sea service and training requirements.

STCW Electro-Technical RatingThe required Coast Guard-approved courses leading to the STCW endorsement

of Electro-Technical Rating (ETR) are not available. When the courses are available, preference shall be given to those members who have satisfactory MFOW-contract-ed sea time as Electrician, ERJ, REJ or Reefer/Electrician.

STCW BASIC TRAINING*

*NOTE: ALL BASIC TRAINING CERTIFICATES HOLD A ONE-YEAR VAL-IDATION WHEN USED FOR MARINER DOCUMENT (MMD) RENEWAL.

Basic Training RevalidationThe BT Revalidation course is designed for personnel who have previously com-

pleted a 40-hour Basic Training course and have at least one year of approved Sea Service within the last five years.

Training Resources, Ltd., San Diego, CA (one day): May 4; May 11; May 25; June 1; June 8; June 22

MITAGS-PMA, Seattle, WA (two days): May 11-12; June 2-4; June 22-23; July 6-7; July 27-28; August 11-13

Maritime License Center, Honolulu, HI: as needed

Basic Training RefresherThe BT Refresher course (24 hours) is designed for personnel who have previ-

ously completed a 40-hour Basic Training course and have NOT completed one year of approved Sea Service within the last five years.

Training Resources, Ltd., San Diego, CA: May 16-18; June 13-15; July 18-20; August 15-17

Compass Courses, Edmonds, WA: May 22-24; June 26-28; July 31-August 2; August 28-30

MITAGS-PMI, Seattle, WA: May 11-14; June 22-24; July 6-9; August 10-13El Camino College, Hawthorne, CA: May 24-26; June 28-30

MARINE FIREMEN’S UNION TRAINING PROGRAM — 2018

Marine Firemen’s Union Training PlanTuition Reimbursement Policy

The Marine Firemen’s Union Training Plan reimburses tuition costs (not lodging, subsistence or transportation) for certain types of training taken by a participant on his own.

However, preapproval of the training must be given by the Marine Firemen’s Union Training Plan prior to taking the course.

Any request for reimbursement without preapproval from the Marine Firemen’s Union Training Plan will be denied.

May 2 S.F. Headquarters

9 Branches

June 6 S.F. Headquarters

13 Branches

July 5* S.F. Headquarters

(*moved due to Independence Day holiday)

11 Branches

August 1 S.F. Headquarters

8 Branches

Sept. 5 S.F. Headquarters

12 Branches

October 3 S.F. Headquarters

10 Branches

Nov. 7 S.F. Headquarters

14 Branches

Dec. 5 S.F. Headquarters

12 Branches

Regular membership meeting dates 2018


MFOW Vice President Cajun Callais leaving AFL-CIO Headquarters in Wash-ington D.C.

MFOW at sea and ashoreGlen Walton, #3575, and Artemio Rivera, #3804, attended APL-sponsored Wartsila RT Flex Engine training at the Calhoon MEBA Engineering School in Easton, Maryland.

Seen here is Matson’s newest ship in Philadelphia, the MV Danial K. Inouye.

MFOW and SUP members on the CV Kamokuiki (left to right): Oiler/Utility Gil Acosta, JM-5245; Oiler (extra) Jefferson Basuel, #3829; Electrician/Reefer/Oiler Bruce Chow, #3812; AB Antonio Respicio; Bosun Dave Kaupiko; AB Rex Simbre; and AB John Hartley.

Summary Annual Report forSIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center FundThis is a summary of the annual report of the SIU Pacific District Seafarers’

Medical Center Fund, EIN 94-2430964, for the year ended June 30, 2017. The an-nual report has been filed with the Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Medical exam benefits paid under the plan are provided by the SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund, a trust fund.

Basic Financial StatementThe value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $(80,274)

as of June 30, 2017, compared to $(73,411) as of July 1, 2016. During the plan year, the plan experienced a decrease in its net assets of $6,863. During the plan year, the plan had total income of $702,791, including employer contributions of $701,113, earnings from investments of $103, and other income of $1,575.

Plan expenses were $709,654. These expenses included $220,422 in administrative expenses, and $489,232 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries.

Your Rights to Additional InformationYou have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part there-

of, on request. The items listed below are included in that report: 1. An accountant’s report;2. Financial information and information on payments to service providers; and3. Assets held for investment.To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the

office of SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund, the plan’s admin-istrator, at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107, tele-phone (415) 392-3611. The charge to cover copying costs will be $2.25 for the full annual report, or $.25 per page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompany-ing notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan ad-ministrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.

You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, Califor-nia 94107, and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, N-1513, Em-ployee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Consti-tution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210.

Summary Annual Report for SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc.

This is a summary of the annual report of the SIU Pacific District Supplemen-tal Benefits Fund, Inc., EIN 94-1431246, for the year ended July 31, 2017. The an-nual report has been filed with the Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Supplemental vacation pay benefits under the plan are provided by the SIU Pa-cific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc., a trust fund.Basic Financial Statement

The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $839,931 as of July 31, 2017, compared to $486,181 as of August 1, 2016. During the plan year, the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $353,750. This increase includes unrealized appreciation or depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of the assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year. During the plan year, the plan had total income of $13,625,376, including employer contributions of $13,607,753, earnings from investments of $16,103 and other income of $1,520.

Plan expenses were $13,271,626. These expenses included $355,285 in adminis-trative expenses and $12,916,341 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries.Your Rights to Additional Information

You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part there-of, on request. The items listed below are included in that report:

1. An accountant’s report;2. Financial information and information on payments to service providers;3. Assets held for investment; and4. Transactions in excess of 5% of plan assets. To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the

office of SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc., the plan’s adminis-trator at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94107, telephone num-ber (415) 764-4990. The charge to cover copying costs will be $6.25 for the full an-nual report, or $.25 per page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompany-ing notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan ad-ministrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.

You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan at 730 Harrison Street Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107 and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, N-1513, Em-ployee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Consti-tution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210.

MFOW members pensionedName Book No. Pension Type Sea Time EffectiveMichael Morgan 3800 SIU-PD Basic 25.675 3/1/2018Carl Kelly JM-4940 SIU-PD Def Vested 11.000 4/1/2018


Wilmington Notes

Seattle NotesShipping: One extra billet REJ was

shipped to APL, taken by a “C” card. One “A” card took a REJ job to the MV Manoa. One ERJ and one Electrician were shipped; both went to “A” cards. Five Navy Oilers went to one “B” card and four “C” cards. Four Matson Stand-by Reefer/Electrician jobs all went to “A” cards. Four Standby Wipers for MV Manoa went to one “A” card, one “C” card, and two non-seniority applicants. This month five A-, two B-, and three C-seniority members were registered, for a total of 10 A-, three B-, and four C-se-niority members registered in Seattle.

Meetings attended: Martin Luther King County Labor Council Delegates and Executive Board meetings. The Se-

attle Branch continues to reach out to environmental advocates and shoreside trades to educate them on the innova-tive and proactive model the maritime industry operates under. All hands are encouraged to tell those on “The Beach” of our high environmental standards, training and international compliance.

Members, when you make the hall bring all your documents with you. Let’s go through them to be sure you are cur-rent. Other than your drug-free certif-icate, you cannot go to work on doc-uments that will expire during your dispatch and your passport must be val-id six months beyond.

Respectfully,Brendan Bohannon, Representative

San FranciscoReefer/Electrician.................................... 3Junior Engineer (Watch) ........................ 2 Junior Engineer (Day) ............................. 1Oiler ........................................................... 2 Wiper ......................................................... 1 Standby Electrician/Reefer .................. 12Standby Wiper ....................................... 25

TOTAL ........................................46

WilmingtonElectrician ................................................. 3Electrician/Reefer/Jr. Engineer ............. 4Reefer/Electrician/Jr. Engineer ............. 2Junior Engineer (Day) ............................. 3Oiler .......................................................... 3Pumpman.................................................. 1Wiper ........................................................ 1Shore Mechanic ....................................... 2Standby Electrician/Reefer .................. 16Standby Wiper ....................................... 42

TOTAL ........................................77

SeattleElectrician ................................................. 1Electrician/Reefer/Jr. Engineer ............. 1Reefer/Electrician/Jr. Engineer ............. 2Oiler ........................................................... 5Standby Electrician/Reefer .................... 4Standby Wiper ......................................... 4

TOTAL ........................................17

HonoluluElectrician/Reefer/Jr. Engineer ............ 1 Reefer/Electrician/Jr. Engineer ............. 2Junior Engineer (Day) ............................ 2Oiler ........................................................... 2Wiper ......................................................... 4Shore Mechanic ....................................... 1Standby Electrician/Reefer .................. 19 Standby Wiper ....................................... 26

TOTAL ........................................51

HOWZ SHIPPINGMarch 2018

Honolulu NotesIn March the Honolulu hall dis-

patched a total of 57 jobs. The Ma-himahi called for an emergency relief Wiper; a Shoreside Maintenance Me-chanic turned over his one year job; the Maunawili Junior called for a re-lief trip off; the Maunalei Junior did his time; the Saipan Wiper did his time; the Pfeiffer Reefer changed over; the Kamokuiki called back their crew and then cancelled about a week later; af-ter 6 months, the Guam Reefer got off; and we changed out the AP Wiper on the Manukai. I also dispatched 26 Stby Wipers and 19 Stby Electrician/Reefers.

Presently the Honolulu registration list has 14 “A” seniority members, 6 “B” seniority members and 10 “C” senior-

ity members. A few things have happened that

made me wonder about rules. This weekend, I heard the word “inequity”. The dictionary says the word means “injustice by virtue of not conforming with rules or standards” and uses the word in this sentence, “We changed the landscape for solving the problems of payroll inequity.” Inequity = unfair-ness. The rule is the Reefer is not re-sponsible for any reefer van on the third tier (fair rule for the Reefer); and it’s my guess that Matson will change the rules once again to solve a problem (fair rule for the company). But I believe to really solve a problem, you need to get input from all sides. You should gather every bit of information and hold a discus-sion with many to come up with a bet-ter solution. I believe that you will not only have a better solution, but also a work force that understands the other party’s issues better. Reefers will un-derstand why planners set up the reefer boxes where they do, and planners will understand why you shouldn’t place reefer boxes in certain areas. Maybe Matson can explain why they install 240-volt reefer outlets on their ships, and Reefers can explain the benefits of having all 440-volt reefer outlets on-board a ship.

We need rules, but all rules aren’t fair just because they are rules; some rules need to be changed to be fair. I believe it’s easier to make good rules af-ter much thought and discussion from all involved. Is it fair for the port agent to call a member to let him/her know there’s a job on the board at 2 p.m.? Is it fair for a member to call another mem-ber and let him/her know he’s quitting, so pick up the job at 2 p.m.? Is it fair to baseball a job? Is it baseballing when you register to be on the top of the list when the steady member’s time is up? If the rule is not fair, you should still play by the rules but work on trying to change the rule. So, let me know what you think.

I am so grateful to be in this Union, because, while not perfect, this Union is a very good union. It’s good because it is fair to all members and all mem-bers get a voice to make their union better. One example is the Conven-tion that is happening this month. All members are invited, and all members can speak their minds. While all rules may not be fair, this Union is fair to all its members.

Aloha,Mario Higa

Port Agent

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Check box: ❑ U.S. & POSSESSIONS ❑ OVERSEAS

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Honor roll

Dues Paying Pensioners — First Quarter 201: Roger Brucks, #3468 (P-2758) Pensioned 6/1/14 San FranciscoRobert Bugarin, #3505 (P-2756) Pensioned 4/1/14 WilmingtonMichael Carr, #3550 (P-2718) Pensioned 5/1/11 SeattleBonny Coloma, #3537 (P-2763) Pensioned 11/1/14 HonoluluJohn Daly, #3527 (P-2626) Pensioned 1/1/99 San FranciscoAnthony De La Rosa, #3496 (P-2753) Pensioned 1/1/14 San FranciscoArmando De Los Reyes, #2231 (P-2541) Pensioned 4/1/93 San FranciscoHenry Disley, #2147 (P-2617) Pensioned 4/1/05 San FranciscoDonald Feehan, #3344 (P-2589) Pensioned 11/1/95 San FranciscoDaniel Fierro, #3336 (P-2653) Pensioned 7/1/01 San Francisco Clifford Harris, #3585 (P-2784) Pensioned 6/1/17 San FranciscoMarvin Honig, #1765 (P-2582) Pensioned 4/1/95 San FranciscoJoseph Lategano, #3470 (P-2749) Pensioned 10/1/13 San Francisco Richard Manley, #3747 (P-2783) Pensioned 6/1/17Joel E. McCrum, #1126 (P-2536) Pensioned 3/1/93 San FranciscoWilliam OBrien, #3552 (P-2755) Pensioned 4/1/14 San FranciscoThomas O’Neal, #3546 (P-2769) Pensioned 7/1/15Herman Richter, #3521 (P-2779) Pensioned 1/1/17Anthony Roberts, #3540 (P-2694) Pensioned 4/1/09 San FranciscoJoe Rubio, #3697 (P-2757) Pensioned 4/1/14 San FranciscoSteven Sedy, #3566 (P-2782) Pensioned 3/1/17Charles Stahl, #3821 (P-2726) Pensioned 12/1/11 SeattleJames F. Upchurch, #3455 (P-2666) Pensioned 11/1/04 San Francisco

Dylan Melendy, JM-5154 ............ $25.00Voluntary donations to General Treasury — March 2018:

Wilmington members and appli-cants were dispatched to 77 jobs in March. Seven PCS, five APL, and five Matson billets, and two shore mechanic jobs were filled by members.

Seven applicants worked standby jobs this month.

The registration list numbers 17 A-, 16 B-, and 37 C-seniority members.

All is well here both at sea and ashore.

Ships were on time and the members kept busy with a breakout and few extra standby jobs.

The Wilmington hall was run by Deyne Umphress, #3899, who sat in for me for a couple of weeks while I was off.

I would like to thank him very much and commend him on doing a good job while I was out. Thanks Deyne!

The gang at GGS has been doing their job and keeping the companies equipment in proper working order.

We have three shifts to monitor and repair live reefers, as well as perform chassis roadability duties, and motor-generator set maintenance and repair.

I hope all of you enjoyed your Caesar Chavez holiday this past month.

SS Lane Victory Chief Engineer Jim Gillen and 1st Assistant Engineer Steve Silcock would like to thank the MFOW members and applicants who have been

assisting with the engine room work never ends.

Turn-to is Wednesday and Satur-day at 0900. Volunteers are very much appreciated.

The engine room is shaping up and hopefully the boiler work can start again soon.

Just report to the gangway and ask where the Chief is.

On May 15, 2018, at 1200, the Wilm-ington Branch will be joining the ILWU in solidarity to remember our fall-en brothers: “First Blood” at the Harry Bridges Memorial on Harbor Blvd.

I encourage all members to attend, as this is part of our union’s history.

For more info check these websites. https://www.ilwu.org/honoring-the-first-blood-shed-for-our-union/ and http://www.randomlengthsnews.com/2014/07/bucket-of-blood/

The LA/LB Harbor Labor Coalition is back from break, and are gearing up for the Labor Day march in September.

Next meeting is May 10 at 1830 at the MFOW-SUP Wilmington hall. Inter-ested members are encouraged to attend.

That’s it from the gang here. Just work safely, and I will see you when you get home.

Aloha,Sonny Gage, Port Agent

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