Two maritime transportation icons and the crew members and officers of five SIU-contracted vessels formally have been recognized by the United Seamen’s Service (USS).Colin Veitch, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and Paul F. Richardson, president of Paul F. Richardson Associates Inc. on Nov. 3 were honored as co-recipients of USS’ 2006 Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award (AOTOS), while masters and SIU mariners who on specific dates were sailing aboard the USNS Spica, MV Cape Victory, MV Cape Vincent, USNS Apache and the Sea Land Commitment received the AOTOS Mariners’ Plaque.
Each of the coveted laurels was presented during the 37th annual AOTOS industry-wide dinner in New York City. SIU President Michael Sacco, who served as the dinner’s chairman, bestowed the award on Veitch.
The SIU president described Veitch as “a true friend of the American-flag maritime industry.” He noted that with the deep-sea U.S.-flag cruise ship industry reeling after the terrorist attacks of September 11, Veitch’s leadership helped spearhead a revival and an investment that has led to many thousands of American jobs, both aboard the SIU-contracted NCL America fleet and ashore.
“We’re extremely proud of what Colin and NCL have accomplished with their U.S.-flag fleet in Hawaii,” Sacco stated. “Since the three NCL America ships (Pride of Aloha, Pride of America and Pride of Hawaii) raised the Stars and Stripes, tens of thousands of jobs have been created for American mariners, dock workers, people in the tourist industry and others. It wouldn’t have happened without Colin’s creativity. It wouldn’t have happened without Colin’s strong confidence in the U.S. fleet and his total willingness to work as a partner with all segments of our industry.”
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive the prestigious Admiral of the Ocean Sea award,” Veitch said. “We’re extremely proud that through NCL America, we’ve contributed to the revitalization of U.S.-flagged passenger ship cruising.”
NCL America’s three U.S.-flag ships are expected to generate more than $828 million in U.S. economic activity and 20,400 jobs, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers study.
Richardson’s experience in transportation has been as a specialist in containerization, company management and labor. He held a key leadership role in the dynamic growth of Sea-Land Service, Inc., forging its development and serving as president and vice chairman of the innovative steamship company.
In 1977, he established Paul F. Richardson Associates, Inc., an international maritime and transportation consulting firm serving various segments of the maritime industry including carriers, ports, shipbuilding companies, inland carriers, labor and labor-management groups. Today, Richardson continues to hold key leadership and management roles in the industry serving on numerous boards, councils and committees. These include the American Bureau of Shipping, U.S. Coast Guard Foundation, Council of the Americas and numerous significant government commissions and committees.
The two AOTOS Award recipients led the field of nominees for the decoration, a silver statuette of Christopher Columbus, the first Admiral of the Ocean Sea, sharing first place among a group that was solicited by USS from more than 200 maritime management, labor, and government officials.
John Bowers, chairman of the USS AOTOS committee and president of the International Longshoremen’s Association said, “These two industry icons represent the past, present and future of the U.S.-flag industry. Our recipients have been selected by those who know them best, international transportation leaders who understand very well the challenges and issues which confront United States shipping and the American seafarers and recognize their leadership in this area.”
The masters, crews and vessels that received the AOTOS Mariners’ Plaque and a basis for their respective honors were as follows:
USNS Spica—Capt. Michael Flanagan and his SIU Government Services Division crew on Feb. 13 were conducting search and rescue operations off the coast of Djibouti, Africa following the crash of two U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 heavy transport helicopters during a routine training mission. Of the 12 people aboard the two aircraft, only two survived. The Spica, with its crew of 103 civilian mariners and 26 military personnel, was about 53 miles from the reported crash site when Flanagan received the call for help. He changed course and headed toward the site at maximum speed. En route, the Spica’sPuma helicopter was airborne, scouring the ocean for survivors. The Spica was the first coalition ship to arrive on the scene. It anchored about 2 miles off shore. At that point, Flanagan learned that members of the Djiboutian military had pulled two survivors from the water; however, it was still not clear exactly where the crash had occurred. The Spica’s rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) was launched and approached the peninsula while using night vision. Twenty minutes into the search, crewmen located wreckage, rotor blades and the main body of the aircraft. No survivors were found. A second RHIB was launched as the USS Vicksburg, along with an Italian vessel, also arrived at the scene. U.S. Navy divers then entered the water and recovered bodies from the wreckage.
Cape Victory and Cape Vincent—As Hurricane Rita approached, officials from Beaumont, Texas on Sept. 24, 2005 requested that first responder emergency vehicles and personnel from the city and surrounding communities of Port Arthur, Nederland, Groves and Port Neches be permitted to be safely stowed on board the Cape Victory and Cape Vincent. Both vessels are home ported in the Port of Beaumont. Cape Vincent Master Capt. David Scott and Cape Victory Master Capt. Kevin Brooks, in coordination with the U.S. Maritime Administration and Keystone Shipping Co., agreed to move 172 vehicles onto the Cape Vincent and 207 vehicles aboard the Cape Victory. Included were fire trucks, ambulances, police vehicles, road equipment and other vehicles, along with city records, emergency response personnel and 30 rescue dogs. Everything was stowed safely while 90 percent of area residents evacuated. Crews from each ship kept their vessels berthed as the storm passed packing 120 mph winds and extremely heavy rain. The ships’ stern ramps were lowered the following morning so that the emergency vehicles could be deployed to deal with the storm’s aftermath. The ability for the first responder vehicles to be deployed so rapidly was unprecedented in dealing with hurricane storm damage and allowed the area to swiftly and efficiently return to normalcy. The entire episode serves as a model for hurricane preparations throughout the U.S. Gulf Coast. The vessels’ masters and crews were honored for their vision and heroic acts in keeping their ships and emergency cargo safe from harm.
USNS Apache-The MSC fleet ocean tug USNS Apache on Aug. 10 was under way near Monrovia, Liberia when it came across an Estonian commercial freighter, the Tahoma Reefer, engulfed in flames and being towed from the harbor. Smoke from the burning vessel was spotted from the Apache’s bridge at about the same time that help was being solicited by officials ashore at the U.S. Embassy in Liberia. Apache Capt. Charles Rodriguez headed his craft toward the stricken vessel. Other shipboard personnel including Chief Mate Troy Bruemmer departed the Apache in the vessel’s RHIB and moved in on the Tahoma Reefer to remove a mooring line that was trailing the burning vessel. The Apache crew initiated fire-fighting operations and hosed down the port side of the Reefer. After removing the mooring line from the Reefer, Bruemmer and others returned to the Apache, loaded a portable pump on the RHIB and redeployed to fight flames on the Reefer’s starboard side. They also delivered the freighter’s eight crew members to shore. The Apache remained tight alongside the freighter for more than four hours as the tug’s crew fought to bring the fire under control.
Sea Land Commitment—Capt. Eric Franzen and the SIU crew aboard the Commitment on Jan. 18 came to the aid and assistance of the tugboat Valour near Cape Fear, N.C. The Valour had sent a distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard while towing an oil barge in heavy 25-foot seas and winds of 40 knots. The ocean towing tug Justine Foss began rescue operations of the tugboat prior to the Commitment’s arrival on the scene. Conditions were far from ideal as visibility was restricted by rough seas and darkness of night. Once on location, the crew aboard the Commitment established communications between the U.S. Coast Guard’s rescue helicopters and those directly involved in the rescue effort. This communications link proved vital as the exact location of the distressed seafarers was passed along to the helicopters, thereby leading to their rescue before the Valour sank. In part through the efforts and seamanship of the master and crew of the Commitment, five mariners from the stricken tug were rescued. In addition, the fully laden tank barge was prevented from impacting a North Carolina beach.
Retired Navy Capt. Robert Hart and Samuel B. Nemirow served as national committee co-chairmen for the 2006 AOTOS Awards. All proceeds from the event benefited the USS community services for the U.S. Merchant Marine and other seafarers of the world.
The USS is a non-profit agency established in 1952. It provides services for mariners as well as members of the armed forces, and operates centers in ports around the world. The agency also provides seagoing libraries to American vessels through its affiliate, the American Merchant Marine Library Association.
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December 2006
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