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MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly

Volume 28… Number 3…January 18, 2022

STORIES COVERED

In This Issue:

Make Your Voice Heard:

Attention MM&P Members Sailing on the Great Lakes:

Plus:

And:



MANDATORY OVERTIME PUSHING PANAMA CANAL TUG CAPTAINS TO THE EDGE

Last month, an exhausted tugboat captain fell asleep while assisting an LNG vessel in
the expanded Panama Canal locks.

“The tug struck the ship,” a coworker said, “and the impact was so hard that his body
and head hit the tug’s front window.”

“We’ve had a few incidents like this in recent months. This is the latest.”
Fatigue—an ongoing problem since the expanded Panama Canal was inaugurated in
2016—is taking an increasing toll on the health of the canal’s workers and posing new
risks to the global supply chain.

Shortages of personnel and equipment have long been the rule. Mandatory overtime is
exacerbating the situation.

Line-handling accidents occur with regularity. One claimed the life of a line-handler in
2018. And there have been other deaths.

In 2021, two tugboat crewmembers died from stress-induced heart conditions. Two
others suffered strokes, but survived.

“The crisis on the Panama Canal has the potential to impact international trade to an
extent far greater than the grounding of the EVER GIVEN in the Suez Canal last year,”
says MM&P President Don Marcus.

MM&P’s Panama affiliate, UCOC, represents tug captains and associated vessel
personnel who work on the canal.

Marcus attributes many of the hazards they face to the poor design of the expanded
canal, which has given rise to a much more labor-intensive process of vessel transit.
In the old locks, electric locomotive “mules” run on tracks along the walls of the
chambers and mooring wires and tension winches are used to maintain transiting ships
in position.

In the new locks, tugs are continuously required to position vessels in transit. This puts
great strain on the operators, who are often at the controls for many hours without
relief.

“Shifts of 12 hours and even longer are the norm,” a UCOC official says, “and the weekly
schedule is a minimum of seven days in a row including midnight watches.”

If a lock gate were to be breached, the damage to the global supply chain could
overshadow the 2021 “crisis in the Suez,” when the EVER GIVEN grounded.

“Unlike the situation in the Suez Canal—which is simply a ditch—if a single lock gate
were to be breached, it would take months to repair,” Marcus says.

“In the meantime, the Panama Canal would be closed to all Neopanamax vessels.”
Back to Stories Covered


IMPORTS CONTINUE TO SURGE AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PORTS; OAKLAND INTRODUCES QUEUING SYSTEM FOR ARRIVING SHIPS

The Port of Los Angeles has reported that it handled a record-setting 10.7 million 20-
foot containers in 2021. And the surge in imports shows no signs of abating.

“The caravan of cargo continues,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka
told CNBC News.

He said crowding in yards and the proliferation of empty containers are contributing to
average berth times that remain much too high.

The sharp increase in Covid-19 cases linked to the omicron variant has also slowed
cargo-handling operations.

Seroka said that at the beginning of January, more than two-thirds of containers had a
dwell time of nine days or greater.

A new vessel reservation system which has been successful in spacing out arrivals at the
Southern California ports has now been implemented in San Francisco Bay.

Effective Jan. 10, containerships bound for the Port of Oakland receive an assignment in
the arrival queue based on the departure time from their last port of call.

Under the system, vessels agree to remain outside a new “Safety and Air Quality Area,”
50 miles off the Northern California coast until their assigned arrival time.

Previously, containerships entered the queue for the port when they crossed a line 80
nautical miles from the coast and anchored in the bay to await dock space.

The new arrival procedure is not designed to reduce the number of vessels coming to the
port but to provide more predictability and to reduce emissions from vessels anchoring
at or near the coast.

Maritime publications citing “anecdotal reports” say the queue for the Southern
California ports has been shifted south all the way to the coast of Mexico and that there
are now vessels coming from Asia “in line” across the Pacific.
Back to Stories Covered


WHITE HOUSE PORT ENVOY SALUTES OUR INDUSTRY: “THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU’VE DONE”

John Porcari, port envoy to the White House Supply Chain Task Force, began a Jan. 11
virtual presentation with a shout-out to America’s maritime workers.

“The maritime industry has been on the front lines of the pandemic,” he said. “I want to
start by thanking everyone for the important work you’ve done.”

The presentation, which was sponsored by The International Propeller Club, attracted
325 participants.

“… [T]he pandemic laid bare the underlying reality, which was the supply chain was
stressed even before the pandemic,” Porcari said.

“It’s no secret to anyone in our industry that we’re living on the investments that our
parents and grandparents made.”

Porcari noted that the bipartisan infrastructure legislation passed by Congress last year
invests $17 billion in the nation’s ports, which will be coupled with significant new
funding for US Army Corps of Engineers projects, such as port and channel deepening.
These investments, he said, are “an order of magnitude bigger than what has been
provided to ports in the past.”

Click here to watch the presentation.
Back to Stories Covered


GLEN PAINE RETIRES AFTER MORE THAN 23 YEARS AS HEAD OF MITAGS

MITAGS Executive Director Glen Paine has announced his retirement.

The trustees of the MATES Program have selected Eric Friend to succeed him.
Under Paine’s direction, MITAGS has become a world-class training institute, winning
awards for its Navigation Skills Assessment Program, Workboat Academy Program,
advances in simulation technology and research for the maritime and offshore wind
industries.

“Glen has personally dedicated his years on and off the job to maritime training and to
the US flag Merchant Marine and Masters, Mates & Pilots,” said MM&P President Don
Marcus.

“He is an expert in his field and has contributed more than his full masure of blood,
sweat and tears to protecting and advancing our great institution.”

Paine said that the trustees’ choice of Eric Friend as the next executive director has
made the transition much easier.

“Eric has been running the Academic Division for several years and [is] involved in most
major decisions,” Paine said.

“Eric is smart, dedicated, and respected by the trustees, students, and industry. He has
all the attributes to take the school to the next level.”

Paine’s assistant, Diane Ford, has also retired. Paine called her “one of the unsung
heroes of the MATES Program.”

“She allowed me to successfully deal with the myriad of issues that comes with the
executive director position,” he said.

“I literally could not have done my job without her, and I am deeply grateful that she
decided to stay on until I retired.”

Due to the pandemic, instead of a retirement party, a private reception was held at
MITAGS-MCC.

“What I’m truly most proud of is the people working at MITAGS-MCC and the mission
they continue to serve,” Paine told guests at the gathering.
Back to Stories Covered


US SENDING FOUR FREE COVID-19 TESTS TO EACH RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

The Postal Service is delivering one shipment of four COVID tests per residential
address.

Enter your name, address and email at http://www.usps.com/covidtest to request a
shipment. The link went live this afternoon.
Back to Stories Covered


SPEAK UP WEDNESDAY IN DEFENSE OF HOWARD TERMINAL

On Wednesday, Jan. 19, at 1500 PST, the Oakland Planning Commission will hold a
public hearing on certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) on the
Oakland A’s plan to force maritime activities, residents and small businesses out of the
Howard Terminal area in Oakland to make room for a baseball stadium and luxury
development.

The Oakland A’s say the team will move away if city managers don’t approve the project
and fund it with massive taxpayer subsidies.

Opponents of the plan include religious and environmental organizations, residents
associations, MM&P, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the Marine
Engineers’ Beneficial Association, the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific and the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters.

The FEIR confirms that the Oakland A’s massive real estate development will result in
numerous significant and unavoidable impacts in critical areas of concern such as
toxins, traffic, air quality and public safety.

This is a pivotal moment for all those who are concerned about the unknown impacts to
the environment, the economy, the future of the port, and the local community to come
together and demand the city reject the project and keep the A’s at the Coliseum.

To ensure that your concerns are heard, please log in to the Zoom meeting promptly at
1500 PST and use the raise your hand icon when the agenda item comes up.

WHAT: Oakland Planning Commission Hearing – Howard Terminal FEIR Certification
WHERE: Virtual Teleconference Via Zoom
WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 1500 PST
Back to Stories Covered


OPENINGS IN GREAT LAKES PILOTAGE COURSE THAT STARTS THIS FRIDAY

Attention all members sailing on the Great Lakes: there is room in the Great Lakes
Pilotage class at MITAGS East starting this Friday, Jan. 21.

Interested applicants should contact the MITAGS Admissions Department at:
866.656.5568 or admissions@mitags.org.
Back to Stories Covered


OFFSHORE AND PRO JOBS AVAILABLE NOW!

Calling all Members and Applicants: Be advised that there are Offshore and PRO jobs
available now! Please visit, call or email your local union hall for details.

As an additional incentive for filling PRO work, the amount of points earned for each
eight-hour shift has been raised from two points to five points.

This change will stay in effect until the next scheduled GEB meeting, to be held on Feb.
8-9, 2022.
Back to Stories Covered


COVID-19 VACCINATION AND MASKING REQUIRED FOR ALL MITAGS STUDENTS

Full COVID vaccination is mandatory for everyone attending training on campus at
MITAGS East and MITAGS West.

In addition, from un-vaccinated participants only, MITAGS West requires a negative
PCR test within 72 hours of attendance.

MITAGS West only accepts medical and religious exemptions, not philosophical.

Documentation either of full COVID vaccination or a written claim of exemption must
be submitted to Admissions in advance of your course.

Scans, photocopies, or electronic images of your COVID-19 vaccination cards (records)
or certification by a medical provider are acceptable.

Additionally, face masks are required in all public spaces on both campuses, regardless
of vaccination status.

We appreciate your cooperation during these very trying times.
Back to Stories Covered


MITAGS ACADEMIC NOTES

\\Classes are 5-day unless otherwise noted\\
Class dates followed by an * are full

AB – Able Seaman (5-Day) – 6/6/22, 8/15/22
AIS-1 – Automatic Identifications Systems Orientation (1-Day): Not currently scheduled
ARPA-OIC (4-Day) – Automated Radar Plotting Aids: 2/1/22, 3/15/22, 6/27/22,
9/27/22, 11/1/22
AZIPOD (2-Day) – 2/3/22, 5/12/22, 9/12/22
BRM – Bridge Resource Management (5-Day): 3/7/22
BRMP –Bridge Resource Management for Pilots (2-Day): 2/4/22, 2/28/22, 3/14/22
Online: Not currently scheduled
BRMP-EMR –Bridge Resource Management for Pilots with Emergency Shiphandling –
(Now also included in BRMP-Refresher) (3-Day): 3/16/22
BRMP-Refresher (Now including Emergency Shiphandling for Pilots) (3-Day) – Not
currently scheduled
BT – Basic Safety Training (5-Day): 1/31/22, 5/9/22, 9/12/22
BT-Revalidation (2-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years) – 2/22/22*,
3/22/22, 4/26/22, 6/8/22, 9/28/22, 10/19/22, 11/14/22, 12/20/22
BT-Refresher (3-day) – 2/22/22*, 4/26/22, 9/28/22, 11/14/22, 12/19/22
CHS-OIC – Cargo Handling Basic (5-Day): 3/21/22
[CMM – Chief Mate and Master Courses]
ADVSTB-CMM – Advanced Stability (5-Day): 3/21/22, 6/27/22, 8/15/22, 10/24/22,
12/19/22
ADVWX-CMM – Advanced Meteorology (5-Day): 4/18/22, 6/20/22, 8/22/22,
10/17/22, 12/12/22
CHS-CMM – Advanced Cargo Operations (10 Days): 3/28/22
CM-OPS 1 – Chief Mate Operations – Week 1 (5-Day): 2/28/22, 7/11/22, 12/5/22
CM-OPS 2 Maersk – Chief Mate Operations II Maersk Specific (5-Day): 3/7/22,
7/18/22, 12/12/22
CM-OPS 2 APL – Chief Mate Operations II APL Specific – Not currently scheduled
ECDIS – Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (5-Day): 1/24/22, 5/2/22,
8/1/22, 10/10/22
LMS – Leadership and Managerial Skills (Management Level – Formerly MCL-CMM)
(5-Day): 1/31/22, 4/25/22, 8/8/22, 11/14/22
MPP-CMM – Marine Propulsion Plants (5-Day): 3/14/22
(DCS-1 available on request – contact Admissions)
SEC-APPS – Practical Defense Tactics: Not Currently Scheduled
SHMGT-CMM- Ship Management (5-Day): 2/28/22
SHS-ADV-I-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 1) (5-Day): 2/14/22*, 3/21/22,
4/11/22, 5/16/22, 6/6/22, 7/25/22, 8/8/22, 9/19/22, 10/3/22, 10/17/22, 11/7/22,
12/5/22
SHS-ADV-II-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 2) (5-Day): 1/24/22, 2/21/22*,
3/28/22, 4/18/22, 5/23/22, 6/13/22, 8/1/22, 8/15/22, 9/26/22, 10/10/22, 10/24/22,
11/14/22, 12/12/22
**SHS-ADV-I & II are now approved to include SAR-CMM assessments at MITAGS**
VPEN-CMM – Voyage Planning & Electronic Navigation (5-Day): 4/11/22, 10/3/22
WKP-CMM – Advanced Watchkeeping (5-Day): 3/7/22
WX-HW-ATL – Heavy Weather Avoidance Routing: Atlantic Ocean (2-day) – 6/15/22
WX-HW-IND – Heavy Weather Avoidance Routing: Indian Ocean (2-day) – Not
Currently Scheduled
WX-HW-PAC – Heavy Weather Avoidance Routing: Pacific Ocean (2-day) – 6/13/22

CIW-DPA/IA – Continual Improvement Workshop: Designated Person Ashore &
Internal Auditor (3-Day) ** This course is NOT covered by the MATES Program **
Online: Not currently scheduled
CIW-SMS – Continual Improvement Workshop: Successful Safety Management (2-Day)
– Online: Not Currently Scheduled
CNAV-OIC (15-Day) – Celestial Navigation: 5/9/22, 8/15/22, 10/31/22
CRISIS-COMMS – Crisis Communications (1-Day): 3/18/22
CRSMGT – Crisis Management and Human Behavior (1-Day) – 2/18/22
CDMGT – Crowd Management (1-Day) – 2/17/22
CSE – Confined Space Entry (3-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
CSE-AWR – Confined Space Entry Awareness (2-Day): Not currently scheduled
CY-MAR – Cyber-Skilled Mariner (5-Day) **NOT covered by the MATES Program ** –
Not currently scheduled
Cyber-MAR-ONL – Cyber Skilled Mariner, Management of Information & Systems
Security (Online Seminar) **NOT covered by the MATES Program ** – Not Currently
Scheduled
DDE – Great Lakes (20-Day): 2/27/22
ECDIS for Pilots (2-Day) – 3/16/22, 5/10/22, 11/16/22
ERM – Engine Resource Management (5-Day): 3/21/22, 8/1/22, 11/28/22
ADV-FF – Advanced Fire-Fighting (4-day) – 3/28/22
FF-BADV – Fire Fighting Combined Basic & Advanced (5-Day): 1/31/22, 5/9/22,
9/12/22
FF-ADV-Rev (1-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years) – Advanced Fire
Fighting Revalidation: 2/21/22, 3/24/22, 4/25/22, 6/7/22, 9/27/22, 10/18/22,
11/16/22, 12/22/22
FF-ADV-REF (2-day) – Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher: 2/25/22, 4/29/22, 10/1/22,
11/12/22, 12/17/22
FSM – Fatigue, Sleep, & Medications (1-Day): 4/26/22, 9/20/22
Online: Not currently scheduled
GL-Pilot – Great Lakes Pilotage Familiarization (2-Day): 1/21/22
GMDSS – Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (10-Day): Not Currently
Scheduled
HAZ – Hazardous Materials (5 day): 5/2/22, 9/12/22, 12/12/22
IEN – Integrated Electronic Navigation (3-Day) – Not currently scheduled
LAP – License Advancement Program for Mate to Master (20-Day): 3/7/22, 7/11/22,
10/17/22
LAP-Great Lakes – License Advancement Program – Great Lakes (15-Day): 1/24/22
LAP-ORG3rd – License Advancement Program for Original 3rd Mate, Oceans, Any Gross
Ton License (15-Day): 6/6/22
LEG – Legal Aspects of Pilotage (1-Day): 3/14/22, 9/21/22, 11/14/22
LNG-TPIC (10-Day) – Not currently scheduled
LTS –Leadership and Teamworking Skills (Formerly MCL-OIC) (1-Day): 3/14/22
MEECE – Management of Electrical and Electronic Control Equipment (Assessments
not included): Not currently scheduled
MED-PIC – Medical Person in Charge (10-Day): 4/4/22, 7/11/22, 10/3/22, 12/5/22
MED-PIC-REF– Medical Person in Charge Refresher: 5/23/22, 8/1/22, 11/28/22
MED-PRO – Medical Care Provider: 2/7/22, 4/4/22, 7/11/22, 10/3/22
MED-DOT-DA – Dept. of Transportation Drug & Alcohol Testing (1-Day): 3/25/22,
4/9/22, 6/6/22, 7/16/22, 9/36/22, 10/8/22, 10/17/22, 11/17/22, 12/23/22

[MSC – Military Sealift Command Courses]
MSC-CBRD-1 – Military Sealift Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense
Orientation (Basic) (1-Day): 3/11/22, 5/24/22, 6/21/22, 8/4/22, 9/14/22, 11/5/22
MSC-DC – Military Sealift Command Damage Control (2-day): 3/12/22, 5/23/22,
6/20/22, 8/5/22, 9/16/22, 11/4/22
MSC-ENVPRO (1-Day) – 3/13/22, 6/10/22, 11/3/22
MSC-FF-HELO (2-Day) – 3/22/22, 6/8/22, 9/14/22
MSC-SMA – Military Sealift Command Small Arms Qualifications (4-Day): 3/14/22*,
5/16/22, 6/13/22, 7/18/22, 8/8/22, 9/19/22, 11/7/22
MSC-Security Watch Basic (1-Day/ 8-hour) – 3/12/22, 5/14/22, 6/11/22, 8/6/22,
9/17/22, 11/4/22
MSC-Security Watch Advanced (1-Day) – 3/18/22*, 5/15/22, 6/12/22, 7/17/22, 8/7/22,
9/18/22, 11/6/22
MSC-Ship’s Reaction Force (3-Day) – 3/19/22*, 5/20/22, 6/17/22, 7/22/22, 8/12/22,
9/23/22, 11/11/22
NDMS-ENAV – Navigational Decision Making Series – Best Practice in eNav (3-Day) –
Not currently scheduled
NSAP-MMP – Navigational Skills Assessment Program-MM&P (2-Day) – 2/1/22,
3/28/22*, 5/3/22*, 5/5/22, 6/27/22, 6/29/22, 7/18/22
PSC – Personal Survival Craft (5-Day) – Contact Admissions
PSC-REF – Personal Survival Craft Refresher (2-Day) – 4/24/22, 10/3/22
RFPNW – Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (3-day) – Not currently
scheduled
ROR-1 – Radar Observer Renewal (1-Day): 1/31/22
ROR-1N – Radar Observer Renewal Evening Classes (1-Night): 4/26/22, 4/29/22,
9/20/22, 9/28/22
ROU-OIC – Radar Observer Program – Unlimited: 3/7/22, 6/20/22, 8/29/22
SAR – Search & Rescue – (Now with OIC and CMM assessments) (3-Day): 3/3/22
SHS-BAS-OIC – Basic Shiphandling: 2/28/22, 4/25/22, 9/12/22, 12/5/22
SHS-EMR5 – Emergency Shiphandling (5 Day) – 2/7/22, 4/4/22, 6/20/22, 8/22/22,
11/28/22
STB-OIC – Ship Construction and Basic Stability: 2/14/22

TCNAV/CO – Terrestrial Navigation and Compasses (15-Day): 1/24/22
TPIC – Tankerman Person in Charge: 3/7/22, 5/9/22, 7/11/22
TRAC-TUG-2 (2-Day): 3/14/22, 5/26/22, 11/16/22
TTT – ** This course is NOT covered by the MATES Program ** — 1/24/22
VPDSD – Vessel Personnel with Designated Security Duties (1-Day): 3/3/22, 6/23/22
VSO – Vessel Security Officer (3-Day): 2/28/22, 6/22/22, 9/7/22

WKP-OIC – Watchkeeping (Operational Level) (10-Day): 2/7/22
WX-OIC –Meteorology (Operational Level): 2/21/22
Back to Stories Covered


MITAGS WEST ACADEMIC NOTES

Winter 2022

Please also see our schedule and enroll online at www.mitags.org
For registration contact our admissions department: 866.656.5568 or
admissions@mitags.org

January 2022
18-19 Advanced Firefighting Refresher
31-4 Basic Meteorology

February 2022
7-11 Medical Care Provider
10th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
11-12 Basic Training Revalidation
14-18 Basic Cargo Handling & Stowage
14-18 Engine Resource Management
21-25 MEECE
21-25 Basic Shiphandling

March 2022
2nd Flashing Light
3rd Leadership & Teamworking Skills
7-11 Radar Observer Unlimited
9-11 Rating Forming Part of a Navigation Watch
14-18 Ship Construction and Basic Stability
15-19 Basic Training
21-25 Able Seaman
21-1 Watchkeeping (Operational Level)
24th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
25-26 Basic Training Revalidation
Back to Stories Covered


The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly is the official electronic newsletter of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, 700 Maritime Blvd. Suite B, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1953. Phone: 410-850-8700; Fax: 410-850-0973. All rights reserved. The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly©2021. Articles can be reprinted without prior permission if credit is given to The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly. For subscriptions, address changes or messages to the editor or to MM&P headquarters, e-mail communications@bridgedeck.org. Back issues of The Weekly are posted on www.bridgedeck.org