Wheelhouse Weekly, July 30, 2024

Volume 30… Number 31, July 30, 2024

STORIES COVERED

In This Issue:

• Jones Act in the Crosshairs: Project 2025 Calls for Repeal or Overhaul of America’s Cabotage Law
• ITF Inspector Finds “Disgraceful Conditions” Aboard Flag-of-Convenience Ship
• Workers at First Unionized Apple Store in the US Reach Historic Tentative Agreement
• Soo Lock Project Continues on Schedule, With Completion Set for 2030
• Firefighters Continue to Battle Blaze Aboard Time-Chartered Maersk Ship
• Coast Guard Produces Video Showing How to Fill Out Medical Certificate Application Form CG-719K

Mark Your Calendar:

• Offshore Membership Meeting in the Newark Hall on Aug. 1
• Offshore Familiarization Course at MM&P Charleston Hall on Aug. 27-28

Job Opportunities:

• Offshore Jobs Available
• Job Opportunities on the Great Lakes
• US Army Corps of Engineers Virtual Career Fair July 15–Aug. 22

And:

• MITAGS-East Academic Notes
• MITAGS–West Academic Notes

PROJECT 2025 CALLS FOR REPEAL OR OVERHAUL OF AMERICA’S CABOTAGE LAW

Project 2025, the 920-page document published by allies of Donald Trump in anticipation of him becoming president again, calls for “repealing or substantially reforming” the Jones Act.

The Jones Act requires that cargo moving between two US points be carried on American-built, -owned and -crewed vessels.

It is critical to our ability to maintain a US-flag merchant marine.

As part of their blueprint for overhauling the maritime industry, the authors of Project 2025 call for “repealing or substantially modifying the Jones Act” (pages 637-638).

Another of their recommendations is “to streamline the processing of Jones Act waiver requests” by consolidating functions of the Maritime Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Association under the Department of Defense.

Project 2025 would also dismantle the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which operates the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.

NOAA “should be dismantled and many of its functions eliminated, sent to other agencies, privatized, or placed under the control of states and territories,” Project 2025 reads.

Six individuals who served as cabinet secretaries in the Trump administration are among the authors, editors and contributors to Project 2025, which was published by the Heritage Foundation, a group that has been fighting for decades to repeal the Jones Act.

In recent months, Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, but since it was mostly written by individuals who worked in his first administration, it is considered the platform for a potential second Trump term.

As far as the labor movement as a whole is concerned, Project 2025 includes proposals to:

— allow states to ban unions;

— take away overtime protections;

— eliminate all public employee unions;

— let employers create their own sham company unions.

“In his first term as president, Donald Trump was a disaster for workers and our unions, governing exclusively for the wealthy and well-connected,” says AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

“A second Trump term would put everything we’ve fought for—good jobs, fair wages, retirement security, worker safety—on the chopping block.”

The AFL-CIO has created a new online tool as part of its massive campaign to educate the public about Project 2025.

Union voters could be the difference-makers in this election, and the AFL-CIO and affiliated unions have a plan to mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers across every community to get the message out and encourage people to vote.

“If you’re a working person, and you’re considering who do I vote for,” Shuler says, “I think you should ask yourself, does this project 2025 agenda make my life better?”

“If it were to become law, would it make my life better?”

“Will my life be better if they take away my ability to bargain a fair contract? Or go on strike?”

“Will my life be better when Trump let’s my company force me to work overtime without overtime pay?”

“And will my life be better when they end Social Security and Medicare, programs that workers have paid into for their entire lives?”

“People don’t think it’s possible in the year 2024. But it is, according to project 2025.”

“Those are the stakes for working people.”

MM&P is one of the 60 AFL-CIO affiliates, which together represent more than 12.5 million working Americans.
Back to Stories Covered

---

ITF INSPECTOR FINDS “DISGRACEFUL CONDITIONS” ABOARD FLAG-OF-CONVENIENCE SHIP

The Palau-flagged cargo vessel SERAFINA was detained last week by authorities in Israel after an ITF inspector reported that the crew was being forced to live in “disgraceful conditions.”

The inspector cited numerous violations, including food storage freezers operating above 0°C, “rotten meat emitting a foul stench,” and sanitation facilities in disrepair.

Haifa’s Port State Control identified 29 defects on the vessel, 18 of which were significant enough on their own to warrant detention.

“It is an absolute disgrace that seafarers are forced to work in these inhumane conditions,” says ITF inspector Assaf Hadar.

“In four years of inspecting ships for the ITF in Israel, I have never seen anything this bad.”

The SERAFINA is registered in Palau, considered one of the worst flags in the Mediterranean.

The crew—12 nationals of Turkey and five from Egypt and Azerbaijan—faced appalling conditions, including bug and flea infestations, empty and malfunctioning freezers, and broken toilets and showers. No employment contracts were found on board.

Hadar has arranged for portable toilets and showers to be installed dockside as he works to help the crewmembers repatriate to their home countries.

“Seafarers have a right to decent working conditions,” he says.

“And the ITF and its inspectors will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in demanding that their rights are respected.”

The SERAFINA is owned by Dalian Shipping Ltd. and managed by Mert Marine Corp., both based in Turkey.

Masters, Mates & Pilots is one of the nearly 700 transportation unions in 147 countries that belong to the ITF.
Back to Stories Covered

---

WORKERS AT FIRST UNIONIZED APPLE STORE IN THE US REACH HISTORIC TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

Workers at the first Apple store in the US to unionize have reached a tentative agreement with the giant tech company.

Their union, Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (CORE), is an affiliate of The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).

“From the beginning, IAM CORE’s mission has been to improve Apple for our employees, customers and communities,” the rank-and-file negotiating committee said in a statement.

“By reaching a tentative agreement with Apple, we are giving our members a voice in their future and a strong first step toward further gains.”

Highlights of the tentative agreement include:

— scheduling improvements that protect the interests of all workers, both full-time and part-time;

— average raises of 10 percent over the life of the three-year contract and increases in starting pay for people in 80 percent of job classifications; and

— a fair and transparent disciplinary process that provides protections and accountability.

The workers formed the union in June 2022 and had been negotiating with Apple since January 2023.

They voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike in May 2024 because management continued to stall negotiations.

“We’re extremely proud to be the first union to take on this fight for Apple workers,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan.

“The true partnership between the IAM, IAM CORE and Apple workers has led us to this historic moment.”

IAM represents about 600,000 active and retired members in industries that include aerospace, defense, airlines, railroads, transit, healthcare, and automotive manufacturing.

IAM CORE represents approximately 85 employees at the Apple store in Towson, Md.
Back to Stories Covered

---

SOO LOCK PROJECT CONTINUES ON SCHEDULE, WITH COMPLETION SET FOR 2030

Work on the new lock in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., is proceeding on schedule, with completion expected in 2030.

Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District brought stakeholders and the media up to date on the project.

“The next step is to continue to work through the appropriations process in Congress,” said Kevin McDaniels, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District deputy engineer, in an interview with SooToday.com.

The new lock is being built in three phases:

— Phase 1 – Upstream approach channel deepening to accommodate larger ships passing through the new lock (2018-21);

— Phase 2 – Construction of new upstream approach walls and related infrastructure (2021-24);

— Phase 3 – Construction of the new lock (2023-28).

Phase 2 is 95 percent complete. Phase 3, construction of the new lock, began in July 2022.

This year, work has focused on dewatering the construction site, building a new bridge to a new power plant, demolition of the old Sabin Lock, filling up the old Davis Lock chamber and breaking up bedrock so the project can move forward.

The MacArthur Lock is still operational and can accommodate smaller vessels but only the Poe Lock is able to accommodate the 1,000-foot-long ships that transport millions of tons of iron ore from mines in Minnesota and northern Michigan to steel mills along the Great Lakes.

Crews are trying to keep the Poe Lock running while the new lock is being constructed.

“The Poe Lock is currently operating on borrowed time,” said Mollie Mahoney, project manager of the new lock.

“It’s a 55-year-old lock with a 50-year lifespan and it’s the Achilles Heel of our nation’s supply chain of iron ore.”

“It’s estimated that within a two-to-six-week unscheduled outage of the Poe Lock, 75 per cent of our nation’s high-strength steel production would cease.”

She said that maintenance work on the Poe Lock will continue into 2025, including replacement of some of its components.

The Poe Lock will continue to operate after the new lock opens.
Back to Stories Covered

---

FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUE TO BATTLE BLAZE ABOARD TIME-CHARTERED MAERSK SHIP

Firefighters are still trying to extinguish the fire that broke out aboard MAERSK FRANKFURT on July 19, as the ship traveled from Mundra to Colombo.

One seafarer was killed when the fire broke out. The 20 remaining members of the crew have been fighting the blaze for 11 days alongside members of India’s coast guard.

The authorities said the vessel’s current position is approximately 50 nautical miles south of New Mangalore.

A coast guard spokesperson said that more than 1,200 kg of dry chemical powder have been air-dropped from helicopters in the effort to extinguish the blaze.

The cargo manifest shows that some of the containers contain hazardous materials, including benzene and sodium cyanate, which may be fueling the fire.

The vessel is owned by a Japanese company which said it has hired a salvage agency to manage firefighting and disposal efforts.

Reuters has reported that the cause of the fire was an electrical short circuit and that the seafarer who died was from the Philippines.
Back to Stories Covered

---

COAST GUARD PRODUCES VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO FILL OUT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE APPLICATION FORM CG-719K

The National Maritime Center has posted a video on its website to facilitate the process of filling out form CG-719K and reduce the number of incomplete medical certificate application forms that it receives.

Feedback on the video can be provided via email to iasknmc@uscg.mil.
Back to Stories Covered

---

OFFSHORE MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN THE NEWARK HALL ON AUG. 1

There will be an Offshore membership meeting in the MM&P Newark Union Hall on Thursday, Aug. 1, at 1100.

MM&P International Secretary-Treasurer Don Josberger will attend the meeting and give his report.

The Newark Hall is located at:

570 Broad Street, Suite 701

Newark, NJ 07102

Phone: 201-963-1900

All Offshore members are encouraged to attend the meeting.
Back to Stories Covered

---

OFFSHORE FAMILIARIZATION COURSE AT MM&P CHARLESTON HALL ON AUG. 27-28

The Offshore Familiarization Course will be held in person at the MM&P Charleston Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 27 and Wednesday, Aug. 28.

There is no sea-time requirement to take the course.

All Offshore applicants, potential transferees from other membership groups and other interested Offshore members are encouraged to take the course as soon as possible.

If you are interested in participating in the course, please contact John Livingston at charleston@bridgedeck.org.

Here is the schedule:

— Day 1, Aug. 27, from 0930 to 1500.

— Day 2, Aug. 28, from 0930 to 1100.

— Day 2 Aug. 28, from 1100 to 1330 Membership Meeting.

The Charleston Hall is located at:

1481 Tobias Gadson Blvd Suite 2C

Charleston, SC 29407

The phone number is: 843-766-3565.
Back to Stories Covered

---

OFFSHORE JOBS AVAILABLE

Numerous MARAD ROS CM and 3M positions open. No training required. Pensioners may work Government Contracts.

There is plenty of work available. Please check the Online Open Offshore Job Board for job availability.

Plus:

— Tanker PIC’s needed.

— CM’s, 2M’s, 3M’s Needed for LMSR’s, please email jhope@bridgedeck.org with any questions or visit any Offshore Hall.
Back to Stories Covered

---

JOB OPPORTUNITIES ON THE GREAT LAKES

There are job openings on the Great Lakes!

If you want more information about any of the listings that appear below, go to https://bridgedeck.org/job-opportunities/.

Interested candidates should reach out to Thomas Bell at the MM&P Cleveland office: tbell@bridgedeck.org.

KEY LAKES, a division of Key Stone, has openings for Mates with Great Lakes pilotage; they may take an Open Water Mate if COI allows. The company operates a fleet of two 1000’ x 105’ ships.

GRAND RIVER NAVIGATION has an opening for a 1st Assistant Engineer.

GREAT LAKES TOWING has an opening for a minimum 200-ton Great Lakes master with Towing endorsement, pilotage not required.
Back to Stories Covered

---

US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS VIRTUAL CAREER FAIR JULY 15–AUG. 22

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is conducting a Virtual Career Fair from July 15 to Aug. 22.

If you are interested in the Army Corps’ wage grade and maritime career opportunities, register at: http://usace.yellogov.com/app/collect/event/oVjrRz0bsBSE7e0XQ9xcGA

Resumes reviewed and interviews scheduled until Aug. 22.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides safe, reliable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation systems (channels, harbors, locks, and waterways) to facilitate commerce, national security needs, and recreation.

The MM&P Federal Employees Membership Group represents masters, mates and pilots employed by USACE.

Back to Stories Covered

---

MITAGS ACADEMIC NOTES

For registration contact our Admissions Department: 866.656.5568 or admissions@mitags.org

Classes are 5-day unless otherwise noted

Class dates followed by an * are full
AB – Able Seaman (5-Day): 09/16/24

ARPA-OIC– Automated Radar Plotting Aids (4-Day): 11/04/24

AZIPOD (2-Day): Contact Admissions

BRM – Bridge Resource Management (5-Day): Not currently scheduled

BRMP –Bridge Resource Management for Pilots (2-Day): Contact Admissions

BRMP-EMR –Bridge Resource Management for Pilots with Emergency Shiphandling – (Now also included in BRMP-Refresher) (3-Day): Contact Admissions

BRMP-Refresher (Now including Emergency Shiphandling for Pilots) (3-Day): Not currently scheduled

BT – Basic Safety Training (5-Day): 09/09/24

BT-Revalidation (2-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years): 09/30/24, 10/28/24

BT-Refresher (3-day): 09/30/24, 10/28/24

CHS-OIC – Cargo Handling Basic (5-Day): Not currently scheduled

[CMM – Chief Mate and Master Courses]

ADVSTB-CMM – Advanced Stability (5-Day): 10/07/24, 12/09/24

ADVWX-CMM – Advanced Meteorology (5-Day): 09/23/24, 12/16/24

CHS-CMM – Advanced Cargo Operations (10 Days): 10/14/24

CM-OPS 1 – Chief Mate Operations (5-Day): 12/09/24

CM-OPS 2 Maersk – Chief Mate Operations II Maersk Specific (5-Day): 12/16/24

ECDIS – Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (5-Day): 11/11/24

LMS – Leadership and Managerial Skills (Management Level – Formerly MCL-CMM) (5-Day): 08/12/24, 11/18/24

MPP-CMM – Marine Propulsion Plants (5-Day): 09/30/24

(DCS-1 available on request – contact Admissions)

SHMGT-CMM- Ship Management (5-Day): 10/28/24

SHS-ADV-I-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 1) (5-Day): 08/05/24, 08/19/24, 09/09/24*, 09/30/24*, 11/04/24, 12/02/24

SHS-ADV-II-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 2) (5-Day): 08/12/24, 08/26/24, 09/16/24*, 10/07/24*, 11/11/24, 12/09/24

**SHS-ADV-I & II are now approved to include SAR-CMM assessments at MITAGS**

VPEN-CMM – Voyage Planning & Electronic Navigation (5-Day): 11/04/24

WKP-CMM – Advanced Watchkeeping (5-Day): 09/16/24

WX-HW-PAC – Heavy Weather Avoidance Routing: Pacific Ocean (2-day) – 11/16/24

CIW-DPA/IA – Continual Improvement Workshop: Designated Person Ashore & Internal Auditor (3-Day) ** This course is NOT covered by the MATES Program **Online: 08/14/24

CIW-SMS – Continual Improvement Workshop: Successful Safety Management (2-Day) – Online: Not Currently Scheduled

CNAV-OIC– Celestial Navigation (15-Day): Not currently scheduled

CRISIS-COMMS – Crisis Communications (1-Day): Not currently scheduled

CRSMGT – Crisis Management and Human Behavior (1-Day): Not currently scheduled

CDMGT – Crowd Management (1-Day): Not currently scheduled

CSE – Confined Space Entry (3-Day): Not currently scheduled

CSE-AWR – Confined Space Entry Awareness (2-Day): Not currently scheduled

DDE – Great Lakes (20-Day): 2025 Date Coming Soon

ECDIS for Pilots (2-Day): Not currently scheduled

ERM – Engine Resource Management (5-Day): 12/09/24

ADV-FF – Advanced Firefighting (4-day): Not currently scheduled

FF-BADV – Fire Fighting Combined Basic & Advanced (5-Day): 09/09/24

FF-ADV-Rev (1-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years) – Advanced Fire Fighting Revalidation: 10/02/24, 10/30/24

FF-ADV-REF (2-day) – Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher: 10/03/24

FSM – Fatigue, Sleep, & Medications (1-Day): Online: Not currently scheduled

GL-Pilot – Great Lakes Pilotage Familiarization (2-Day): 2025 Date Coming Soon

GMDSS – Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (10-Day): Not Currently Scheduled

HAZ – Hazardous Materials (5 day): 08/26/24, 12/02/24

LAP – License Advancement Program for Mate to Master (20-Day): 10/07/24

LAP-Great Lakes – License Advancement Program – Great Lakes (15-Day): 2025 Date Coming Soon

LAP-ORG3rd – License Advancement Program for Original 3rd Mate, Oceans, Any Gross Ton License (15-Day) : 2025 Date Coming Soon

LEG – Legal Aspects of Pilotage (1-Day): Not Currently Scheduled

LNG-BADV – Basic and Advanced IGF Code Operations (3 Day): 08/05/24*, 09/09/24*, 10/21/24

LTS –Leadership and Teamworking Skills (Formerly MCL-OIC) (1-Day): Not Currently Scheduled

MEECE – Management of Electrical and Electronic Control Equipment (Assessments /not included): 12/02/24

MED-PIC – Medical Person in Charge (10-Day): 08/19/24, 09/30/24

MED-PIC-REF– Medical Person in Charge Refresher: 11/18/24

MED-PRO – Medical Care Provider: (5-Day): 08/19/24

MED-DOT-DA – Dept. of Transportation Drug & Alcohol Testing (1-Day): 08/24/24, 10/05/24, 11/17/24

[MSC – Military Sealift Command Courses]

MSC-ATO-II – Military Sealift Command Anti-Terrorism Officer II (5-Day): 08/19/24

MSC-ATO-III – Military Sealift Command Anti-Terrorism Officer III (1-Day): 08/23/24

MSC-CBRD-OFF – Military Sealift Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Officer (5-Day): Not currently scheduled

MSC-CBRD-1 – Military Sealift Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Orientation (Basic) (1-Day): 08/08/24, 09/12/24, 10/31/24

MSC-DC – Military Sealift Command Damage Control (2-day): 08/09/24, 09/13/24, 11/01/24

MSC-ENVPRO (1-Day – Evening Class): 08/09/24, 09/13/24, 11/01/24

MSC-FF-HELO (2-Day): Not currently scheduled

MSC-SMA – Military Sealift Command Small Arms Qualifications (4-Day): 08/12/24, 09/16/24, 11/04/24

MSC-Security Watch Basic (1-Day/ 8-hour): 08/10/24, 09/14/24, 11/02/24

MSC-Security Watch Advanced (1-Day): 08/11/24, 09/15/24, 11/03/24

MSC-Ship’s Reaction Force (3-Day): 08/16/24, 09/20/24, 11/08/24

NSAP-MMP – Navigational Skills Assessment Program-MM&P (2-Day): 08/19/24*, 08/21/24*, 08/26/24*, 12/09/24*, 12/11/24*

PSC – Personal Survival Craft (Lifeboatman) (5-Day): 09/23/24

PSC-REF – Personal Survival Craft Refresher (2-Day): 09/26/24

RFPNW – Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (3-day): Not Currently Scheduled

ROR-1 – Radar Observer Renewal (1-Day): Not Currently Scheduled

ROR-1N – Radar Observer Renewal Evening Classes (1-Night): 10/02/24

ROU-OIC – Radar Observer Program – Unlimited: 10/28/24

SAR – Search & Rescue – (Now with OIC and CMM assessments) (3-Day): Not Currently Scheduled

SHS-BAS-OIC – Basic Shiphandling: Not Currently Scheduled

SHS-EMR5 – Emergency Shiphandling (5 Day): 10/14/24*, 12/16/24

STB-OIC – Ship Construction and Basic Stability: Not Currently Scheduled

TCNAV/CO – Terrestrial Navigation and Compasses (15-Day): Not Currently Scheduled

TPIC – Tankerman Person in Charge: Not Currently Scheduled

TRAC-TUG-2 (2-Day): Not currently scheduled

TTT – ** NOT covered by the MATES Program **: 10/07/24

VSO – Vessel Security Officer (3-Day): 12/04/24

WKP-OIC – Watchkeeping (Operational Level) (10-Day): Not Currently Scheduled

WX-OIC –Meteorology (Operational Level): Not Currently Scheduled
Back to Stories Covered

---

MITAGS–WEST ACADEMIC NOTES

You can enroll online at www.mitags.org or contact our Admissions Department 866.656.5568 or admissions@mitags.org

August 2024

5-9 Radar Observer Unlimited

12-16 Medical Care Provider

12-23 Medical Person-In-Charge

26-27 Basic Training Revalidation

26-30 Advanced Stability

28th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation

September 2024

4-7 Security Officer – Vessel, Company & Facility

9-13 Basic Training

9-13 Advanced Shiphandling (Week 1)

16-20 Advanced Shiphandling (Week 2)

16-27 GMDSS

23-26 ARPA

23-27 Advanced Meteorology
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©2023. 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, send an email to communications@bridgedeck.org.