Wheelhouse Weekly, June 20, 2023

Volume 29… Number 25, June 20, 2023

STORIES COVERED

In This Issue:

• ILWU and PMA Announce Tentative Contract
• Maritime Industry Salutes Sen. Maria Cantwell for Strong Support of U.S. Fleet
• AFL-CIO Endorses Joe Biden for President
• Tropical Storm Bret Expected to Strengthen Into First Hurricane of 2023
• San Francisco Ferry System Takes Further Steps To Electrify Facilities, Cut Emissions
• Plus: New Issue of MM&P Magazine Posted on Bridgedeck.org
• USCG-National Maritime Center: Merchant Marine Advisory Committee Seeks an LDO and a Pilot as New Members

Attention All Mariners:

• Well-Paying Jobs Offering Permanent Employment Are Available With MM&P on the Great Lakes and in Coastal Waters!

Job Opportunities:

• Offshore Jobs Available
• Engineering Jobs Available Offshore and on the Great Lakes

And:

• MM&P Holiday Closing Schedule
• MITAGS-East Academic Notes
• MITAGS–West Academic Notes

ILWU AND PMA ANNOUNCE TENTATIVE CONTRACT

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association said Friday that they had reached a tentative agreement on a new six-year contract covering 22,000 workers at all 29 West Coast ports.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that recognizes the heroic efforts and personal sacrifices of the ILWU workforce in keeping our ports operating,” ILWU President Willie Adams and PMA President James McKenna said in a joint statement.

“We are also pleased to turn our full attention back to the operation of the West Coast ports.”

The contract must be ratified by members of both the ILWU and the PMA.

“This important milestone is welcome news to all, and on behalf of President Biden, we are pleased to congratulate both parties on what they have achieved,” said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su, who assisted in the negotiations.

Biden thanked Su, his nominee to head the Department of Labor, for using “her deep experience and judgment to keep the parties talking, working with them to reach an agreement after a long and sometimes acrimonious negotiation.”

“Above all I congratulate the port workers, who have served heroically through the pandemic and the countless challenges it brought, and will finally get the pay, benefits, and quality of life they deserve,” the president said.

MM&P partners with the ILWU and three other leading maritime unions in the Maritime Labor Alliance.

In a statement, the MLA noted that terminal operators and ocean carriers had reaped more than $510 billion handling U.S. cargo during the pandemic, while more than 40 active longshore workers lost their lives due to Covid-19.

The members of the Maritime Labor Alliance are MM&P, the American Radio Association, the Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific (IBU), the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association.
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MARITIME INDUSTRY SALUTES SEN. MARIA CANTWELL FOR STRONG SUPPORT OF U.S. FLEET

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), a staunch advocate for the American Merchant Marine, received the 2023 Salute to Congress award at a June 13 ceremony.

“Senator Cantwell has been a forceful and outspoken advocate for all segments of the maritime industry,” said C. James Patti, international president of the International Propeller Club, in presenting her with the award.

“Throughout her career, she has played a key role in the enactment of numerous maritime legislative initiatives and has worked tirelessly to ensure that the programs and policies important to our industry, including the Jones Act, the Maritime Security Program, and the U.S.- flag cargo preference shipping requirements, are funded, implemented, and enforced.”

In accepting the award, Cantwell, the first woman to serve as chair of the powerful Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, pledged that expanding the domestic maritime industry and protecting the Jones Act will continue to be central to the work of Congress.

Of particular importance, she said, are increasing the number of U.S. mariners and creating new shipyard jobs.

During her speech, she saluted America’s mariners for keeping the country supplied with essential goods during the pandemic.

“I want to give a great debt of thanks… for the sacrifices they made to keep our economy going,” she said.

“It was true patriotism.”

The Salute to Congress award is presented to legislators who recognize the importance of the maritime industry to our country’s economic, homeland, and national security.

The International Propeller Club, founded in 1927, is a business network of maritime professionals.

It is dedicated to the promotion of the maritime industry and the efficient and economical movement of foreign and domestic waterborne commerce.
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AFL-CIO ENDORSES JOE BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT

The AFL-CIO announced on Friday that it is endorsing President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign.

“From bringing manufacturing jobs home to America to protecting our pensions and making historic investments in infrastructure, clean energy and education, we’ve never seen a president work so tirelessly to rebuild our economy from the bottom up and the middle out,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in a statement.

“There’s absolutely no question that Joe Biden is the most pro-union president in our lifetimes.”

The announcement came after the AFL-CIO general board voted Friday morning to endorse Biden.

This is the earliest that the union federation has ever voted to endorse a candidate for president.

“The largest labor mobilization in history begins today, supercharged by the excitement and enthusiasm of hundreds of thousands of union volunteers who will work tirelessly to re-elect a president we know has our backs and will always fight for us,” Shuler said.

“We’ve never seen a president more forcefully advocate for workers’ fundamental right to join a union,” she added.

“Now, it’s time to finish the job.”

Masters, Mates & Pilots is one of the 60 affiliates of the AFL-CIO, the democratic, voluntary federation of national and international labor unions that represent 12.5 million working people.
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TROPICAL STORM BRET EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN INTO FIRST HURRICANE OF 2023

The National Hurricane Center is predicting that tropical storm Bret, the second named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, will strengthen into a hurricane in the next few days as it moves toward the Lesser Antilles.

Bret formed on Monday nearly 1,300 miles east of the southern Windward Islands. By early Tuesday it was moving toward the Caribbean Sea at a speed of about 17 miles an hour.

On Tuesday morning, it had maximum sustained winds of 40 m.p.h., with higher gusts.

Although Bret is expected to weaken after it moves into the Caribbean, forecasters say rain, strong winds, and storm surge could occur in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Once winds reach 74 m.p.h., a storm becomes a hurricane. At 111 m.p.h., it becomes a major hurricane.

In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a 40 percent chance of a near-normal hurricane season, a 30 percent chance of an above-normal season and another 30 percent chance of a below-normal season.

There were 14 named storms in 2022, after two extremely busy Atlantic hurricane seasons in which forecasters ran out of names.

Arlene, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico on June 2, was the first named storm in the Atlantic basin this year.

The NHC said another similar storm system is following on Bret’s heels and may develop into the season’s third named storm—Cindy—later in the week.
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SAN FRANCISCO FERRY SYSTEM TAKES FURTHER STEPS TO ELECTRIFY FACILITIES, CUT EMISSIONS

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, which manages the ferry system, has completed the conversion of four ferries to decrease emissions.

The project, which cost $5.5 million, involved upgrading the engines of the four Gemini-class vessels serving Oakland, Alameda, and Richmond over the course of 2022 and early 2023.

The conversion is expected to reduce emissions by 75-80 percent.

WETA has also raised nearly $100 million to pioneer the operation of zero-emission ferry service in the U.S.

Those funds will support construction of five small battery-electric ferries to serve Alameda, Oakland, and San Francisco’s waterfront neighborhoods.

Construction of the zero-emission vessels is expected to begin later this year.

To operate the zero-emission vessels, WETA has won a $13.8 million grant to electrify ferry terminals and facilities in San Francisco and the East Bay.

The first battery-electric service funded by these grants is anticipated for 2025.

“We have a responsibility to give the Bay Area a transportation option that improves air quality and public health in the communities we serve, and all of this work is connected to that goal,” said WETA Board of Directors Chair Jim Wunderman.
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NEW ISSUE OF MM&P MAGAZINE POSTED ON BRIDGEDECK.ORG

The Summer 2023 issue of The Master, Mate & Pilot has been posted on bridegedeck.org.

In this issue of the magazine:

— technological change has required mariners to learn new skills, but their workload has not decreased.

In the midst of growing pressures to automate, unions seek to ensure “a just transition” for their members;

— crew of USNS YUMA receives MSC Maritime Excellence Award for the second time;

— Maritime Day in Los Angeles and Norfolk;

— MM&P–Pacific Maritime Region members at Leo Marine win first contract;

— snapshots from the Great Lakes;

— MM&P officials and other representatives of the U.S.-flag fleet meet with legislators to advocate for full funding for the Maritime Security Program and the Tanker Security Program; plus

— “Thoughts About Autonomous Ships,” a speech delivered by MM&P President Don Marcus at the Maritime Autonomous Ship Symposium, organized by The Ship Operations Cooperative Program at MITAGS.

The new issue of The Master, Mate & Pilot will be in your mailbox soon. In the meantime, look for it online.
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MERCHANT MARINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE SEEKS AN LDO AND A PILOT AS NEW MEMBERS

The Coast Guard’s Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing is seeking applications for two membership positions on the National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee: one for a pilot and one for a licensed deck officer.

The committee advises the Coast Guard Commandant on matters relating to the training, qualifications, certification, documentation, and fitness of merchant mariners.

Applications are due Aug. 8, 2023. For more information and to apply:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/06/09/2023-12408/national-merchant-marine-personnel-advisory-committee-vacancies

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WELL-PAYING JOBS OFFERING PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT ARE AVAILABLE WITH MM&P ON THE GREAT LAKES AND IN COASTAL WATERS!

The MM&P United Inland Group has jobs available with Grand River Navigation, Weeks Marine, Cetacean Marine, and Key Lakes.

At Grand River Navigation on the Great Lakes, there are:

— licensed deck jobs for those with Great Lakes pilotage;

— jobs for open water mates with a Towing Officer Assessment Record (TOAR);

— licensed engineering jobs.

At Cetacean Marine, there are licensed and unlicensed engineering jobs.

At Weeks Marine, there are licensed and unlicensed engineering jobs aboard their growing fleet of dredges.

Cross-shipping rights for Offshore applicants/members are available for licensed personnel, with sea time and points counting towards upgrading Offshore membership.

Key Lakes is looking for a mate with Great Lakes pilotage and an open-water mate.

The regular relief is for 30 days but could be modified if mutually agreed on.

These are long-term, permanent jobs.

For more information, go to the Jobs page on bridgedeck.org.

If you are interested, please contact UIG Vice President Tom Bell at tbell@bridgedeck.org or 216-776-1667 with any questions.
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OFFSHORE JOBS AVAILABLE

Two third mates needed in the tanker fleet. TPIC not required.
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ENGINEERING JOBS AVAILABLE OFFSHORE AND ON THE GREAT LAKES

There are openings for engineers in the MM&P Offshore fleet and the Great Lakes & Gulf Region.

For engineering jobs in the Offshore Group, contact Atlantic Ports Vice President Tom Larkin, tlarkin@bridgedeck.org, or 201-963-1900.

For engineering jobs on the Lakes, contact MM&P Great Lakes & Gulf Region Vice President Tom Bell, tbell@bridgedeck.org, or (216) 776-1667.
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MM&P HOLIDAY CLOSING SCHEDULE

All MM&P union halls, MM&P headquarters, the MM&P Plan Office, and the MM&P Federal Credit Union will be closed on Tuesday, July 4, for Independence Day.

MM&P headquarters, the MM&P Federal Credit Union, Atlantic Ports union halls, Pacific Ports union halls, and the Tampa Hall will be closed on Wednesday, July 5, for Bloody Thursday.
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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): Not currently scheduled

AIS-1 – Automatic Identifications Systems Orientation (1-Day): Not currently scheduled

ARPA-OIC– Automated Radar Plotting Aids (4-Day): 11/13/23

AZIPOD (2-Day): Not currently scheduled

BRM – Bridge Resource Management (5-Day): 07/24/23, 10/09/23

BRMP –Bridge Resource Management for Pilots (2-Day): Not currently scheduled

BRMP-EMR –Bridge Resource Management for Pilots with Emergency Shiphandling – (Now also included in BRMP-Refresher) (3-Day): Not currently scheduled

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

BT – Basic Safety Training (5-Day): 07/10/23, 09/10/23 (Sunday-Thursday)

BT-Revalidation (2-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years): 09/26/23, 10/16/23, 11/13/23, 12/19/23

BT-Refresher (3-day): 09/26/23, 12/18/23

CHS-OIC – Cargo Handling Basic (5-Day): 09/18/23

[CMM – Chief Mate and Master Courses]

ADVSTB-CMM – Advanced Stability (5-Day): 06/26/23, 07/24/23, 10/09/23, 12/18/23

ADVWX-CMM – Advanced Meteorology (5-Day): 07/31/23, 12/11/23

CHS-CMM – Advanced Cargo Operations (10 Days): 10/16/23

CM-OPS 1 – Chief Mate Operations (5-Day): 7/10/23, 11/27/23

CM-OPS 2 Maersk – Chief Mate Operations II Maersk Specific (5-Day): 07/17/23, 12/04/23

CM-OPS 2 APL – Chief Mate Operations II APL Specific (5-Day): Not currently scheduled

ECDIS – Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (5-Day): 08/07/23, 12/11/23

LMS – Leadership and Managerial Skills (Management Level – Formerly MCL-CMM) (5-Day): 08/14/23, 11/13/23

MPP-CMM – Marine Propulsion Plants (5-Day): 10/02/23

(DCS-1 available on request – contact Admissions)

SHMGT-CMM- Ship Management (5-Day): 11/06/23

SHS-ADV-I-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 1) (5-Day): 07/10/23*, 08/14/23, 09/11/23, 10/02/23, 10/30/23 12/04/23

SHS-ADV-II-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 2) (5-Day): 07/17/23*, 10/09/23, 11/06/23, 12/11/23

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

VPEN-CMM – Voyage Planning & Electronic Navigation (5-Day): 12/18/23

WKP-CMM – Advanced Watchkeeping (5-Day): 09/25/23

WX-HW-ATL – Heavy Weather Avoidance Routing: Atlantic Ocean (2-day) – Not Currently Scheduled

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) – 08/05/23, 12/02/23

CIW-DPA/IA – Continual Improvement Workshop: Designated Person Ashore & Internal Auditor (3-Day) ** This course is NOT covered by the MATES Program ** Online: 07/12/23

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): Not currently scheduled

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

ERM – Engine Resource Management (5-Day): 11/27/23

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

FF-BADV – Fire Fighting Combined Basic & Advanced (5-Day): 09/10/2023 (Sunday-Thurday)

FF-ADV-Rev (1-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years) – Advanced Fire Fighting Revalidation: 09/27/23, 10/18/23, 11/15/23, 12/21/23

FF-ADV-REF (2-day) – Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher: 09/29/23, 12/16/23

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

Online: Not currently scheduled

GL-Pilot – Great Lakes Pilotage Familiarization (2-Day): Not currently scheduled

GMDSS – Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (10-Day): 07/17/23

HAZ – Hazardous Materials (5 day): 09/11/23, 11/16/23

IEN – Integrated Electronic Navigation (3-Day): Not currently scheduled

LAP – License Advancement Program for Mate to Master (20-Day): 07/10/23, 10/16/23

LAP-Great Lakes – License Advancement Program – Great Lakes (15-Day): Not currently scheduled

LAP-ORG3rd – License Advancement Program for Original 3rd Mate, Oceans, Any-Gross-Ton License (15-Day): Not currently scheduled

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

LNG-TPIC (10-Day): Not currently scheduled

LNG-BADV (3 Day): Coming Soon!

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

MEECE – Management of Electrical and Electronic Control Equipment (Assessments not included): 12/04/23

MED-PIC – Medical Person in Charge (10-Day): 07/10/23*, 08/21/23*, 10/02/23, 12/04/23

MED-PIC-REF– Medical Person in Charge Refresher: 08/07/23, 11/27/23

MED-PRO – Medical Care Provider: (5-Day): 07/10/23*, 08/21/23*, 09/18/23, 10/02/23

MED-DOT-DA – Dept. of Transportation Drug & Alcohol Testing (1-Day): 07/15/23, 08/26/23, 09/24/23, 10/07/23, 10/15/23, 11/16/23, 12/09/23

[MSC – Military Sealift Command Courses]

MSC-CBRD-1 – Military Sealift Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Orientation (Basic) (1-Day): 08/10/23, 09/07/23, 10/26/23

MSC-DC – Military Sealift Command Damage Control (2-day): 08/11/23, 09/08/23, 10/27/23

MSC-ENVPRO (1-Day): 08/12/23, 09/09/23, 10/28/23

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

MSC-SMA – Military Sealift Command Small Arms Qualifications (4-Day): 08/14/23, 09/11/23, 10/30/23

MSC-Security Watch Basic (1-Day/ 8-hour): 08/12/23, 09/09/23, 10/28/23

MSC-Security Watch Advanced (1-Day): 08/13/23, 09/10/23, 10/29/23

MSC-Ship’s Reaction Force (3-Day): 08/18/23, 09/15/23, 11/03/23

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): *07/31/23, *08/02/23, 11/06/23*, 11/08/23*

PSC – Personal Survival Craft (Lifeboatman) (5-Day): 09/18/23

PSC-REF – Personal Survival Craft Refresher (2-Day): 09/21/23

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): Upon Request

ROU-OIC – Radar Observer Program – Unlimited: 11/16/23

SAR – Search & Rescue – (Now with OIC and CMM assessments) (3-Day): 10/23/23

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

SHS-EMR5 – Emergency Shiphandling (5 Day): 08/28/23, 10/16/23, 11/13/23, 12/18/23

STB-OIC – Ship Construction and Basic Stability: 09/11/23

TCNAV/CO – Terrestrial Navigation and Compasses (15-Day): Not currently scheduled

TPIC – Tankerman Person in Charge: 07/10/23, 09/11/23, 11/13/23

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

TTT – ** NOT covered by the MATES Program **: Not Currently Scheduled

VPDSD – Vessel Personnel with Designated Security Duties: Not Currently Scheduled

VSO – Vessel Security Officer (3-Day): 06/26/23

WKP-OIC – Watchkeeping (Operational Level) (10-Day): 12/04/23

WX-OIC –Meteorology (Operational Level): 07/10/23
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MITAGS–WEST ACADEMIC NOTES

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

June 2023
26-30 Tankerman Person-In-Charge

July 2023

10-28 Terrestrial & Coastal Navigation

31-4 Radar Observer Unlimited

31-4 Basic Training

31-4 Advanced Shiphandling I

August 2023

7-10 ARPA

7-11 Advanced Shiphandling II

14-18 Advanced Stability

14-18 Basic Shiphandling

21-25 Basic Meteorology

28-31 Advanced Firefighting

28-1 Leadership & Managerial Skills

September 2023

5-6 Basic Training Revalidation

5-7 Security Officer – Vessel, Company & Facility

7th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation

11-15 Medical Care Provider

11-22 Medical Person-In-Charge

18-29 GMDSS

October 2023

2-3 Basic Training Revalidation

2-6 ECDIS

4th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation

9-12 Advanced Firefighting

9-13 Tankerman Person-In-Charge

16-20 Ship Construction & Basic Stability

23-27 Basic Cargo Handling & Stowage

30-1 Security Officer – Vessel, Company & Facility

30-3 Basic Training

30-10 Watchkeeping (Operational Level)

31-3 ARPA

November 2023

6-7 Basic Training Revalidation

6-10 Medical Care Provider

6-10 Leadership & Managerial Skills

13-15 Search & Rescue

16th Leadership & Teamworking Skills

17th Flashing Light Assessment

27-30 Advanced Firefighting

27-15 Celestial Navigation

December 2023

7-8 Advanced Firefighting Refresher

9-10 Basic Training Revalidation

9-11 Basic Training Refresher

11th Radar Renewal

11th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation

11-15 Basic Training

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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.