Wheelhouse Weekly, Nov. 25, 2025

Volume 31… Number 46, November 25, 2025

STORIES COVERED

In This Issue:

• Bipartisan Majority Moves to Force House Vote on Bill to Restore Federal Workers’ Union Rights
• NTSB Says Loose Wire Led to Fatal Baltimore Bridge Strike
• MLL Executive Moves One Step Closer to Confirmation as Maritime Administrator
• Iran Releases Tanker Seized in Gulf of Oman
• Merchant Mariners’ Heroism During Korean War to Be Commemorated at MITAGS
• Washington State Pilot Exam for Grays Harbor and Puget Sound Districts
• MM&P Vacation Plan—Last Day for Processing Vacation and PRO Payments

Mark Your Calendar:

• MM&P Closed for Thanksgiving
• Holiday Parties in the Union Halls

Job Opportunities:

• AMG Jobs
• Great Lakes Jobs
• Offshore Jobs

And:

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

BIPARTISAN MAJORITY MOVES TO FORCE HOUSE VOTE ON BILL TO RESTORE FEDERAL WORKERS’ UNION RIGHTS

A bill introduced by Congressman Jared Golden (D-Maine) that would restore the union rights of government employees is finally on track for a vote.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act of 2025 has languished since Golden and Pennsylvania Republican Brian Fitzpatrick introduced it in April because House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to bring it to the floor.

In June, Golden launched a discharge petition allowing a majority of House members to force a vote.

“America never voted to eliminate workers’ union rights, and the strong bipartisan support for my bill shows that Congress will not stand idly by while President Trump nullifies federal workers’ collective bargaining agreements and rolls back generations of labor law,” Golden said.

He called on Johnson to schedule “a clean, up-or-down vote on this bill.”

President Trump’s executive order took away the union rights of members of the MM&P Federal Employees Membership Group and other workers at the departments of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Justice and Energy.

The White House had argued in the Executive Order that allowing federal workers to have union representation was a threat to national security.

In September, a federal judge ruled in favor of MM&P and other unions that had gone to court to restore their members’ labor rights.

In his decision, Judge Paul Friedman found that President Trump had exceeded his authority when he tried to exclude unionized workers from federal sector labor law.

Federal civilian workers have had the legal right to collectively bargain with their government-agency employers since the early 1960s.

Judge Friedman noted in his decision that when Congress passed the Federal Relations Labor Act, “it found specifically that collective bargaining was a good thing.”

“They applauded unions,” he said. “They found that labor organizations and collective bargaining in the civil service are in the public interest.”

The Judge ruled that “the EO’s breadth was in furtherance of unrelated policy goals,” adding that the President “acted beyond the narrow national security related bounds of the exclusion provisions and did so to achieve improper goals, such as retaliating against unions and protected activities.”

Note to MM&P FEMG members: Please pay your dues directly to MM&P to remain a member in good standing until the government restores dues withholding.

Thank you for your support and please do not hesitate to contact your MM&P officials on any matter.
Back to Stories Covered

---

NTSB SAYS LOOSE WIRE LED TO FATAL BALTIMORE BRIDGE STRIKE

An error in the placement of a plastic label on an electrical wire was a causal factor in the blackout aboard the MV DALI that led to it striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The results of the investigation were released last week, including the agency’s finding that an identifying label had been placed so low as to cover what should have been the exposed tip of wire 1 of terminal block 381.

The loose wire ceased making contact with the terminal in the early hours of March 26, 2024, causing a fault that shut down the ship’s auxiliary power, cutting off propulsion and steering.

The Singapore-flag containership then drifted into a pier supporting the Francis Scott Key Bridge, bringing down the entire structure and killing six construction workers.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the crew of MV DALI would have had a hard time finding the loose wire.

She said that accident investigators had located it only after a forensic examination of the switchboard and a series of tests that were aided by the shipbuilder.

“Locating a single wire that is loose among thousands of wires is like looking for a loose bolt in the Eiffel Tower,” she said.

Following the accident, shipowner Grace Ocean and ship operator Synergy Marine sued the shipbuilder, alleging that the design of the switchboard was defective.

Replacing the bridge is expected to cost more than the initial estimate of about $5.2 billion, Maryland Transportation Department officials said last week, and the project will take two years longer than originally planned.

They said the revised estimates reflect sharply higher material costs, new federal resilience requirements, and a massive pier-protection system designed to prevent another catastrophic ship strike.

They said it was likely the bridge would reopen in late 2030.

The state and other parties who suffered losses from the accident continue to seek damages in court from the shipowner and the ship operator.
Back to Stories Covered

---

MLL EXECUTIVE MOVES ONE STEP CLOSER TO CONFIRMATION AS MARITIME ADMINISTRATOR

The Senate Commerce Committee has approved the nomination of Stephen Carmel to be Maritime Administrator, sending his nomination to the full Senate for a vote.

The vote in committee to approve his nomination was 21–7.

Carmel sailed as a deep-sea tanker captain before coming ashore to work in a variety of operations and finance positions at MLL. He is now MLL’s senior vice president, maritime services.

He is also an adviser to the Yorktown Institute, a national security and geopolitical forum, and a member of the Board of Visitors of the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.

In testimony before the Committee, Carmel spoke of the pressing need to find new sources of cargo, strengthen the US-flag fleet and increase sealift capacity.

“The state of our shipping and shipbuilding industries—starting with shipping—is basically on a lifeline,” Carmel told senators during his confirmation hearing.

“We do not carry our own commerce. Flat out. A merchant marine is supposed to be carrying a nation’s commerce and we need to find a way to get back there.”

Sen. Maria Cantwell, the Committee’s ranking member, was among the legislators on both sides of the aisle who expressed support for his nomination.

“I believe he has a clear vision to rebuild the US shipbuilding ecosystem, which is very important to our economy and to our national security,” she said.

Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who cosponsors the SHIPS for America Act with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), called Carmel’s nomination “an important milestone for MARAD.”

“You have a unique experience and a perspective that you can bring to bear on the challenges we face and a familiarity with the commercial industry that we desperately need at this time,” Young told him.
Back to Stories Covered

---

IRAN RELEASES TANKER SEIZED IN GULF OF OMAN

MV TALARA, a Marshall Islands-flag tanker that was hijacked along with its crew on Nov. 14, has been released by Iran.

Ship operator Columbia Shipmanagement said in a statement that all members of the crew were safe and “in good spirits.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for hijacking the ship after boarding it by helicopter off the United Arab Emirates port of Khor Fakkan.

In a statement disseminated by Iran’s state media, the IRGC said the vessel was carrying 30,000 tons of petroleum products that were being illegally transported to Singapore.

The IRGC said in a statement that seizure of the vessel was “in line with safeguarding the interests and resources of the Iranian nation.”

The ship manager said all the cargo was removed by the Iranians before the vessel was released, adding that the nature of the dispute that led Iran to hijack the vessel has not been clarified.
Back to Stories Covered

---

MERCHANT MARINERS’ HEROISM DURING KOREAN WAR TO BE COMMEMORATED AT MITAGS

The rescue of thousands of Korean refugees by the crew of an American merchant ship will be commemorated at MITAGS on Dec. 15.

A one-day conference is being held on the 75th anniversary of the rescue, which took place at Hungnam, North Korea, in December 1950.

The SS MEREDITH VICTORY, a World War II era merchant ship under the command of Captain Leonard LaRue, was one of nearly 150 vessels that sailed to Hungnam on a mission to evacuate US and United Nations troops, supplies and equipment.

But once onsite, LaRue decided instead to evacuate as many men, women, and children as would fit onto the ship to save them from certain death at the hands of Chinese and North Korean military forces.

“What began as a military retreat became one of the greatest rescues of refugees in history,” explains Fr. Sinclair Oubre of the Apostleship of the Sea of the United States.

After making room for about 14,000 refugees to cram into the cargo holds and the entire main deck, the crew left Hungnam on Dec. 23, 1950, on a three-day voyage to safety.

When Captain LaRue retired, he became a Benedictine monk and took the name Brother Marinus. A cause for his canonization as a saint is now underway.

“I think often of the voyage,” he would later reflect.

“I think how such a small vessel was able to hold so many persons and surmount endless perils without harm to a soul.

“And, as I think, the clear, unmistakable message comes to me that on that Christmastide, in the bleak and bitter waters off the shores of Korea, God’s own hand was at the helm of my ship.”

During the Dec. 15 commemoration, Burley Smith, former third officer aboard the MEREDITH VICTORY, will offer a first-person account of the rescue.

Tickets for the event may be obtained using the following link: https://Hungnam75.eventbrite.com.
Back to Stories Covered

---

WASHINGTON STATE PILOT EXAM FOR GRAYS HARBOR AND PUGET SOUND DISTRICTS

On Monday April 13, 2026, at 0800 PDST, the Washington State Board of Pilotage Commissioners will administer to qualified applicants a knowledge-based test (KBT or written exam) to be followed by a simulator evaluation for those eligible.

The KBT will be administered via live remote proctor in your local area and the

simulator evaluation will be held in Seattle.

Applicants who meet or exceed the cut score set by the Board on the KBT and simulator evaluation will be placed on a waiting list to be called into a pilot training program as needed.

Successful completion of the pilot training program is required to qualify for issuance of a state pilot license for the applicable pilotage district.

The simulator evaluation is scheduled in the simulator at MITAGS West the week of April 27–May 1, 2026.

Applications are available at https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://pilotage.wa.gov/next-exam___.YXAzOmJyaWRnZWRlY2s6YTpvOmNiYzZlMTlhZGZhOGUyNzk0Mzg2YTU2NjI1YjQwYjNjOjc6NzcxZToyMjJlNWNlZDQ1Zjc0MTRlOWRhZDZhMjE2MDA3MDk4OWI2OWY4MjYxNzI4NjlkZjYzMDVjZjZkY2Q2MWJmY2ZjOnQ6VDpO or by written or e-mail request.

Board of Pilotage Commissioners

2901 Third Avenue, Suite 500

Seattle, WA 98121

Fax: 206-515-3906

E-mail: PilotageInfo@wsdot.wa.gov

Any inquiries regarding the application contents or process must be made in writing.

The complete application must be received by the Board office by 2359 PDST on March 13, 2026, unless prior written permission to file an application at a later time is obtained from the Board.

For the 2026 exam, you may complete your application by email, mail or you may deliver your application in-person via appointment.

The 2026 Washington State Marine Pilot Exam and licensing process will be governed by and administered pursuant to Chapter 363-116 WAC.
Back to Stories Covered

---

MM&P VACATION PLAN—LAST DAY FOR PROCESSING VACATION AND PRO PAYMENTS

The Plan Office received approval to close the year-end Internal Revenue Service and company reports and to process Vacation and PRO payments for 2025 no later than Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. EST.

All requests for 2025 Vacation and PRO payments received after this date and time will be held until January 2, 2026, for processing and will therefore be taxable in 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact the Vacation Department at 410-850-8625.
Back to Stories Covered

---

MM&P CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING

All MM&P union halls, the MM&P Plan Office, the MM&P Federal Credit Union, and MM&P headquarters will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28 for Thanksgiving.
Back to Stories Covered

---

HOLIDAY PARTIES IN THE UNION HALLS

MM&P is welcoming the holiday season with parties in the union halls!

Here is the schedule. To RSVP and for more information, please contact the hall.
ATLANTIC PORTS

— Charleston: 12/2/25 @ 1130-1530; Kickin’ Chicken, 1179 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Charleston, SC 29407

— Newark: 12/5/25 @ 1130-1530; Newark Union Hall, 570 Broad Street, Suite 701, Newark, NJ 07102

— Boston: 12/9/25 @ 1130-1530; Boston Union Hall, 2 Channel Street, Unit 505, Boston, MA 02210-2333

— Norfolk: 12/16/25 @ 1130-1530; Dockside Seafood, 3311 Shore Dr.,

Virginia Beach, VA 23451

— Miami/PEV: 12/19/25 @ 1130-1530; Umberto’s, 3051 E. Commercial Blvd.,

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

GULF PORTS

— Houston: 12/10/25 @ 1100, Esteban’s Cantina, 402 W Main St. League City, TX 77573

PACIFIC PORTS

— Honolulu: 12/11/25 after 1100 job call; Honolulu Hall, 521 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 254, Honolulu 96813

— LA/LB: 12/12/25 after 1100 job call; LA/LB Hall, 533 N. Marine Ave., Suite A, Wilmington, CA 90744

— Seattle: 12/16/25 after 1100 job call; Seattle Hall, 15208 52nd Ave., South, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98188

— SF/Oakland: 12/9/25, from 1200 to 1500; Fat Lady, 201 Washington St., Oakland, CA 94607.
Back to Stories Covered

---

ATLANTIC MARITIME JOBS

BUCHANAN MARINE is looking for:

— MMC with a Mate of Towing within Inland Waters;

— Deckhand MMC with an OS.

If you are interested, please fill out an application on the company’s website.

Google Buchanan Marine LP, then click “careers” and scroll down to “apply online.”

If you have questions, please contact Paulina at ptrzepacz@bridgedeck.org or 973-495-9377.

MORAN is looking for:

— Tankerman: MMC with a PIC, preferably with an AB and STCW but will work with an OS;

— Licensed Engineer (Ship Assist) – MMC with STCW;

— Assistant Engineer (ATB/Offshore) – 3rd AE Unlimited Oceans or C/E;

— AB (ATB/Offshore) – MMC with AB & STCW.

If interested, please email your resume and copies of your credentials to Paulina at ptrzepacz@bridgedeck.org. If you have any questions, please call at 973-495-9377.

POLING & CUTLER is looking for:

— Mate with a 200-ton coastwise licensed & TOAR;

— Tankerman – PIC with an OS

— Deckhand with OS & minimum 1 year experience who is interested in becoming a PIC

— Captain with a 200-ton coastwise license & TOAR

If interested, please email your resume and copies of your credentials to Paulina at ptrzepacz@bridgedeck.org. If you have any questions, please call at 973-495-9377.

STATEN ISLAND FERRY is looking for Provisional Marine Oilers with their QMED.

If you are interested, please fill out an application on the city’s website.

https://cityjobs.nyc.gov/job/marine-oiler-in-staten-island-jid-27357

Any questions, please send an email to Anthony at aturzio@bridgedeck.org.

STATEN ISLAND FERRY is looking for a Deckhand with an AB.

If you are interested, please fill out an application on the city’s website.

https://cityjobs.nyc.gov/job/deckhand-in-staten-island-jid-34931

Any questions, please send an email to Anthony at aturzio@bridgedeck.org.
Back to Stories Covered

---

OFFSHORE JOBS

Senior LMSR positions available.
Back to Stories Covered

---

GREAT LAKES & GULF JOBS

Immediate openings in the Great Lakes region for the following permanent jobs:

— Great Lakes Towing CAPTAINS – Must live within two hours of Ports: Detroit, Toledo, Chicago, Duluth, Cleveland, Buffalo – Start Date Immediately.

If you’re interested in applying or want more information, please contact MM&P GL&G Vice President Ed Lulko, elulko@bridgedeck.org.
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

[STCW, MEDICAL & SAFETY Courses]

BT – Basic Safety Training: 02/02/26, 03/16/26, 09/07/26, 11/30/26

FF-ADV – Advanced Firefighting (4-Day): 03/02/26

FF-BADV – Fire Fighting Combined Basic & Advanced: 02/02/26, 03/16/26, 09/07/26, 11/30/26

MED-PRO – Medical Care Provider: 01/26/26*

MED-PIC – Medical Person in Charge (10-Day): 12/08/25*, 02/02/26

MED-PIC-REF – Medical Person in Charge Refresher: 01/05/26

MED-DOT-DA – Dept. of Transportation Drug & Alcohol Testing (1-Day):

12/13/25, 01/10/26, 02/07/26

[STCW License & Radar Renewal Courses]

Revalidations (REV): You have 360+ days of sea time in the last 5 years

BT-REV (2-day): 12/08/25, 01/19/26, 03/30/26, 05/15/26, 09/14/26, 09/28/26, 10/26/26

FF-ADV-REV (1-day): 12/10/25, 01/21/26, 04/01/26, 05/20/26, 09/16/26, 09/30/26, 10/28/26

Refreshers (REF): You have less than 360 days of sea time in the last 5 years

BT-REF (3-day): 01/19/26, 03/30/26, 10/26/26

FF-ADV-REF (2-day): 01/22/26, 04/02/26, 10/29/26

ROR-1N – Radar Observer Renewal Evening Classes (1-Night): 01/21/26

[CMM – Chief Mate & Master Upgrade Courses]

ADVSTB – Advanced Stability: 12/08/25, 02/16/26, 04/20/26, 06/08/26

ADVWX – Advanced Meteorology: 12/01/25, 02/09/26, 04/27/26, 06/01/26

CHS-CMM – Advanced Cargo Operations (10-Day): 02/23/26

LAP – License Advancement Program for Mate to Master (20-Day): 04/20/26

LAP Testing Notice: Due to changes at the Baltimore REC, LAP courses no longer include priority testing. Seating is limited to 6 students. All testing now requires a scheduled appointment and an approval letter.

LMS – Leadership and Managerial Skills: 12/15/25, 02/16/26, 03/23/26

MPP-CMM – Marine Propulsion Plants: 03/23/26

SHMGT-CMM – Ship Management: 03/09/26

SHS-ADV-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (10-Day): 12/01/25, 01/12/26*, 02/06/26*, 03/02/26, 04/06/26, 05/11/26, 06/15/26

WKP-CMM – Advanced Watchkeeping: 03/16/26

[AB TO MATE Upgrade Courses]

ARPA-OIC – Automated Radar Plotting Aids (4-Day): 02/09/26*

CHS-OIC – Cargo Handling & Stowage: 03/09/26, 05/11/26

CNAV-OIC – Celestial Navigation (15-Day): 12/01/25, 03/09/25

ECDIS – Electronic Chart Display Information Systems: 02/23/26*, 03/02/26

FL – Visual Communications / Flashing Light (1 Day): Contact Admissions

LAP-ORG3rd – License Advancement Prep (15-Day): 03/23/26, 05/25/26

LTS – Leadership and Teamworking Skills (1-Day): Contact Admissions

ROU-OIC – Radar Observer Unlimited: 02/02/26*

SAR – Search and Rescue (3-Day): 02/16/26, 05/04/26

SHS-BAS-OIC – Basic Shiphandling: 02/23/26*, 04/27/26*

STB-OIC – Stability and Cargo Handling: 03/16/26, 05/18/26

TNAV/CO – Terrestrial Navigation and Compasses (15-Day): 01/05/26*

WKP-OIC – Watchkeeping (10-Day): 01/12/26, 03/30/26

WX-OIC – Basic Meteorology: 01/05/26, 02/16/26

[MSC – Military Sealift Command Courses]

MSC-ATO-I – Anti-Terrorism Officer (Online): Contact Admissions

MSC-ATO-II – Anti-Terrorism Officer II (MSC-ATO-III included): 01/26/26

MSC-CBRD-1 – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Orientation (Basic) Indoctrination (1-Day): 01/08/26, 03/12/26

MSC-CBRD-OFF – Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Officer: 03/23/2026, 06/22/2026

MSC-DC – Damage Control (1-Day): 01/09/26, 03/13/26

MSC-ENVPRO (1-Day – Evening Class): 01/09/26, 03/13/26

MSC-SMA – Small Arms (4-Day): 12/09/25, 01/12/26, 02/09/26, 03/15/26, 04/13/26

MSC-SWB – Security Watch Basic (1-Day): 01/10/26, 03/14/26

MSC-SW-ADV – Security Watch Advanced (1-Day): 12/08/25, 01/11/26, 02/08/26, 03/15/26, 04/12/26

MSC-Ship’s Reaction Force (3-Day): 01/16/26, 03/20/26

[MM&P Company Specific Requirements Courses]

CM-OPS 1 – Chief Mate Operations: 01/12/26

CM-OPS 2 Maersk – CM Operations II Maersk Specific: 01/19/26

LNG-BADV – Basic and Advanced IGF Code Operations (3-Day): 12/15/26, 02/02/26, 02/05/26

NSAP-MMP – Navigational Skills Assessment Program-MM&P (2-Day): 12/02/25*, 12/04/25* 01/06/26, 01/08/26, 03/17/26, 03/19/26, 5/12/26, 05/14/26, 09/01/26, 09/03/26, 10/27/26, 10/29/26 – Contact Admissions to Register

SHS-EMR5 – Emergency Shiphandling: 01/26/26

WX-HW-PAC – Heavy Weather Avoidance Routing: Pacific Ocean (2-Day): 12/06/25

[Other MITAGS Courses]

AB – Able Seaman: 02/16/26

BRM – Bridge Resource Management: 03/23/26*

GL-Pilot – Great Lakes Pilotage Familiarization (2-Day): 02/13/26

LAP-Great Lakes – License Advancement Program – Great Lakes (15-Day): 02/16/26

HAZ – Hazardous Materials: Not Currently Scheduled

[Qualified Assessor (Online): Contact Admissions]

RFPNW – Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (3-Day): Not currently scheduled

TPIC – Tankerman Person in Charge: Not Currently Scheduled

VSO – Vessel Security Officer (3-Day): 02/23/26

[Continual Improvement Workshops – NOT covered by the MATES Program]

Designated Person Ashore & Internal Auditor (3-Day): Online: 02/04/26

Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis (2-Day): Online: Not Currently Scheduled

Back to Stories Covered

---

MITAGS–WEST ACADEMIC NOTES

2024 Fall/Winter

SCHEDULE OF COURSES – (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

December 2025</strong?

1-2 Basic Training Revalidation

1-3 Basic Training Refresher

1-12 GMDSS

3rd Advanced Firefighting Revalidation

4-5 Advanced Firefighting Refresher

8-12 Basic Training

15-18 Advanced Firefighting

15-19 Tankerman Person-In-Charge

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.