The United Seamen’s Service 53rd annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) Awards will be presented to Edward W. Aldridge, President of CMA-CGM North America and American President Lines; Harold J. Daggett, President of the international Longshoreman’s Association; and Eric P. Ebeling, President and CEO of American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group.
The traditional silver statuette of Christopher Columbus – the first Admiral of the Ocean Sea –will be accepted by the three honorees at a gala dinner and dance to be held October 28, 2022 at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. The recipients will share the evening with a group of American seafarers who will be honored for acts of bravery at sea.
LTG Kenneth R. Wykle, USA, (Ret.), Chairman, USS AOTOS Committee, noted, “The American maritime industry continues to offer up deserving AOTOS recipients and it is our honor to honor them.” He noted: “Ed Aldridge has a rich resume of leadership in top American-flag shipping companies. Harold Daggett is responsible for the labor peace on our U.S. waterfronts. Eric Ebeling represents the new generation of maritime leaders. Together, they make a compelling group to be so honored.”
Ed Aldridge began his career with Sea Land Service, Inc. and held senior executive roles leading virtually every geographical location worldwide for the innovative ocean carrier. As Senior Vice President, North America, Aldridge was responsible for all commercial activities across North America. Aldridge left Sea Land in 1999 and joined APL as President and CEO North America based in Oakland, California and in 2002 relocated to Singapore as APL’s Global Chief Operating Officer.
He left APL in 2003 and launched a new ocean carrier as founder and CEO. Based in Newport Beach, CA, the start-up US Lines (USL) serviced North America to and from Asia and Oceania. In 2008, USL was purchased by the CMA CGM Group. In 2016, USL was integrated into American President Lines (APL) when the CMA CGM Group acquired American President Lines, LLC and Aldridge assumed the role of COO, APL North America.
In 2017, Aldridge was promoted from COO to President of APL North America. As of June 1, 2020, Aldridge has assumed the role of President of CMA CGM North America and American President Lines responsible for all commercial and government activities for the CMA CGM Group across North America. Ed Aldridge, who comes from a family of those who have made their mark in American shipping, is based in Norfolk.
Harold Daggett is the ninth president in the ILA’s 130 years of existence. He serves as chief negotiator for the ILA representing 70,000 ILA members at port areas from Maine to Texas, Great Lakes region, Puerto Rico, major U.S. Rivers and Eastern and Central Canada. Daggett negotiated a six-year Master Contract extension with United States Maritime Alliance in September 2018 that includes landmark provisions including full protection against loss of jobs resulting from automated ports and also increases in wages and funding and protections for the national health care program.
Daggett has negotiated two major contracts that keep ILA members among the best compensated blue-collar workers. He serves on the Executive Council of the Transportation Trades Department and the Maritime Trades Department. Daggett also holds leadership positions with the International Dockers Council (IDC) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation. He is a third generation ILA member and himself a veteran of the ILA for over 50 years, having first joined ILA Local 1804-1 following an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1967, where he served in Vietnam in the mid-1960s.
He began his ILA career as a mechanic and worked his way up to foreman. He was with Sea-Land Services for 11 years until his appointment in 1980 as Secretary-Treasurer and Business Agent of ILA Local 1804-1. He was re-elected six times to this post while also serving as Secretary/Treasurer of NY-NJ District Council. In 2019, Daggett was unanimously re-elected to his third four-year term as International President of the ILA a post he has held since 2011.
Eric Ebeling heads the largest U.S. flag Ro-Ro carrier operating in international trade. His responsibilities include P&L, and oversight of strategy, commercial, operations and government relations for ARC Group. The company’s U.S.-flag Ro-Ro vessels are enrolled in the Maritime Security Program and Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement with the Maritime Administration and the U. S. Transportation Command. For more than 30 years, ARC has provided service between U. S. East and Gulf Coast ports to North Europe, in the Mediterranean, Middle East, South America and Asia trades. The company also operates logistics, terminal and intermodal services.
Ebeling has held positions within the ARC Group that includes Chief Operating Officer; Vice President Sales and Marketing; Vice President and General Manager, Atlantic Trade; Director of Government Relations; General Manager in Europe; and Operations Manager. He joined the company in 2003. Prior to joining the company, Ebeling received a law degree from The American University Washington School of Law, received a Master’s Degree from the American University School of International Studies and a B.A. from Bowdoin College. He has received several industry honors for his leadership at ARC. Ebeling is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association and is on the Board of Directors of the National Defense Transportation Association.
Eric Ebeling is a legacy recipient of AOTOS. His father, Ray Ebeling, is also a previous recipient in 2004.
