New York, NY - Gratitude for the sacrifices made by the U.S. merchant mariners was the theme of the The United Seamen’s Service (USS) 2019 Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards (AOTOS) presented at the 50th annual gala on November 1, 2019. The awards were presented before nearly 700 maritime leaders to The Honorable Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Secretary of Transportation; James Given, President of Seafarers International Union Canada; Anil Mathur, President and CEO of Alaska Tanker Company and Joseph Pyne, Chairman of the Board of the Kirby Corporation. The maritime industry’s most prestigious awards were presented at the 50th annual gala at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, New York City.
In January 2017, The Honorable Elaine L. Chao assumed the role of U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Ms. Chao came to the Department of Transportation with extensive experience in the transportation sector, and was referred to as a tireless worker for the maritime industry by Michael Sacco, President of the Seafarers International Union.
James Given, President of Seafarers International Union of Canada hails from a family of SIU members. He joined the union in 1979 and has served as a union official for 22 years. He is also active in the International Transport Federation, having served as the member of the ITF Seafarer Section Committee.
During his remarks, Mr. Given reminded the crowd that: “Canada has the world’s longest coastline, and SIU works closely with the Canadian government to protect that coastline. It is critical to keep the merchant marine strong so Americans as well as Canadians can continue to do their jobs of protecting their coastlines.”
Anil Mathur is President and CEO of Alaska Tanker Company, an American shipping company dedicated to carrying crude oil from Alaska to its various markets. Since 2001, Mr. Mathur has been responsible for providing overall strategic direction to the company and for assuring that operations are conducted in a manner that results in no accidents, no harm to people, and no damage to the environment.
During his speech, Mr. Mathur highlighted his gratitude for his team, including the unions, which make up 70% of the workforce. “Thank you to my team for helping us transform Alaska Tanker Company. We could not achieve our goals without the dedication of all the members of our team who commit to keep each other safe, themselves safe and the environment safe.”
Joe Pyne is Chairman of the Board, Kirby Corporation, which is the premier tank barge operator in the United States. A natural leader, Joe served as the head of the company as it grew from 20 boats and 50 barges to 350 boats and 1,100 barges.
During his remarks, Mr. Pyne thanked the maritime academies and the Honored Seafarers and highlighted their importance. He said: “The U.S. flag and maritime industry is vital for national defense, an essential part of the transportation system and also a part of our national pride. Those who challenge this industry and are critical of the Jones Act do not understand the services being provided, frankly, I’m not sure they really understand how the world works.”
Proceeds from the AOTOS event benefit USS community services abroad for the U.S. merchant marine, seafarers of all nations, and U.S. government and military overseas. The recipients shared the evening with a group of American seafarers who were awarded for their outstanding acts of heroism at sea.
For AOTOS 2019, The Honorable Cory A. Booker was Honorary Chairman. Michael Sacco, President of the Seafarers International Union, served as Dinner Chairman. F. Anthony Naccarato of American Maritime Officers Service and Joseph Cox were National Committee Co-Chairmen.
The USS’ prestigious annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award dinner has been honoring American maritime management, labor and government leaders since 1970. The proceeds from this event help the USS to maintain services for seafarers against the ever-increasing cost of operations. But further support is still needed from both the maritime community and the general public to ensure these vital services for seafarers can be continued and also to enable the USS to improve its facilities moving forward.
Edward Morgan is President and Roger Korner is Executive Director of USS. USS AOTOS Coordinator is Barbara Spector Yeninas.
