AMO National President Paul Doell congratulates AMO member Kodie Layman, who accepted a Mariner's Plaque on behalf of personnel for the M/V Great Republic who fought and contained a fire aboard a neighboring vessel.

Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby presents a Mariner's Plaque to AMO member Michael Zarycki, who accepted the award on behalf of the officers and crew members of the Maersk Yorktown (formerly Safmarine Nimba).

Seafarers International Union President Michael Sacco, AMO National President Paul Doell and AMO National Executive Vice President Mike Finnigan congratulate U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao on her receipt of the Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award.

Officers and crew members of the M/V Maersk Yorktown (formerly the Safmarine Nimba) and the M/V Great Republic, and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, were among those honored November 1 by the United Seamen's Service at the Admiral of the Ocean Sea ceremony in New York City.

AMO members Michael Zarycki and Kodie Layman accepted USS Mariner's Plaques on behalf of the crews of the Maersk Yorktown and Great Republic, respectively, at the ceremony.

Seafarers International Union President Michael Sacco introduced Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award recipient Secretary Chao.

"You all know that her background includes service as the secretary of labor, the deputy maritime administrator, the chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission and the deputy secretary at DOT," Sacco said. "What some of you may not know is that she is an absolutely tireless worker when it comes to promoting the American maritime industry. Whether we need support for MARAD or the Jones Act or cargo preference or the MSP program, she always stands up for us - and she always stands up for our crews."

"The U.S. mariners and U.S.-flag ships are key factors in our country's military readiness and have been for the last 240 years," Secretary Chao said in her acceptance speech. "The U.S. Department of Transportation is working hard to strengthen the maritime industry. To that end, the Maritime Administration is seeing record funding of $682 million for fiscal year 2020.

"I am honored to have my work over the years recognized by such a distinguished organization and audience," she said. "I understand very well the sacrifices that merchant mariners experience. The men and women in this industry are heroes; I am proud of them and work hard to support them."

Also receiving AOTOS Awards on November 1 were President of the Seafarers International Union of Canada James Given, President and CEO of Alaska Tanker Company Anil Mathur, and Chairman of the Board of the Kirby Corporation Joseph Pyne.

On December 27, 2018 east of Cyprus in the Mediterranean, the crew of the Maersk Line, Ltd. vessel Safmarine Nimba (now the Maersk Yorktown) spotted something bobbing in the water - a pair of inner tubes with a man frantically waving, wedged between the tubes. Observers sounded the general alarm, crews raced to muster stations and the bridge swung the ship into a Williamson turn, also know as a man-overboard rescue turn.

With weather conditions deteriorating and visibility poor due to a low-pressure system spawning winds to force 5, with gusts to 6 and 7, the captain ordered the launch of a rescue boat. As seas built to four-to-five meters and winds climbed to force 7 and 8, the rescue boat made for the man in the water as the ship held position to protect against squalls.

Crew members prepared the hospital and readied medical emergency equipment and a stretcher. Wind and currents moved the inner tubes away from the rescue boat, but within seven minutes, the crew reached the victim and eased him into the boat.

The rescue boat was secured to a winch and brought aboard the ship so the medical team could begin work. The victim showed symptoms of hypothermia, and the crew provided critical care. About three hours and forty minutes after the initial sighting of the victim, Cyprus Search and Rescue was able to bring a helicopter to the ship, retrieve the man and airlift him to a medical facility.

On February 16, 2019 at the CSX Torco Dock Facility in the Port of Toledo, stiff winds and single digit temperatures set the stage for an erupting fire onboard the M/V St. Clair, self-unloading bulk carrier. The 8:30 p.m. conflagration spread, engulfing the stern, accommodation block and self-unloading equipment within minutes. The unmanned St. Clair was laid up for winter work at the facility and still contained 66,000 gallons of fuel.

Within moments of alarms being sounded, the crew of the Key Lakes vessel M/V Great Republic, which was berthed alongside the St. Clair, sprang into action. With no time to waste, Key Lakes Port Engineers Aaron Pitrago and Mike Peterson sized up the emergency and mobilized Shipkeeper Sam Buchanan, Shipkeeping Engineer Kodie Layman and Assistant Shipkeeper Brian Smith.

Aware of the massive amount of fuel onboard the burning vessel, the Keystone team exercised ingenuity and speed, and assembled a ship fire pump that had been undergoing repairs, then successfully utilized the ship's main system with nozzles and hoses in fire fighting efforts to the entire length of the neighboring vessel's self-unload boom and several decks within the hull. Battling through smoke, fire, deteriorating weather and potential danger, the M/V Great Republic team in less than an hour brought the blaze under control.

The prompt actions permitted the rapid containment of the flames aboard the St. Clair, which sustained serious damage, while at the same time limiting damage to the Great Republic. The combined efforts of the Great Republic team prevented loss of life or injuries.

For AOTOS 2019, Senator Cory Booker was honorary chairman. Michael Sacco served as dinner chairman. Joseph Cox and American Maritime Officers Service President/Chairman F. Anthony Naccarato were national committee co-chairmen. Edward Morgan is president of USS and Roger Korner is executive director. USS AOTOS coordinator is Barbara Spector Yeninas.