USS AOTOS Awards given to David Heindel, Kathy Metcalf and William Woodhour, special AOTOS Award presented to Anthony Naccarato during 52nd annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea event

Officers and crew members of the Jones Act tanker American Pride were among the U.S. seafarers honored by the United Seamen's Service (USS) with a Mariners' Plaque during the Admiral of the Ocean Sea ceremony in New York City on December 3.

The USS 52nd annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) Award was presented to Secretary-Treasurer of the Seafarers International Union of North America, AFL-CIO, David Heindel; President and CEO of the Chamber of Shipping of America Kathy Metcalf; and President and CEO of Maersk Line, Limited William Woodhour. President and Chairman of American Maritime Officers Service Anthony Naccarato was awarded a special AOTOS to honor his more than five decades in the American maritime industry.

Chairman of the USS AOTOS Committee LTG Kenneth Wykle, USA (Ret.), noted: "Well, they said it couldn't be done. But we did it. With more than 600 people gathered here - all of us healthy and vaccinated - we have once again shown that the AOTOS award is respected and the dinner one not to be missed. It is great to see you all and it is a testament to USS and to our recipients that once again we can fill the ballroom at the Sheraton. The AOTOS award dinner continues as the premier American-flag maritime event. Indeed, this is the place to enjoy an evening out, see and speak with the other maritime leaders and show your support for our dedicated seafarers. With such deserving recipients, we are pleased to continue the rich 52-year history of this prestigious event."

The officers and crew of the American Pride were recognized for their rescue of three people from a life raft in the Gulf of Mexico. The American Pride is operated by Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning and American Maritime Officers represents all licensed officers aboard the tanker.

While the American Pride was eastbound to Tampa, Fla., on September 18, 2019, Chief Mate Brian Enos spotted a foundering boat at 5:48 p.m. The ship turned and traveled to the boat, which was sinking with the bow down and stern out of the water, the name CAPT BOB visible on the stern. The ship notified U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, and received instructions to take photos and send them to the Coast Guard. As the American Pride approached the boat a second time, Chief Mate Enos spotted orange smoke and a parachute flare, below which a life raft was located, approximately three nautical miles southwest of the CAPT BOB.

The man-overboard signal was sounded and the American Pride's crew mustered. The rescue boat was prepared for deployment and the starboard accommodation ladder was rigged as the American Pride made for the life raft.

At 6:42 p.m., the rescue boat - crewed by Third Mates Alexander Todd and Colin Hecklinger, and Third Assistant Engineer Mark Menton - was deployed and approached the life raft. They found two men and one woman onboard, all in good health with no injuries observed.

U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg was notified and dispatched a helicopter and a response boat, and asked that the life raft be retrieved. The three survivors were brought aboard the American Pride's rescue boat and the life raft was towed back to the ship.

At 7 p.m., the survivors boarded the American Pride via the starboard accommodation ladder and were provided with food, water, showers, clothing and blankets. The life raft was retrieved and brought onboard, and the rescue boat was brought up and secured. The American Pride remained in the area awaiting the arrival of the Coast Guard response boat to transfer the survivors.

Once on scene and alongside the ship, the response boat launched by Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg embarked the three people from the American Pride and transported them to Station St. Petersburg, where they were released in good condition.

AOTOS Award recipient David Heindel began his shoreside career with the SIU in 1973. He is a graduate of the program for entry-level mariners conducted at the union's affiliated training facility in Piney Point, Maryland. He sailed on deep-sea vessels as a member of the engine department before coming ashore in 1980 to work as a patrolman in his native New Orleans. He has been the secretary-treasurer of the SIU since February 1997.

In August 2002, he became vice chairman of the International Transport Workers' Federation's Seafarers' Section and is currently the chairman of the Seafarers' Section. Heindel has worked here and abroad with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the International Labor Organization and the International Maritime Organization on shipboard and port-security issues as well as the international project for a new Seafarers Identity Document. He helped protect mariners' rights under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (which took effect July 2004), and continues to lead the ITF's delegates at the International Bargaining Forum, which secures new agreements for tens of thousands of mariners worldwide.

Kathy Metcalf has led the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) in Washington since 2015. Previously, since 1997, she was the chamber's director of maritime affairs. The CSA represents U.S.-based companies that either own, operate or charter vessels engaged in the domestic and international trades and companies that maintain a commercial interest in the operation of such oceangoing vessels.

Previously, Kathy was manager, state government affairs (Midwest), for the Sunoco Refining and Marketing Company; manager, regulatory affairs for Sun Refining and Marketing Company, and worked for Sun Transport, Inc. in various shoreside positions, and as a third mate on product and crude tankers. She attended the Seagoing/Shoreside Management Development Program (third mate/assistant port captain) at the Gulf Oil Corporation from 1978 to 1981. Metcalf is a graduate of the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.

William Woodhour, who was called away and was unable to personally accept his award, has been president and CEO of Maersk Line, Limited, since 2016. MLL is an American company, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, that provides U.S.-flag transportation, ship management and maritime technical services to The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, government and commercial customers, and employs American seafarers.

Woodhour has spent his entire maritime career with the Maersk organization. He joined the company in Madison, New Jersey in 1991, working in sales and marketing for Maersk Line for 18 years. He was named Senior Vice President in North America for Maersk Inc. until moving to Copenhagen as Vice President of Maersk Line, then returning to the U.S. to assumed leadership at MLL five years ago. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware - Lerner College of Business and Economics, and attended Harvard Business School.

Anthony Naccarato has spent more than 56 years in both maritime management and labor, most recently at Crowley Maritime Corp. He is president and chairman of American Maritime Officers Service. He also is chairman of the USS Executive Committee.

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 honored for acts of bravery at sea. These included seafarers from Military Sealift Command, Pasha Hawaii and Crowley.

For AOTOS 2021, President of the Seafarers International Union Michael Sacco was Dinner Chairman. Anthony Naccarato of American Maritime Officers Service and John L. Degurse, Jr., Esquire, USS legal counsel, served as National Committee Co-Chairmen. Edward Morgan is President and Roger Korner is Executive Director of USS. USS AOTOS coordinators are with Barbara Spector Yeninas Associates Inc.