AMO Currents - AMO National President Tom Bethel to receive Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award

AMO Currents - Posted: June 22, 2010

AMO National President Tom Bethel to receive Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award

The United Seamen's Service June 21 announced American Maritime Officers National President Tom Bethel has been selected for the Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award for 2010.

Also receiving the AOTOS Award for 2010 will be William Pennella, vice chairman and executive vice president of Crowley Maritime Corporation.

"Tom Bethel and Bill Pennella represent strong leadership in the maritime industry and will be honored for their significant contributions to American seafarers and American commerce," said Richard Hughes, chairman of the United Seamen's Service AOTOS Committee and president of the International Longshoremen's Association, AFL-CIO.

"Notably, both Crowley and AMO provided much-needed humanitarian relief services to Haiti after January's devastating earthquake," he added. "AMO's response was to man many of the U.S.-flagged vessels. Crowley's response was to unload Haiti relief cargo containers filled with water and meals in the Dominican Republic to be trucked across the border into Haiti."

Commenting on the announcement, Bethel said: "I'm honored to have been selected to receive this award on behalf of our union. The credit and recognition belong to the men and women of the AMO membership, both for their remarkable work in delivering relief supplies to the people of Haiti following the earthquake in January, and for their consistent and commendable dedication and professionalism every day on the job in all departments and all trades.

"The AMO Executive Board and support staff have worked very hard over the past few years to revitalize our union and make AMO a standard and a beacon in the maritime industry," Bethel said.

The AOTOS Award, the maritime industry's most prestigious honor, will be presented at the United Seamen's Service 41st award dinner in New York, N.Y., on Nov. 12.