M.E.B.A.’s utilization of a National Shipping Card system went into effect yesterday, two weeks after members overwhelmingly supported the change following a 90-day referendum vote.

The new system simplifies how members ship out eliminating paperwork formerly needed when seeking work at an M.E.B.A. hall different from his or her hall of registration.

It allows members to travel directly to the hall where they wish to ship out – thus saving them from additional travel and expense. Approximately 73% of the votes during the Referendum period favored a National Shipping Card. Night Card work will continue to be handled as it was before – members can still only have Night Cards in one port at a time.

Several internal changes to adopt the system were made that will also increase transparency. On a weekly basis, M.E.B.A. halls will forward a report with the number of Group I, Group II and Group III members and applicants who have registered or shipped. The list will be updated weekly. However, the national shipping list will continue to be published monthly.

The annual rank and file Financial Review Committee will be elected at the regular membership meetings next week. The six-person committee will assemble at M.E.B.A. Headquarters on April 19 to review Union finances from the 2009 calendar year. Committee members will be elected at meetings in Baltimore, Houston, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

The elected Union members will travel to M.E.B.A. Headquarters in Washington D.C. on Sunday, April 18, 2010. The actual meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, April 19, 2010 in the Conference Room at M.E.B.A. Headquarters. It is anticipated that the business of the FRC will be completed by Wednesday, April 21 with travel home scheduled for Thursday, April 22. Newly elected FRC members should contact Ann Holmes at M.E.B.A. Headquarters immediately after the Union meeting in order to nail down travel arrangements (202-638-5355).

However, applications will not be taken until May 1st for the Fall Semester. Any applications received prior to the beginning registration date will be disregarded with no notification to the applicant.

Those who contribute at least $100 to the M.E.B.A. Political Action Fund in Calendar Year 2010 will receive a special edition U.S./Union T-Shirt with a "cool" looking M.E.B.A. Political Action Fund image on the back. The forms have been sent to the Union hall. The form and a photo of the shirt has been posted on the M.E.B.A. website as well (www.mebaunion.org).  Those out at sea who are contributors to this important fund can still claim a shirt by forwarding certain details by e-mailing Marco at editor@mebaunion.org (Attn: P.A.F. Power). We need your name, mailing address, regular e-mail address and phone number. Shirts come in Black, Navy Blue, and White – so specify which color you want and indicate the size: Small, Medium, Large, XL or 2XL. We’ll ship you a shirt after a quick verification. You can also mail your information requesting a shirt to M.E.B.A. Headquarters, Attn: P.A.F. Power, 444 North Capitol Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington D.C. 20001. Remember, you qualify by contributing at least $100 during 2010.

If you’ve never contributed to M.E.B.A.’s P.A.F. this is the time to begin! The program promotes the concerns of M.E.B.A. members through legislative and political activities and gives the Union a voice when important maritime policy is made. It helps keep the M.E.B.A. strong!

P.A.F. authorization forms are available at each of the M.E.B.A. Union halls and offices for those who wish to sign up for this important program.

The Maritime Administration issued advisories to U.S. ships in the waters off the Horn of Africa and in the Indian Ocean advising that pirate activity could increase between now and May, due to the end of the Northeast monsoon season and increased range of recent pirate attacks.

With the end of the monsoon season, calmer weather and seas create a greater opportunity for pirates to operate their skiffs further away from shore and larger base ships. This area of activity has expanded to more than 1,000 nautical miles off the Horn of Africa into the Indian Ocean.

The text of the advisory can be found at the Maritime Administration web site, www.marad.dot.gov.

The federal government has announced that it will remove the remaining 52 ships currently moored in the Suisun Bay as part of an agreement with environmental groups that was filed in federal court in Sacramento, CA.

The Maritime Administration has already begun removing obsolete ships from Suisun Bay for recycling, including four ships that have been removed since November 2009 and a fifth that was removed this week.

The agreement outlines MarAd’s commitment to remove 20 of the ships that are in the poorest condition prior to Sept. 30, 2012. Before their removal, these ships will be sent to a local dry- dock for cleaning that involves removing marine growth from the underwater hull and removing flaking paint from areas above the water. All other ships at the site will be cleaned of flaking paint within two years and removed from the fleet by Sept. 30, 2017. Additionally, MarAd will clean the horizontal surfaces of the ships every 90 days to prevent peeling paint from dropping into the water, inspect the ships on a monthly and quarterly basis and collect water runoff samples for testing. No new ships with excess flaking will be admitted to the site.

"We are following through on our commitment to clean and maintain these vessels in an environmentally sound manner," said Acting Maritime Administrator David Matsuda. "We are moving expeditiously to remove the worst-polluting ships first and diligently moving to clean the rest."

The MM&P San Juan office, where M.E.B.A. business is also conducted, has moved into new digs. It is now located at "1959 Building Center;" 1959 Loiza St., Ste 200; San Juan, PR 00911. Phone and fax numbers remain the same.

All details, event forms, donation forms, etc. may be found on the Alumni page of the school's website at http://www.mebaschool.org.  Please pass the word along to all friends, shipmates, and classmates (sailing or not). Questions and comments can be forwarded to Mike Fanning at caa2010@mebaschool.org.

M.E.B.A. Port Engineers are needed immediately in both New Orleans and Jacksonville for LMSR work with ASM/Patriot.

Members should e-mail their resumes as soon as possible to Baltimore Branch Agent Tom Suneson at tsuneson@mebaunion.org as well as ASM/Patriot’s Lisa Hernandez at crewing@ASMHQ.com.

Liberty Maritime is seeking résumés from Chief Engineers interested in sailing for the company. Interested individuals should send their particulars including a résumé via e-mail to personnel@libertymar.com.  You may also contact Nina Timonina at (516) 488-8800 with any specific questions about these opportunities.

Monday, April 5 – Boston; Jacksonville; Seattle;
Tuesday, April 6 – Baltimore/Calhoon School@CMES, Houston, San Francisco (Oakland);
Wednesday, April 7 – Charleston, New Orleans;
Thursday, April 8 – L.A. (Wilmington), New York (New Jersey), Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, April 9 – Honolulu.