MARINE ENGINEERS' BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION (AFL-CIO)
         "On Watch in Peace and War Since 1875"

MEBA TELEX TIMES               SEPTEMBER 22, 2006

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 38

In this issue...
Aker launches latest MEBA ship...Judge rules on ballast discharges...Clinic visit set up for CMES students...Union Plus programs...Assume the lotus position, channel your inner eye and chant our spirited MEBA mantra that puts you on a path to industry enlightenment. A newsletter phenomenon, we place you on a higher intellectual plane and help you ascend to an ethereal state of maritime consciousness. Go to the light! The Telex Times is an out-of-body experience!

AKER SHIPYARD LAUNCHES NEW OVERSEAS HOUSTON
Aker Philadelphia Shipyard launched the newbuild OVERSEAS HOUSTON last week, the first vessel in a multi-ship order to be operated by MEBA-contracted company OSG Shipping.

The flooding of the yard's building dock floated the vessel off its keel blocks in advance of the ship's move to the nearby Outfitting Dock, where testing and commissioning will take place in the coming months. The fifth vessel constructed by Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, following four containerships for Matson Navigation Company, is a 600-foot long MT 46
Veteran Class tanker vessel. The vessel is scheduled for a November 11 christening at the yard.

The next tanker vessel under construction for OSG at the yard continues to be assembled in the Building Dock. The vessel has not yet been named and is being referred to as Hull 006. The main engine for the vessel arrived at the shipyard on September 13. The two-stroke, 8,700 kilowatt engine operates at 127 rpm and will provide fuel efficient propulsion power while the ship is in service.

JUDGE ORDERS EPA TO REGULATE BALLAST DISCHARGES
A Federal District court this week ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to develop regulations by 2008 that will effectively regulate ballast water discharges from ships. The decision, issued by federal Judge Susan Ilston of the Northern District of California, follows an earlier decision by the same court finding that EPA's regulation exempting ballast water discharges of invasive species into U.S. waters violated the federal Clean Water Act.

The exemption regarding effluent discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel from regulation under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System had been in effect for over 30 years.

Though EPA has exempted vessel discharges from the NPDES, the problem of invasive species in ballast water has not gone unaddressed. In 1990, Congress passed the Non-Indigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act which was later amended with the National Invasive Species Act of 1996. The Coast Guard promulgates regulations under both acts.

EPA argued that the court's remedy should apply only to ballast water, and not to other discharges from vessels, such as gray water, bilge water, or blackwater. However, the court decided that its remedy should apply to all discharges from vessels, not just ballast water.

The court gave EPA until Sept. 30, 2008 to develop regulations to effectively regulate the discharges. Otherwise, unregulated discharges would be prohibited under federal law. The ruling is likely to be appealed though the Judge denied a 'stay of enforcement pending appeal.'

MEMBERS CAN COMMENT ON SAVANNAH DECOMMISSIONING
The public is getting a chance to comment on the decommissioning plan for the first commercial nuclear ship, the N/S SAVANNAH. MEBA members sailed on the vessel that was a hallmark of Pres. Dwight Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace program.

The Maritime Administration recently awarded a contract to further decommission the vessel which will open the way for its preservation. MarAd is making the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) of the ship's decommissioning available to the public and is inviting input. The draft EA analyzes the impacts associated with the full nuclear decommissioning of the
vessel. Comments on the draft should be received by October 11, 2006.

You can submit comments [referencing Docket Number MARAD-2006-25549] via the website http://dms.dot.gov or deliver them to the Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation; 400 7th St., SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401; Washington, DC 20590-001.

For further information call Carolyn E. Junemann, Environmental Protection Specialist at (202) 366-1920, fax (202) 366-6988.

CMES STUDENT PHYSICALS SET FOR OCT. 28 AT BALTIMORE CLINIC
Members attending courses at the Calhoon MEBA Engineering School will next have the opportunity to get a physical at the Baltimore Clinic on Saturday, October 28, 2006. Up to seven students can sign up for this field trip.

The School will provide transportation if needed. Those wishing to sign up can contact Laurie Swaine at (410) 822-9600, ext. 200.

MSC'S REILLY IS SPEAKER AT D.C. PROPELLER CLUB
In an address before the D.C. chapter of the Propeller Club this week, Military Sealift Commander Rear Admiral Robert Reilly, Jr. discussed MSC's role in today's changing society as well as the value of the Government agency's civilian mariners.

RAdm Reilly embarked on a lengthy discussion of the inner workings of the MSC pointing out that it has one of the world's biggest fleets and is the largest single employer of American mariners. MSC, he said, is run like a business and does have to look for cost savings. He stressed the importance of civilian mariners to the agency saying that CivMars per person may cost more money to employ than the Navy personnel per person sailing aboard their vessels yet actually save the MSC money because fewer CivMars are required
to keep the fleet going. MSC, he mentioned, has been a model of excellence in its operation of its fleet. So much so, Reilly asserted, that the U.S. Navy looks to them as an example from which to draw lessons for running their fleet.

This was Rear Admiral Reilly's first appearance before the Propeller Club since taking over from Vice Admiral David Brewer six months ago.

SAVE MONEY THROUGH UNION PLUS BENEFITS
Union Plus programs, which are available to all MEBA members and retirees, provide a vast range of money-saving benefits and services. MEBA is enrolled in over 28 moneysaving U.P. programs ranging from life insurance to financing your children's educations. These benefits use the power of millions of union members to get the best value.

Best of all, MEBA Union Plus programs are designed specifically for working families. These benefits have added features that are especially helpful in cases of disability or layoffs. Read on to see all the benefits of MEBA membership or visit www.UnionPlus.org.

Credit Card
An AFL-CIO endorsed credit card, with low-rate balance transfers, a competitive rate, no annual fee, strike skip payments and a unique Member Advocacy Program. Call 1-800-522-4000 or apply online at www.UnionPlusCard.com.

Secured Credit Card
Available to help establish or re-establish your credit. No application fee, a credit line equal to 100% of deposit and a 25-day grace period. Call 1-800-651-5108.

Your Credit Score
Learn your credit score and get help improving it by visiting www.UnionPlus.org/CreditScore.

Loan Program
Competitive-rate, personal and home equity loans. Ideal for debt consolidation. Apply online at www.UnionPlusLoan.com or call 1-888-235-2759.

Union-Made Checks
Union-printed checks and return-address labels that feature your union logo. Call 1-888-864-6625 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/Checks to order.

Mortgage and Real Estate
Makes buying or selling a home or refinancing a mortgage easier and more affordable. Features include strike, layoff and disability assistance and an easy over-the-phone application process. Call 1-800-848-6466 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/Mortgage.

Moving Service
Savings on interstate moves. Call 1-800-234-1159 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/Moving.

Home Heating Oil Discount
Save an average of $200-$300 a year on home heating oil available in MA, NY, NJ, CT, RI, ME, NH, PA, MD, DC, and VA. Call 1-800-660-0691 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/HeatingOil to find out if this program is available in your area.

Health Club Discounts
Pre-negotiated 20% to 60% discounts on monthly fees at over 1,500 health clubs. To sign up, call 1-888-294-1500 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/HealthClubs.

Health Savings
Save an average of 17% on prescription costs and reduce out-of-pocket expenses on a variety of health care services such as dental and vision care, and more. Visit www.UnionPlus.org/HealthSavings or call 1-877-570-4845 for details.

Education Services
Provides information about loans, scholarships, how to select a school, how to prepare for college entry tests, and much more. Visit site for details. To speak to a financial aid counselor, call 1-877-881-1022. Visit www.UnionPlus.org/Education to visit the college planning center.

Legal Service
Free and discounted legal assistance. To find a lawyer in your area, call 1-888-993-8886 (9 am -7 pm ET, M-F) or visit www.UnionPlus.org/Legal.

Pet Services
Cut the cost of owning a pet. Save 25% on veterinarian services, 10% on pet health insurance premiums, and much more. Visit www.UnionPlus.org/Pets to
start saving.

Travel Center
The one stop for all of your travel needs including discounted car rentals, cruises, RV and condo rentals. Make airline and hotel reservations online through the largest airfare search engine on the Internet at www.UnionPlusTravel.com.

Car Rental Discounts
Save up to 25% on car rentals. Call Avis - 1-800-698-5685, ID# B723700 or Budget - 1-800-455-2848, ID# V816100 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/CarRentals.

Entertainment Discounts
Save on movie tickets and rentals, theme parks, theaters, and sporting events. Call 1-800-565-3712 and use ID#744387769 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/Entertainment.

Worldwide Vacation Tours
Discounted international travel packages. Call 1-800-590-1104 or visit the Union Plus Travel site at www.UnionPlusTravel.com.

Cruise Savings
Save a minimum of 5% on cruises anywhere in the world from Norwegian Cruise Line. Enjoy Hawaii with NCL America, which operates US-flagged, all union cruise ships. Call 1-866-867-0593 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/Cruises. 

Goodyear Tire and Service Discounts
Save up to 10% when you service your car or buy tires, and support union workers who make many Goodyear tires. Visit www.UnionPlus.org/Goodyear.

Cingular Wireless Discounts
Save 5% on cellular phone service with a unionized wireless phone company. Visit www.UnionPlus.org/Cingular.

Powell's Bookstore
Save on new and used books and textbooks at this discount unionized Internet bookseller. Visit www.UnionPlus.org/Books.

Union-Made Clothing Discounts
Buy union-made apparel and save with a minimum 5% discount on everything you buy. Jeans, dress shirts, casual wear, jackets and more. Discounts at Justice Clothing, No Sweat Apparel and Union Jean & Apparel Company. Order online at www.UnionPlus.org/Clothing.

Dell Computers
Discounts on computers and accessories. Visit www.UnionPlus.org/Computer for details.

Union Plus Internet Service
Get huge savings on high-speed dial-up Internet service. Features include pop-up blockers, spam filters, virus protection and more. Visit www.UnionPlus.net  for more details.

Flower Service
Save 15% when you send flowers. To place an order, visit www.UnionPlus.org/Flowers (and save an extra $1 online) or call 1-888-667-7779.

BP TO RESTART NORTH SLOPE PIPELINE FOR CLEANING & TESTING
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has approved BP Exploration Alaska, Inc.'s request to restart and test the safety of one of the company's low-pressure pipelines on the North Slope that has been shut down since a leak was detected there in early August.

MEBA officers carry oil from Alaska to California aboard BP tankers that are operated by our contracted company Alaska Tanker Co. Soon after pipeline corrosion forced BP to shut down its Prudhoe Bay oil field, MEBA was informed that the situation would not interrupt the shipping schedule. MEBA crews the officer billets aboard the ATC vessels.

PHMSA's approval means BP will be able to pump oil back into its Eastern line so it can clean and test the line. This will involve bringing the line up to operating pressure; running an internal cleaning device, known as a "pig," to dislodge built up solids such as sand and other sediments and then removing those solids from the line; and running an internal inspection
device, known as a "smart pig," to get a complete diagnostic analysis of the pipe.

"The only way to test these lines to make sure they are safe is to restart them in a controlled, monitored way," said PHMSA Administrator Thomas Barrett. Barrett added that the agency is requiring BP to deploy incident response personnel and cleaning and containment equipment along the line to respond immediately to any sign of trouble. Any problems identified during testing will result in an immediate shut down of the line, he said.

PHMSA will use the test results and other data collected from its on-site inspectors to evaluate whether BP can continue operating the Eastern line safely. At full capacity, the line moves 200,000 barrels of oil a day. Barrett said the measures are needed to run the pipeline safely until BP replaces the line next year with smaller diameter pipe meant to cut down on corrosion.

NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday October 2 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, October 3 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, October 4 - Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, October 5 - Los Angeles, New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, October 6 - Honolulu.

--------FINISHED WITH ENGINES---------