At a Special Convention of the California Labor Federation in Manhattan Beach on August 26, 539 delegates representing two million organized workers, voted unanimously to reaffirm labor?s position for a strong NO vote on the recall of Governor Gray Davis, slated for October 7.
Representative Ed Case (D-HI) introduced three bills in the House of Representatives that would gut the Jones Act provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, the cornerstone of U.S. cabotage and maritime policy.
Legislation that provides for a new Maritime Security Program (MSP) to replace the current program when it expires on September 30, 2005, was unanimously approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on June 26.
After months of vacillating on whether to purchase two containerships being built at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard, Matson Navigation Company will christen the first vessel? m/v Manukai? on July 12.
Matson Navigation Company issued a press release on May 20 stating that it will ?own and operate? the two Manukai-class vessels currently under construction at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard.
Contentious negotiations result in work in new Hawai?i ships and maintenance of the existing fleet.
Matson Navigation Company has threatened not to purchase two vessels being built at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard but will instead time-charter them back from a new owner with lower crew costs.
In a hard-hitting speech this month in Washington, Senator John Breaux (D-LA) underscored the need to reauthorize the Maritime Sec-urity Program (MSP) prior to the legislation?s expiration on September 30, 2005.
U.S. intelligence officials have identified approximately 15 ships around the world that they believe are controlled by Osama bin Laden?s al Qaeda.
The Department of Defense?s (DOD) use of foreign-flag ships crewed by non-U.S. citizen seafarers to transport military equipment and supplies represents a major weakness in DOD?s force protection system aimed at securing the nation from terrorists acts at U.S. seaports.