Posted on March 5, 2019
By Peter Bowe & Heiko Osterchrist of DredgeWire
Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order titled “Supporting the Transition of Active Duty Service Members and Military Veterans into the Merchant Marine.”
President Trump stated in his Executive Order: “It is the policy of the United States to support practices and programs that ensure that members of the United States Armed Forces receive appropriate credit for the military training and experience towards credentialing requirements as a Merchant Mariner. And it is further the policy of the United States to establish and maintain an effective Merchant Marine program by providing sufficient support and resources to active-duty and separating service members who pursue or possess Merchant Mariner credentials.”
Lasse Petterson, Chief Executive Officer of Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company (GLDD) commented, “We at GLDD are thrilled that President Trump has chosen to acknowledge and encourage the men and women of our armed forces who are making and have made the transition from military to maritime careers. In our case, GLDD has 75 veterans who are now career dredging employees, each of whom is making a positive difference in our company, our industry, and our country.”
In World War II alone, nearly 10,000 Merchant Mariners were killed by enemy fire, and died at a rate of 1 in 26. This was a casualty rate higher than any branch of the U.S. military, And the willingness of today’s Merchant Marines to serve and their sacrifice continue to play a vital role in our national defense.
Maxie McGuire, President of Callan Marine, a dredging company based in Galveston, Texas, is more than impressed with President Trump’s decisive action, stating: “After serving in the US Air Force, my first job opportunity was provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers and their engineers. Their training set me on a path to work in and shape the role of the dredging industry today. I appreciate President Trump’s dedication to policy that provides veterans with open doors to the maritime industry. Honoring our military runs deep at Callan Marine – our fleet of dredges all bear the names of landmark military heroes including, the General Patton, the General Eisenhower, the General Pershing, and the General MacArthur (now under construction in Louisiana). Callan Marine provides vital services that keep the maritime industry moving on a daily basis, and we are grateful for incentives that allow us to include and honor our military veterans.”
Among other directives, the Executive Order provides fee waivers for mariners, for example, the National Maritime Center (NMC) and so-called Transportation Worker Identification Card “TWIC Card” fees, and for NMC credentialing credit commensurate with military experience. Previously, these costs could rise to “as much as $20,000 to $25,000,” said Peter Navarro, assistant to the president for manufacturing and trade policy and director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, during an on-the-record call just prior to President Trump signing the Order.
Dale Pyatt, President and CEO of Quincy, Massachusetts based Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting Company praised the maritime initiative: “As a company that employs veterans from all military branches, Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting Co., LLC would like to thank President Trump for his attention to the U.S. Merchant Marine, and his strong support for our military and veterans. Today’s Executive Order will help the men and women of the Armed Services, who have selflessly sacrificed for our country, transition into the civilian workforce as mariners. A strong United States Jones Act maritime workforce is vital to our national defense and continued prosperity. By alleviating the barriers for our veterans, so that their military training is more easily applied to obtaining Maritime credentials, you are also strengthening our vital US maritime economy. Thank you, Mr. President.”
The dredging industry is a strong supporter of the military. “U.S dredging industry maintains the Nation’s seventeen sensitive Navy bases and military terminals. Further, the U.S. dredging companies have always recruited personnel from the ranks of the Armed Services,” said William P. Doyle, CEO and Executive Director of the Dredging Contractors of America. “This is a great thing President Trump has just done,” he finished.
Dredging appears to be on the upswing, and the industry is recruiting at all levels. According to the Dredging Contractors of America, the American dredging industry is in the midst of a $1.5 billion dredging fleet expansion. New investments include, four large cutter suction dredgers, and two large hopper dredges built by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock and Weeks Marine, and approximately 50 barges built in shipyards across the United States, including Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City, FL, Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, LA, and Halimar Shipyard, also in Morgan City. Callan Marine is constructing a massive 32-inch hydraulic cutter suction dredge at C&C Marine Shipyard in Belle Chasse, LA. Dutra Group is currently building two 6,000 cubic yard hydraulic dump scows at Corn Island Shipyard in Grandview, IN. Separately, Weeks Marine is building a 30-inch cutter head suction dredge at C&C Marine Shipyard. It doesn’t end there. Manson Construction has commenced the design phase on a large-scale, self-propelled Glenn Edwards Class hopper dredge, and Cashman Dredging is procuring long-lead time equipment for the construction of two 6,000 cubic yard hopper dredges.
*Photo is provided by Callan Marine
