By Petty Officer 2nd Class Corinne Zilnicki - When the clock tolled 12 a.m. on Feb. 12, 1983, the 605-foot cargo ship Marine Electric trekked northward 30 miles off Virginia's Eastern Shore, plowing slowly through the gale-force winds and waves stirred up by a winter storm. An able-bodied seaman relieved the watch and peered forward, noticing for the first time that the … [Read more...]
Capt George Livingstone: Alarm! Alarm! Alarm!
By Captain George Livingstone - One of my favorite war movies is the critically acclaimed 1981 film Das Boot, directed by Wolfgang Peterson. It follows the WWII, German submarine U96 as it sets out on patrol in the Battle of the Atlantic. If you haven’t seen it and have an interest in the genre, I highly recommend it. There is a dramatic scene with the … [Read more...]
Interview: Mark Dickinson, General Secretary of Nautilus International, Talks Seafarers’ Pay, Working Conditions, Criminalization and More
Interview by Paul González-Morgan (Marine Strategy) - Mark Dickinson, is General Secretary of the trade union Nautilus International, with members in waterborne transport sectors all over the world – from deepsea oil tankers to river cruises. Mark has spent over 40 years in the maritime industry, which began when he joined the British Merchant Navy as a Navigating Cadet in … [Read more...]
Admiral Thad Allen: This Senseless Government Shutdown Is Harming Coast Guard Families
By Admiral Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard (Retired) - Today, with the government shutdown in its third week, it is beyond troubling that Coast Guard men and women are being unnecessarily subjected to financial hardship while enduring the operational, mission-related circumstances that are accepted as part of their compact with their country. These are the Americans who flew … [Read more...]
Interview with Baleària’s President and Main Shareholder, Adolfo Utor
Interview by Paul González-Morgan (Marine Strategy) - Adolfo Utor is the President and main shareholder of the Baleària, Spain’s leading shipping company in the transport of passengers and cargo between the Balearic Islands and the Iberian Peninsula (through the ports of Barcelona, Valencia and Denia). Baleària are one of the largest operators in the Strait of Gibraltar … [Read more...]