|
Prayer Corner
Fr. Richard Barclift, AOS USA Cruise Ship Priest member, thanks everyone for prayers answered during his Cardiac
surgical procedure earlier this month.
For Deacon Glenn & Pat Teske with AOS Green Bay. Pat is experiencing some memory problems since the car accident in May, and Deacon Glenn is still recovering from the Heart Cath. Please continue to keep them in your prayers.
For our mariner member, Jon Furukawa, during his deployment in Iraq.
For those held hostage by pirates throughout the world.
For all those in pirate infested waters that God will protect them.
For those suffering from floods, droughts, tornados, and other harsh weather conditions. May the Peace of Christ sustain them, as they work to rebuild their homes and their lives.
We ask the intercessions of Our Lady Star of the Sea, for a calm, uneventful hurricane season.
|
Join AOS USA Today!
To join AOS USA simply click on the following link:
| |
|
 AOS USA Co-Sponsors US Observance of the IMO's
World Maritime Day
During the May Annual Meeting of AOS USA in Duluth, our membership voted to be a sponsoring organization for one of the two US observances of World Maritime Day. This will be taking place at the Port Arthur Internationals Seafarer Center on September 29, 2011. This is also the same day that the main observance will take place in at the IMO's headquarters in London.
The organizers have established a web site: www.seafarerissues.net. Here you can find the agenda, register for the event, pay the registration fee, and make a reservation at the dedicated hotel.
In addition you can CLICK HERE to get the WMD flyer and agenda.
Because of the generous underwriting BY many in the maritime industry, registration is only $25.00. You can register by CLICKING HERE, and you can pay by PayPal by CLICKING HERE. Finally, you can make reservations at the designated hotel, Hampton Inn - Port Arthur by CLICKING HERE.
Fr. Sinclair Oubre, J.C.L.
President
|
|
For Immediate Release Contact: Father Sinclair Oubre
(409) 749-0171
Port Arthur center to host national World Maritime Day observance
Maritime communities respond to piracy
With the goal to bring the reality of human and economic costs of piracy to the forefront of America's citizens and government leaders, the Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center will host one of two national observances for World Maritime Day Sept. 29.
Every year pirates collect millions of dollars hijacking ships and holding hundreds of seafarers hostage. The day long observance will address these issues through many perspectives.
Joe Cox, Chamber of Shipping of America, will address the ship owners' perspective while George Quick, Master Mates and Pilots, discusses the maritime labor's perspective. Other organizations participating include the Anglo Eastern Group, MARAD, United States Coast Guard, and Securewest International.
Registration is now underway for this fact-filled conference. For more information and to register visit www.seafarerissues.net/2011.
|
In brazen attack, Somali pirates hijack ship from Omani port
22.08.2011 Somali pirates hijacked a tanker managed by an Indian firm and with 21 Indian seafarers on board from an Omani port on Saturday, India's government shipping agency and a Gulf shipping source said. It is the second such incident in the Gulf Arab state's waters since January. The Directorate General of Shipping said the Fairchem Bogey, a chemical-oil tanker managed by Mumbai-based Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, was hijacked while anchored in Salalah port, and the Salalah-based shipping source said the vessel was being loaded with methanol when it was seized.
The port's operator, APM Terminals, however, said pirates boarded the vessel while it was two miles off the coast of Oman, awaiting a berth, and commandeered it toward Somalia.
Tom Boyd, director of external communications at APM Terminals, said there were no reported injuries or deaths among the crew, adding that the Omani government was negotiating with the pirates.
APM Terminals has a 30 percent share in Salalah port and operates it for the government.
"The Omani authorities are in discussion with the pirates. Government leaders have met this morning at the palace of the Sultan of Oman. At 8:28 a.m. the vessel sailed in the direction of Somalia," Boyd said.
Somali pirates behind similar vessel hijackings usually operate in Indian Ocean waters, but in January, a 20,586-ton Algerian-flagged bulk carrier was seized about 150 miles southeast of Salalah.
The ship, with 27 crew from Algeria, Ukraine and the Philippines, was heading to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from Salalah with a cargo of clinker. Source: arabnews.com
|
ICSW Launches New Online Toolkit on Seafarers' Welfare
18 July 2011
The International Committee on Seafarers' Welfare today launches a new online toolkit on seafarers' welfare. The new toolkit is aimed at all organisations and individuals involved with seafarers' welfare around the world.
The toolkit comprises of a set of tools on National Welfare Boards, port welfare committees, and fundraising for seafarers welfare. Additional content on seafarers' welfare and cruise ships, running successful seafarer centres, and welfare on board will follow in the new few months.
The main aim of the toolkit is to promote good practice and to share knowledge, experiences, and skills.
The toolkit is designed to assist organisations and individuals in setting up and developing national welfare boards and port welfare committees, key features of the new Maritime Labour Convention 2006. The website also provides practical advice on fundraising for seafarers' welfare.
The toolkit contains a number of case studies that provide 'real life' examples. More case studies will be added as the site develops.
An important feature of the website is the translate function. All of the website can be translated in a wide range of different languages by selecting the drop down menu on the top right of the screen. The translation is instantaneous and this functionality opens up access to the website to a wide range of different nationalities involved in seafarers' welfare.
We hope that users will interact with the site and provide new case studies and fresh content. We welcome feedback about the site. Please link your website to the online toolkit and let your members, networks, and colleagues know about the site.
The web address is www.seafarerswelfaretoolkit.org
The ICSW deeply appreciates the support of The TK Foundation for the online toolkit.
Roger Harris
Executive Director
For further information email icsw@icsw.org.uk or call +44 (0)300 012 4279
|
|
|
Important Upcoming Events for
AOS USA Members
AOS Maritime Chaplaincy Training Program
Aug. 7-19, 2011
Montreal, Canada
http://www.aos-canada.org/AOS-CanadaTraining.pdf
IMO World Maritime Day
Celebrated the week of Sept 26-30, 2011
Western Gulf World Maritime Day Observance
September 29, 2011
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Port Arthur International Seafarer Center
401 Houston Ave.
Port Arthur, TX 77640
www.seafarerissues.net
USA Celebration of World Maritime Day
September 29, 2011
@ Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center
Houston Maritime Chaplaincy Training Program
Feb. 5-16, 2012
@ Houston International Seafarers' Center
Houston School Application
|
|
|
