VAdm Salerno to be BIMCO’s US Liaison Officer
BIMCO said that the organisation’s new US Liaison Officer is to be Vice Admiral Brian Salerno, who has retired from the United States Coast Guard as its Deputy Commandant for Operations in USCG Headquarters, Washington DC. He will join BIMCO on 1 August 2012. Vice Admiral Salerno took up his final USCG appointment in May 2010, following assignments as the Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship. He has also served as the Assistant Commandant for Policy and Planning, and as the Director of Inspections and Compliance at Coast Guard Headquarters.
Coast Guard Sets Minimum Random Drug Testing Rate
Due to results of random drug tests analyzed by the Coast Guard, RADM Paul Pluta has announced that the random drug testing rate will remain at 50 percent of covered crewmen in 2002. An evaluation of the 2000 Management Information System data collection forms submitted by marine employers determined that random drug testing on covered crewmen in 2000 resulted in positive test results 1.81 percent of the time. The minimum random drug testing rate is effective January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002. Please note that 2001 MIS reports must be submitted no later than March 15, 2002. Source: PVA
Schubert Leads Conference
Maritime Administrator William G. Schubert will lead the U.S. delegation to the Ministerial Conference on Transport and the Environment in Tokyo, Jan. 15-16. This gathering of senior officials, many at the Cabinet level, represents 20 of the world’s largest economic powers. The conference will deal with four major topics: Transport and Counter-Terrorism, Urban Transport and the Environment, Development and Promotion of Environmentally Friendly Vehicles, and Prevention of Marine Pollution. In dealing with counter-terrorism, the conference will consider actions and initiatives taken by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO).
ABS’ Liu Receives USCG Meritorious Public Service Award
Dr. Donald Liu, executive vice president and chief technology officer, ABS, has been awarded the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Meritorious Public Service Award in recognition of his contributions to marine safety. Rear Admiral Paul Pluta presented the award to Liu on behalf of the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard at this year's Offshore Technology Conference in Houston. It is the second highest public recognition award given to a civilian by the organization. "Dr. Liu's outstanding leadership and dedication to marine safety and environmental protection are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard," said Pluta.
Rear Admiral Paul Pluta Redefines Maritime Security
Rear Admiral (RADM) Paul Pluta, the man in charge of ensuring the security of the 361 ports and 95,000 miles of coastline in the U.S., had to quickly shift gears in the hours following September 11. Hired initially to beef up environmental protection and passenger vessel safety, Pluta realized after that day, that his role as Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, had changed dramatically in the hours following. September 11 began like any other for RADM Pluta. Working out of his office in Washington, D.C. where he was appointed to earlier that year by Coast Guard Admiral James Loy…
Senate Hearing Focuses on Single Hull Tanker Phase-Out
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation conducted a hearing into the phase-out of single hull oil tankers. RADM Paul Pluta
Senator Lott Will Headline PVA’s MariTrends 2002
The Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) annual convention at MariTrends 2002 will be held February 16-19, 2002 at the Grand Casino-Biloxi, Biloxi, Miss. MariTrends 2002, dubbed the passenger vessel industry’s comprehensive convention, will allow attendees and exhibitors to engage in a variety of seminars, workshops aimed at informing and assisting current operators small and large, prospective operators and government officials. U.S. Sen. Trent Lott (D-Miss.) will serve as keynote speaker for the opening general session on Saturday, February 16, beginning at 4:00 p.m. The Mississippi native and Senate Minority leader who serves on the Commerce, Science and Transportation committee, the Finance committee and the Rules Committee, Sen. Lott is known as a strong advocate of U.S.
