In these changing times of surprising yet effective new alliances, the U.S. maritime industry and environmental groups protecting U.S. waterways must learn to work together. By lobbying for the protection, expansion, and overhaul of the Jones Act and its associated trade, these two groups can form a powerful force to preserve and strengthen the foundation needed to save U.S. waters and mariners.
Foreign-flag shipping is a fact of the global economy. Ships bearing flags of convenience are not a necessary fact of this economy, however. Flags of convenience were established to avoid relatively expensive safety, maintenance, and labor practices required under U.S. law. Flag-of-convenience shipping repeatedly has affected U.S. waterways in a negative way. Without proper regulation, these vessels have brought destructive species into the Great Lakes, run aground on coral reefs in national sanctuaries, supported inhuman labor practices, and threatened U.S. shores with potential oil spills. Indeed, the foreign cruise ship industry alone is a disaster waiting to happen, as demonstrated by the many fires, groundings, criminal acts, and pollution incidents of the recent past.
In the last year alone, I witnessed several disturbing incidents at a single major northeast U.S. port:
- A foreign-flag tanker lightering oil was dragging anchor. Even though the U.S. Coast Guard repeatedly called the ship, the tanker's bridge watch failed to answer the radio. Finally, the Coast Guard had to dispatch a launch and physically signal the ship. Did the tanker's watchstanders have international standards of training and watchkeeping certification documents? Probably. Did it matter to them that they did not keep a proper anchor watch in U.S. waters? Probably not.
- In a narrow river, a foreign-flag ship lost her power. What if the current and wind were in the opposite direction and had slowed or grounded this ship? Two loaded oil barges were following astern and had no options for maneuvering if the ship had blocked the narrow, limited channel. Had this ship's power plant ever been inspected? Were the engineers properly trained?
- While lightering a foreign tanker, foreign crew members announced that they were prisoners. They complained that the captain and the ship's owner had blocked their ability to obtain visas for liberty in the United States. Crew members said they had been on board for eight months. Are these the refreshed individuals we want handling oil transfers in our waters?
After the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 created many new requirements for the safe transport of oil in U.S. waters. The new efforts, however, treated the symptom and not the fundamental problem. What if a foreign-flag tanker had run aground in 1989? Are we really going to get the bad mariners off the oceans through a weak international enforcement agency, if one exists at all? Current international agreements have standardized navigation rules and watchkeeping qualifications. But as with so many international treaties, who will enforce them, who can we trust, and are they worth the risk to our precious waters and fisheries?
The environmental movement in Puget Sound has succeeded in requiring escort tugs for oil tankers. This is a great idea, but again this treats only the symptom. Why are we letting ill-- trained, ill-treated foreign mariners with poorly maintained and uninspected ships enter our waters? Mariners should join with the environmental movement to overhaul and improve the Jones Act, protect U.S. waters, and ensure that we can bring our training and professionalism to bear at home and abroad.
Foreign ships must enter our waters to sustain global commerce. The Coast Guard does a great job inspecting all vessels entering U.S. waters, but it is undermanned and overtasked. Still, these inspections and those by similar agencies must be expanded to include examinations of steering gear, power plants, and personnel qualifications of all ships. In addition, let's rebuild and hold accountable the U.S-flag offshore and inshore fleet to create a fundamental framework for safety and pollution enforcement. A strong, well-trained U.S. fleet will reduce the number of foreign ships entering our waters and provide the necessary accountability for safety and pollution control. This will provide a shining example to the rest of the world and lead to the ultimate preservation of all the world's oceans.
As this nation and the planet turn to the oceans increasingly for sustenance, will Americans do more to protect their mariners and waterways and their futures?
Mr. Chicchelly served five years with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He currently sails with a tug/barge oil transport company and is a Naval Reserve Supply Corps officer.