Mariner union signs staffing deal with Armada

Mariner union signs staffing deal with Armada The Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, the nation's oldest maritime union, has signed an agreement with Armada Cos. to provide person-in-charge (PIC) marine officers for liquefied natural gas deepwater ports and other terminals worldwide.
   The deal will allow Petaluma, Calif.-based Armada to fulfill a contract with Texas-based Skaugen Petro Trans Offshore to provide MEBA-supplied U.S.-citizen merchant officers to serve as PICs. These officers will serve at terminals including the liquefied natural gas deepwater port in the Gulf of Mexico and the new deepwater port under construction off Gloucester, Mass.
   PICs serve as a deepwater port operator’s representative and are normally stationed aboard vessels during cargo operations. These officers must be familiar with deepwater port operations, emergency and security procedures. PICs are also responsible for coordinating gas discharge operations between the offshore regasification vessels, ports, pipeline operators and other downstream interests. They also monitor cargo transfer operations, disconnection, maneuvering off-loading buoys and maintain communications between the offshore port and the port managers.
   Under terms of the agreement, MEBA will also supply marine officers for liquefied natural gas ship-to-ship transfer operations.