Union's job base grows as ASC charters in M/V Ken Boothe Sr. under AMO contract
The newly built articulated tug/barge (ATB) M/V Ken Boothe Sr. being chartered by American Steamship Company is scheduled to enter service on the Great Lakes in early April, expanding the American Maritime Officers job base and adding new jobs for AMO members sailing on the Lakes.
The M/V Boothe is designed to transport dry-bulk commodities and will join the American Steamship Company fleet under charter in the Jones Act trades on the Lakes.
"The addition of this new vessel to the AMO-contracted fleet with American Steamship is a very welcome and encouraging development," said AMO National President Tom Bethel. "The expansion of the company's operations under our new contract means new jobs for AMO members and serves as a strong and positive indicator for the prospects of the 2012 sailing season on the Lakes."
The U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged ATB is composed of the 10,700-horsepower tug Ken Boothe Sr. and the 740-foot self-unloading barge Lakes Contender, which has a cargo capacity of 34,000 tons. The vessel was built by Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair LLC, of Erie, Pa.
A subsidiary of GATX Corporation, American Steamship Company provides waterborne transportation of dry-bulk commodities on the Great Lakes with a fleet of modern, self-unloading vessels. ASC has been operating on the Great Lakes since 1907, joining GATX in 1973.
AMO represents the licensed deck and engineering officers aboard all vessels in the ASC fleet.
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