— The Council of American Master Mariners, Inc. —
CAMM Views & Positions
Views & Positions Home Page
Page last updated on Tue, Apr 28, 2009
Welcome to CAMM Views
Here will be important issues of the day for Masters and your opportunity as a member of CAMM to voice your feedback and provide additional support or testimony in relation to these (or other) subjects. Your input gives CAMM the opportunity to buttress, debunk, and scrutinize items while at the same time allowing time and changing world events to induce reflection by year’s end.
A POSITION is a statement of support or opposition concerning a major issue or incident effecting mariners, which position has been voted on by the membership at a previous CAMM Annual General Meeting (AGM). The POSITION expresses the majority opinion of the membership.
A VIEW is a statement currently under consideration but which has not been voted upon by the membership. The VIEW will be offered at the next Annual Meeting for consideration. The purpose of the VIEW is to offer information or opinion germane to the merits of adopting a position regarding the issue and to alert members of facts which may not be previously known to them. This allows us all to be well informed about each major issue well before it is debated at the AGM.
As the Annual General Meeting approaches, the issues of VIEWS will be culled down to issues that have proven to be most substantive. After discussion and debate at the AGM, Official Position Statements will be generated for proposal to The Council. Once approved, these CAMM VIEWS will become Official Positions and will be archived for reference and viewing. Each year at the AGM, positions from the previous year will be reviewed, and will then either be amended, carried forward, or dropped. This will keep all our positions current and up-to-date.
CAMM is widely recognized as an organization whose members are highly regarded and extremely knowledgeable about the issues on which we take positions. This is your opportunity to assure that issues about which you are passionate get proper attention from this influential organization. Post your comment so that you get your “oar in the water” well before the next AGM, helping us to have informed discussion well before the vote. To post your comments and input, and read other's comments, visit the Views Forum and Positions Forum. It's easy.
The following are CAMM’s current positions on maritime matters. Positions were agreed on by attendees at our AGM.
Printable version - pdf format
POSITION
Criminalization of Shipmasters (09-01)
OPPOSE the arrest and detention of shipmasters and crew in the wake of a maritime incident. SUPPORT IFSMA position calling on the USCG, IMO, ICS and other international bodies to cease actions which may result in false imprisonment without trial.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Ports of Refuge (09-02)
SUPPORT a requirement that Port States permit ships in distress to have access to a nearby port of refuge, as approved by the Master, rather than forcing such a ship out to sea.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
One Man Bridge Watch (09-03)
OPPOSE one man bridge watch in effect in some commercial fleets. SUPPORT amendment to international regulations requiring an additional bridge watch stander for vessels of 1600 gross tons and larger.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Law of the Seas Treaty (LOST) (09-04)
OPPOSE U.S. ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty, which would give important domestic powers to an international authority based in Brussels. Specifically oppose provisions which would result in American ship masters accused of offenses at sea being tried by an international court in Europe, and conducted without the benefit and protection guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Witness Treatment by US Officials (09-05)
OPPOSE detention of crew of violating ships for the purpose of serving as material witness(es) for an unreasonable period of time, causing loss of liberty, wages, and proper due process.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Contamination and Safety (09-06)
SUPPORT efforts of all regulatory agencies to detect and hold accountable all substandard vessels of all flags and registries which contaminate US waters through discharge of oil, contaminated water, sludge, sewage, etc. Ships infested with roaches, rats and other vermin having insufficient fresh water for crew needs, and lacking basic safety and sanitation conditions should not be permitted to operate in US waters.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
IFSMA’s Fair Treatment of Seafarers (09-07)
SUPPORT the formation of an ILO/IMO Working Group on the Fair Treatment of Seafarers, to develop internationally accepted guidelines for addressing actions against and criminalization of seafarers. SUPPORT the IFSMA proposal modeled on the 1991 IMO guidelines on oil pollution.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Seafarers Biometric Cards (09-08)
SUPPORT US adoption of ILO Convention 185 for Seafarers Biometric Cards The lack of adoption has resulted in US cancellation of crew list visas.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
ILO Maritime Labor Convention (09-09)
Support ILO Maritime Labor Convention 186 to eliminate sub-standard shipping with respect to maritime labor. Convention 186 lays down stringent rules regarding working conditions and request proof of compliance from ships. Port State control officers have the power to fine and detain ships which do not abide by the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights”.
CAMM also supports the two thirds majority vote of member states for adoption of the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights” and urges US adoption of this doctrine.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
IFSMA’s Position on Watch Stander’s Fatigue (09-10)
SUPPORT IFSMA position on Watch Stander Fatigue and the idea of establishing a minimum rest period to improve safety.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
IFSMA Advocates Goal-based Manning (09-11)
SUPPORT IFSMA position that minimum manning levels established by Flag States be “performance based”, taking into consideration ship type and trading pattern.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Seaman’s Mansluaghter Act (09-12)
CAMM SUPPORTS changing the Seaman’s Manslaughter Act to require a higher standard of proof than simple negligence.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
US Coast Guard ownership of Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) / License (09-13)
CAMM stands in opposition of the Coast Guard’s position that they own the new Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) / License and can revoke or recall them at any time without cause as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations.
The person who has been issued a USCG MMC / License owns that license or document. The license or mariner’s document is surrendered to the Coast Guard only after due process.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Vessel Documentation, Inspection & Mariner Credentialing (09-14)
CAMM supports the transfer of vessel documentation, vessel inspection and mariner credentialing from Department of Homeland Security to Department of Transportation. This change would align US maritime policy with that of other seafaring nations.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
IFSMA E-Navigation Comments (09-15)
SUPPORT IFSMA Working Group comments regarding having newly installed E-NAV equipment designed and driven by watch standers rather than technicians.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Support for Master and Mate of Hebei Spirit imprisoned by South Korean Government (09-16)
CAMM urges the Korean courts to completely exonerate the Master and Mate of the Hebei Spirit in all charges relating to the allision and spill.
CAMM joins IFSMA and other International Maritime Organizations in protest to this ruling and will do what it can to publicize this event.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
International Piracy On the High Seas – Elimination of (09-17)
As a group of professional Master Mariners we are united in the effort to defeat all piracy anywhere in the world. The tradition of the Navies around the world are to protect the shipping lanes of world commerce.
We support the UN resolution adopted Dec 17, 2008 and urge the militaries of the world to work to defeat piracy wherever it may be.
CAMM’s position is that the best strategy to prevent further piracy against US-Flag commercial vessels and their crews is for the US government to immediately provide US-flag vessels with the force protection necessary to prevent any further attacks. CAMM asserts that it is the responsibility of the US Government to provide the force protection necessary to ensure the safety of life and property aboard US-Flag vessels.
Post your comment in our forums.
POSITION
Urge the President to fill maritime vacancies (09-18)
The Council of American Master Mariners urges the President and the Secretary of Transportation to move expeditiously to appoint a new Maritime Administrator. The maritime industry in the US is too important to the nation’s economic recovery to leave MarAd undirected during these challenging times. Further, the President should also nominate two knowledgeable individuals to fill vacancies on the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) – and to appoint a chairman for the FMC.
Post your comment in our forums.