New York Maritime Day Ceremonies Featured Presentation Of Two Awards

National Maritime Day was observed in New York Harbor with a cruise down the Hudson River aboard a Circle Line vessel, on which presentations of maritime awards and an ecumenical service were held. As some 400 members of New York and New Jersey's maritime community looked on, sponsors from government, labor, and management placed ceremonial wreaths on the waters of the harbor. A bugler from the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point sounded taps in memory of the men and women of the merchant marine who died in the past year.

Ceremonies aboard the vessel featured the presentation of the Gallant Ship Award to the tanker Williamsburgh by the Honorable Samuel B. Nemirow, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Maritime Affairs. Capt. Arthur H.

Fertig, skipper of the tanker, was honored for his role in the dramatic rescue by sea and air of the 560 passengers and crew of the Dutch liner Prinsendam, which caught fire in the Pacific last October.

In a last-minute program addition, Secretary Nemirow also presented the American Merchant Marine Seamanship Trophy, a perpetual cup dedicated as a permanent tribute to deeds of extraordinary American seamanship and maritime skill, to Captain Fertig, as well as individual awards and citations to all members of the Williamsburgh.

Also in attendance and honored were f i r s t officer Harry Rogers and union officials representing the shipping line, including Jerome E. Joseph, vice president District 2, MEBA, AMO, and Leon Hall, vice president Seafarer's International Union of North America. Joining the group for additional speeches and memento presentations were shipping executives associated with the tanker, including Albert Guetta, president of Bay Tankers, Inc., operator of the Williamsburgh during the rescue; A1 Jurist, vice president of the present operator of the vessel, Apex Marine Corporation; Peter Marshall, general manager product trading for American Petrofina, charterer of the vessel; and Consul General Quarles van Ufford of the Netherlands.

The announcement of the recipient of the annual Merchant Marine Achievement Trophy Award also was made on the cruise by Capt. John V. Caffrey, commander of the Robert L. Hague Merchant Marine Industries Post of the American Legion. Each year since 1956, the post has honored the person, company, or association that has made a significant c o n t r i b u t i o n to the American merchant marine in that vear.

EXXON USA was this year's recipient, and the award will be made at the White House later this year.

Earlier, Vice Adm. Robert I.

Price, United States Coast Guard, made awards to a number of shipping companies from the New York area. These awards, for support of the Coast Guard's Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system, were made aboard the Maritime Day vessel before its departure from pier 81.

James P. McAllister Sr. of J.P.

McAllister Associates, honorary chairman of the 1981 World Trade Week Committee, gave the traditional welcome aboard the vessel. Capt. Robert E. Hart, president of the Marine Index Bureau and chairman of the Maritime Day Committee, served as master of ceremonies for the day's events.

Joining the marine and world trade executives aboard were the 1981 Maritime Queen Miss Karen Powderly and her princess, sponsored by the Maritime Association of the Port of New York.

Miss Powderly, an employee of South African Marine Corporation, New York, is 23 years old and resides in Ozone Park, Queens.

The ecumenical and wreath ceremonial service in honor of those seafarers who have given their lives serving the merchant marine was conducted onboard the vessel beyond the Verranzano Bridge by the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey. The Reverend Francis C.

Huntington officiated.

Officials casting the Labor Wreath over the stern included Mr. Hall and Mr. Joseph; Henri L. Neraux, International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots ; and Andrew Rich of the National Maritime Union of North America.

Representatives handling the Government Wreath were Capt.

Richard 0. Gooden, U.S. Navy, Commander, Military Sealift Command, Atlantic; Rear Adm. Thomas A. King, superintendent, U.S.

Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point; Rear Adm. Sheldon Kinney, president, New York State Maritime College, Fort Schuyler; the Honorable Samuel B. Nemirow, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Maritime Affairs; and Vice Adm. Robert I. Price, USCG, Commander, Atlantic and Third Coast Guard District.

The Management Wreath was cast into the waters by Daniel B. Curll III, president of New York Towboat & Harbor Carriers Association; James J. Dickman, president of New York Shipping Association; Donald J. Schmidt, president of The Propeller Club, Port of New York; and Robert L. Massa, president of the Dry Dock Association of New York & New Jersey.

Joseph F. Brady, chief officer of international trade, Department of Labor & Industry in Newark, N.J., announced the appointment of George H. Becker Jr. of Eatontown, N.J., as the chairman of New York and New Jersey World Trade Week for 1981, and also gave special recognition to Mr. McAllister and Captain Hart for their part in the presentation of an outstanding 1981 Maritime Day program in the Port of New York and New Jersey.

The observance of Maritime Day, in recognition of the importance of the American merchant marine and the men and women serving aboard U.S. merchant ships, has been held on May 22 for the past 49 years. It commemorates the same date in 1819 when the S/S Savannah began the first trans-Atlantic voyage using steam power, from the Port of Savannah, Ga. It was held in New York and New Jersey on Thursday, May 21, in order not to conflict with the start of the Memorial Day weekend.