Page 4: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 1992)

AWO Testifies At USCG

User Fee Hearing

The Coast Guard and Navigation

Subcommittee of the House Merchant

Marine and Fisheries Committee, chaired by Congressman Billy

Tauzin of Louisiana, recently held a hearing on the Coast Guard's pro- posed regulations concerning vessel inspection and merchant mariners licensing and document fees.

Jack Park, Crowley Maritime

Corporation, testified on behalf of the American Waterways Operators (AWO).

At the outset, chairman Tauzin and all other subcommittee mem- bers present expressed the view that the proposed fees were unfair, that the levels proposed clearly exceeded the cost or value of the service being provided, and that small operators would be particularly hard hit by this new financial burden.

Rear Adm. Arthur E. Henn testi- fied that given the concerns which have been expressed by Congress and the public, the comment period would be extended, and that five regional hearings would be held during this period in order to receive additional public comments. Admiral Henn also admitted that the impacts on small operators clearly appeared to be a problem, and he believed the

Coast Guard should consider a more equitable schedule to reflect actual

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Industry witnesses were unani- mous in their opposition to the pro- posed fee structure, citing specific examples of the proposed fee impacts on various categories of ves- sel operators. Labor witnesses also opposed the fees.

Oglebay Norton Names

New Head, Directors

R. Thomas Green, Jr., has been elected chairman, president, chief executive officer and a director of

Oglebay Norton Company. He suc- ceeds Renold D. Thompson, former president and chief executive officer, who was elected vice chairman of the

Board. Mr.Thompson has 40 years service with the company.

ChairmanCourtney Burton and vice chairman Fred R. White, Jr. announced their retirement from those board posts, but continue as directors of Oglebay Norton. Mr.

Burton was named chairman emeri- tus; Mr. White, vice chairman emeri- tus.

Albert C. Bersticker, president and chief executive officer of Ferro

Corporation, was elected a director.

The elections increase Oglebay

Norton Board membership from nine to eleven.

Council Suggests DOD

Actions To Benefit US Yards

Following a recent meeting be- tween Donald J. Atwood, Deputy

Secretary of Defense, and Ameri- can shipyard representatives in which the future of U.S. shipbuild- ing and ship repair in the wake of planned defense spending reduc- tions was discussed, Shipbuilders

Council of America president John

Stocker sent Mr. Atwood a letter suggesting the following actions on the part of the Department of De- fense to help slow the decline in

U.S. shipyard employment and ease the pressures on escalating unit costs for naval vessels. • Accelerate the DoD's procure- ment of sealift ships. • Let the Administration know that the DoD wholeheartedly sup- ports the continuation and imple- mentation of the Jones Act. Tanker owners engaged in domestic trade need to update their fleets with U.S. built, double-hulled vessels, but are reluctant to do so because of a per- ception that the Jones Act cabotage law may be subject to repeal in the future. • Communicate to the U.S. trade representative DoD's support of re- vitalized commercial shipbuilding in the U.S., including support for aggressive action to end foreign gov- ernment support practices that dis- advantage American yards. • Support H.R. 2056, the Ship- building Trade Reform Act. • Consider a requirement to com- pete 100 percent of all Navy repair availabilities between public and private sectors.

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