So much for U.S. flagged LNG?

http://gcaptain.com/mhi-secures-orders-for-next-generation-lng-carriers-to-transport-u-s-gas/

Why aren’t we (at the very least) using those AMSEA ships if we’re going to export our LNG?

Suez was supposed to reflag the Matthew for jones act as of a few months ago. Not that it had anything to do with exports though.

[QUOTE=socalguy;168442]Why aren’t we (at the very least) using those AMSEA ships if we’re going to export our LNG?[/QUOTE]

why indeed? could it be GREEDY FUCKING ASSHOLES on Wall Street who demand maximum profits at the expense of the American mariner?

Let’s split the difference, one ship crewed by them one by us.

I am in London and spoke briefly with Chip (MARAD’s chief) yesterday and listened to his official speech, which he gave 10 minutes ago.

Privately he told me that MARAD is getting things done by focusing on specific issues. I asked about what the specific focus has been this year. He told me it would be revealed during his speech. I said that the flood of emails, phone calls and complaints gCaptain has received about Kings Point has slowed to a steady trickle… Are the problems their fixed? He replied with honesty “no kings point is not fixed, the problems have been identified and stemmed but a fix is a long term project.”

The bad news is Chip did not mention the US Flag, long or ships at all. MARAD’s full focus is on improving ports.
The good news is that Chip was honest and straight forward. The other good news is, for the first time since I started gcaptain, MARAD is getting things done.

My take is Chip is the first MARAD administrator in a long time capable of getting things done… Of course, he’s not moving forward with the things US Mariners want fixed… But he has gotten the ship underway… A feat many thought impossible.

Ok, I am wrong. Chip was just asked about progress in ship efficiency. He discussed LNG in depth, sounded competent and engaged moving forward in LNG but admitted technical problems, including “Methane Slip”, are proving to be a larger problem than expected.

What about lobbying for the US Flag with Congress?

You should remind Chip that the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 remains the law of the US

[B]TITLE 46, APPENDIX App. > CHAPTER 27 > SUBCHAPTER I > § 1101[/B]

§ 1101. Fostering development and maintenance of merchant marine

It is necessary for the national defense and development of its foreign and domestic commerce that the United States shall have a merchant marine

(a) sufficient to carry its domestic water-borne commerce and a substantial portion of the water-borne export and import foreign commerce of the United States and to provide shipping service essential for maintaining the flow of such domestic and foreign waterborne commerce at all times,

(b) capable of serving as a naval and military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency,

(c) owned and operated under the United States flag by citizens of the United States, insofar as may be practicable,

(d) composed of the best-equipped, safest, and most suitable types of vessels, constructed in the United States and manned with a trained and efficient citizen personnel, and

(e) supplemented by efficient facilities for shipbuilding and ship repair. It is declared to be the policy of the United States to foster the development and encourage the maintenance of such a merchant marine.

the Act was never reprealed and remains on the books so it is the law that Jaenichen needs to follow and obey.

time to take this one apart piece by piece

that basically is saying that the problems are so deep rooted and systemic that nothing short of taking a flamethrower to the place and burning it down can fix it. Jaenichen is merely passing a buck here telling you he can’t fix a GODDAMNED thing there. To me, if you know the problems and are a strong leader, you sit down all the concerned parties in a room and TELL THEM how things are going to be done from now on. To me, he is showing what a weak CO of MarAd he truly is.

The bad news is Chip did not mention the US Flag, long or ships at all. MARAD’s full focus is on improving ports.

I do not even believe that ports are supposed to be part of MarAd’s responsibilities and even if they are, ports are not supposed to take precedence over American ships. Again, Jaenichen passing the buck and ducking his real responsibilities here. SHAMEFUL!

The good news is that Chip was honest and straight forward.

shows how cynical we have all become when we are surprised that any goobermint official is “honest and straight forward”! we have all becoome so convinced they are otherwise and frankly, I remain skeptical about the man and his agenda.

The other good news is, for the first time since I started gcaptain, MARAD is getting things done.My take is Chip is the first MARAD administrator in a long time capable of getting things done… Of course, he’s not moving forward with the things US Mariners want fixed… But he has gotten the ship underway… A feat many thought impossible.

I don’t know about this John, Sean Connaughton got things done and at least he was from KP and had a maritime background albeit in legal. You are certainly right about Jaenichen not dealing with getting more US flagged ships and shipping but bigger and better ports for all those foreign flagged ships to bring in yet more and more Chinese made goods to put US industry out of business.

I am not a happy man this morning!

[QUOTE=c.captain;168495]time to take this one apart piece by piece

that basically is saying that the problems are so deep rooted and systemic that nothing short of taking a flamethrower to the place and burning it down can fix it. Jaenichen is merely passing a buck here telling you he can’t fix a GODDAMNED thing there. To me, if you know the problems and are a strong leader, you sit down all the concerned parties in a room and TELL THEM how things are going to be done from now on. To me, he is showing what a weak CO of MarAd he truly is.

I do not even believe that ports are supposed to be part of MarAd’s responsibilities and even if they are, ports are not supposed to take precedence over American ships. Again, Jaenichen passing the buck and ducking his real responsibilities here. SHAMEFUL!

shows how cynical we have all become when we are surprised that any goobermint official is “honest and straight forward”! we have all becoome so convinced they are otherwise and frankly, I remain skeptical about the man and his agenda.

I don’t know about this John, Sean Connaughton got things done and at least he was from KP and had a maritime background albeit in legal. You are certainly right about Jaenichen not dealing with getting more US flagged ships and shipping but bigger and better ports for all those foreign flagged ships to bring in yet more and more Chinese made goods to put US industry out of business.

I am not a happy man this morning![/QUOTE]

You are right in the fact that Sean Connaughton was effective… he was also one of the earliest supporters of gCaptain.

If only tickets to this conference weren’t so expensive I’d go myself. Looks like a lot of great industry news. Thanks for keeping us all up to date John and Mikey. I will look forward to some in-depth journalism coming out of it.

A new Floating LNG Export facility off Louisiana has been approved by MARAD: Maritime & Trade: Shipping Intelligence | S&P Global

I noted these paragraphs: [quote] “It will provide a reliable source of clean energy to US allies in the event of market disruption, and it will have a low impact on the availability and cost of natural gas in the US domestic market.”[/quote]

How nice of MARAD to worry about the clean energy availability for it’s allies. Nothing to do with gaining access to markets so far not available to US gas exporters?

Left to be seen if the “encouragement” will result in US flag, but regardless it should result in actual jobs for US Mariners, (Assuming that they are not concerned about working on foreign flag vessels, that is??)