TOTE Services seagoing personnel are currently employed aboard Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO) vessels, combination Container/RO-RO vessels, Crane Ships, OPDS tankships, and a wide variety of specialized Military Support vessels. These vessels are in various operational phases which include both Full Operational Status (FOS) with a full navigational and operational crew aboard, and Reduced Operational Status (ROS) which have a limited navigational and operational crew aboard. The vessels in ROS are maintained by TOTE Services so that they can be placed in full operational service and be underway within four days. To achieve that degree of readiness requires the skilled crews available to TOTE Services through our proven Human Resources excellence and strong labor affiliations.
TOTE Services has labor agreements with two major organizations representing U.S. mariners aboard our U.S. flag managed vessels:
American Maritime Officers, who represent all TOTE Services licensed Deck, Engine and Radio Officers. AMO is the largest union of merchant marine officers in the United States. AMO officers work aboard U.S.-flagged merchant and military sealift vessels, and AMO holds a unique presence in the international energy transportation trades. AMO officers are experienced in the operation of a broad range of deep-sea vessels including oil and product tankers, containerships, RO/RO ships, heavy-lift ships, trailerships, general cargo vessels and undersea cable installation and repair ships.
Seafarer’s International Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters represent all TOTE Services unlicensed deck, engine and steward department personnel. The Seafarers International Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU, AFL-CIO, represents unlicensed United States merchant mariners sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels in the deep sea, Great Lakes and inland trades. Membership in SIU and their affiliates is approximately 30,000.
TOTE Services is proud of our longstanding relationships with both organizations, and work closely with the leadership of our unions to provide and create job opportunities for U.S. mariners in the TOTE Services U.S. flag fleet.
