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THE HONORABLE MAERSK MOLLER, A MARITIME VISIONARY -- HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR
(Extensions of Remarks - June 13, 2001)
[Page: E1099] GPO's PDF
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HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, June 13, 2001
- Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a most extraordinary
maritime leader, Mr. Maersk
Mc-Kinney Moller, a true visionary of the international shipping community and
owner of the A.P. Moller Group. Mr. Moller's company, Maersk-Sealand, is a
global transportation provider whose fleet of ships make it the world's
largest shipping company. I am also very pleased to note that Maersk Moller's
ships fly the American flag and generate much needed jobs for U.S. maritime labor. In fact,
Maersk-Sealand directly generates employment for approximately 9000 people in
its United States shipping business and it also serves more than 30,000 U.S.
based companies engaged in international trade.
- Maersk is truly a remarkable company, Mr. Speaker, and Maersk Mc-Kinney
Moller is an
[Page: E1100] GPO's PDF
exceptional
person. Mr. Moller's family history is rooted in the United States. His mother
was an American, born in Kansas City. During the time spent in this country
during World War II, Mr. Moller developed a keen appreciation of the many
sacrifices Americans made during that great struggle. Many of the ships in the
A.P. Moller fleet were used by the United States and our allies. Following
World War II, Maersk Moller, his father, and many other people worked hard to
rebuild their civilian shipping enterprise into the world-class company it is
today.
- I would like to cite a few of the significant Maersk milestones.
- The company's United States headquarters was founded in 1943.
- Today Maersk has 10 United States corporate entities dedicated to ship
management, terminal operations, trucking, rail transportation, and third
party logistics and, as mentioned, it generates employment for approximately
9000 Americans.
- In 1947, a prominent affiliate, Maersk Line, Limited, was chartered in
Delaware.
- Maersk Line, Limited is the largest U.S.-flag carrier serving the foreign
trades of the United States.
- 53 vessels documented under the U.S.-flag are owned, operated or chartered
by Maersk Line, Limited.
- 29 of these ships are dedicated to service for the U.S.
government.
- Maersk Line, Limited has become a critical partner in the preposition ship
program for the Marine Corps and
U.S. Army.
- Maersk Line, Limited ships were the first vessels to arrive in Desert
Storm and off-load critically needed Marine Corps supplies and
equipment.
- Space on Maersk commercial ships was provided free of charge to the U.S.
government so the government could load much needed supplies for our troops
during the sustainment phase of the operation.
- Mr. Speaker, during a recent discussion with Mr. Maersk Moller, I was
impressed with his deep desire to maintain a competitive U.S.-flag presence in
the international trade. Mr. Moller is a true believer in United States flag
shipping and our maritime
interests are the better for his support of a U.S.-flag fleet.
- I believe that we need new initiatives to stimulate an international
U.S.-flag presence. A tax-based methodology, for instance, has been used in
other countries to encourage growth in their merchant fleets; we should have
similar incentives for American workers to attract talented people to this
important industrial base.
- I am working on legislation to provide such incentives for our U.S.-flag
operations, under the Maritime
Security Program . Companies like Maersk are
very willing to invest in U.S.-flag shipping and make a contribution to the
national security interests of
the United States. We must give them encouragement to do so.