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[Page: E847]  GPO's PDF
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• Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge a great leader in the maritime community, Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller, owner of the A.P. Moller Group--a global transportation provider whose fleet of ships make it the world's largest shipping company and also the largest US-flag carrier. When Germany invaded Denmark in 1940, the company's fleet numbered 46 ships and many of those vessels were used by the United States and its allies during WWII. Maersk Moller and his wife spent the war years in the United States. After almost eight years in America, Maersk Moller and his father faced the daunting challenge of rebuilding their company. A number of ships were purchased from the United States government and slowly the company was rebuilt. A.P. Moller has made significant contributions to the U.S. economy over the years. The company's United States headquarters was founded in 1943, and in 1947 a notable affiliate--Maersk Line, Limited--was chartered in Delaware. Today Maersk has 10 United States corporate entities devoted to terminal operations, trucking, rail transportation, and third party logistics and it generates employment for approximately 9000 Americans. Maersk serves more than 30,000 US exporters and importers dedicated to international trade. Today A.P. Moller is the largest carrier in the world. It operates approximately 250 ships including container vessels, tankers, bulk carriers, supply ships, car carriers, and drilling rigs. 53 of these ships fly the Stars and Stripes and are owned, operated or chartered by Maersk Line, Limited. It is the largest U.S. flag carriers serving the foreign trades of the United States. Allow me to recognize some other important contributions. 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 we could load much needed supplies for our troops during the sustainment phase of the operation. Prior to Desert Storm, Maersk Line, Limited obtained a secret clearance ftom the Department of Defense and now has a top-secret clearance to operate ships for the U.S. Navy. This important mission and valuable program continues today.

• Mr. Speaker, I am very interested in strengthening a cost effective U.S.-flag fleet that is dedicated to the foreign commerce of the United States. The Maritime Security Program (MSP) will soon have to be reauthorized for our nation to maintain a U.S.-flag presence. It is important to recognize that during a contingency, companies participating in MSP like Maersk Line, Limited are contractually obligated to the statutorily mandated Voluntary Intennodal Sealift Agreement (VISA). Combined, Maersk and other U.S. vessels provide the intennodal infrastructure that includes terminal, truck, rail and sealift capacity the Department of Defense (DOD) would rely on to lift critically important military equipment during a conflict. Without the MSP it would cost the taxpayers billions of dollars in DOD spending to replicate what MSP carriers, like Maersk, provide. A strong, competitive commercial U.S.-flag presence in international trade is therefore vitally important. It is important we recognize that in order to maintain a strong, reliable and available fleet of MSP vessels the program must understand and meet carrier operating costs. It should be indexed to keep abreast of inflation and we should make sure that MSP benefits flow to the U.S. corporate citizen providing VISA assets to our military. I look forward to working with my colleagues

  [Page: E848]  GPO's PDF

  and improving the Maritime Security Program . Mr. Speaker, Maersk Line, Limited plays a critical role in both the national security interest of the United States and the transportation of goods in and out of the U.S. I am proud to recognize Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller for the services his company provides and for his dedicated leadership in the maritime arena. He is a true friend of the United States of America.
  

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