Ericsson wins CNO environmental award

By James Jackson
SEALOGPAC Public Affairs

Australian navy ship HMAS Manoora, right, conducts an underway replenishment with Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson during Rim-of-the-Pacific Exercise 2006. Ericsson recently received a Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Quality Small Ship Award. Photo courtesy Australian Department of Defence

Military Sealift Command's civil service-crewed fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson was selected as the first MSC ship to receive a prestigious Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Quality Small Ship Award.

The CNO Environmental Awards recognize ships, installations and individuals or teams for their environmental stewardship. As a result of this selection, Ericsson will now compete in the Secretary of the Navy Environmental Awards competition.

In his remarks to this year's recipients, Rear Adm. James A. Symonds, director of the CNO Environmental Division, extended his personal congratulations and said the winners have demonstrated that the U.S. Navy has one of the finest environmental programs in the world. The award will be presented at a ceremony in June in Washington.

"We have spent several years building our environmental program, working with our ships, ensuring that they are equipped, manned and trained properly in order to meet environmental requirements wherever they go. So for the Ericsson to win such a prestigious award on our first attempt in competition with the rest of the Navy is truly cause for pride and celebration, especially for the ship's master and crew," said Dr. John Austin, MSC's director of environmental programs.

"We are extremely pleased to be recognized for our environmental efforts and to receive the CNO's Environmental Award," said Capt. Robert T. Wiley, the ship's civil service master. "Every mariner that reports on board receives additional training on our environmental program, which is to prevent pollution, ensure response readiness, conserve resources and comply with regulatory requirements."

According to Wiley, it was the efforts of Cargo Mate Art Davis, the ship's afloat environmental protection coordinator, Chief Officer Steven Rose, Ericsson's garbage management plan administrator and Supply Officer Larry Harris, the certified hazardous material coordinator, who ensured Ericsson measured up to the high standards required to win this award.

USNS Ericsson and its crew of 81 civil service mariners and military department of four active duty Navy sailors are currently operating out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The ship, one of 14 Kaiser-class oilers operated by MSC, provides fuel and cargo to Navy ships while underway.

In a two-year period, Ericsson transferred almost 82 million gallons of fuel in 353 separate replenishments at sea without a significant mishap.

"MSC ships, like the active-duty fleet, have taken large strides in complying with newer and increasingly strict environmental requirements," said Austin. "Ericsson was the first Kaiser-class ship to use the Safety Management System, and the first to pass the MSC safety management system audit, which was conducted by the American Bureau of Shipping. The fact Ericsson is being recognized for its efforts leads me to believe MSC is not only headed in the right direction with our environmental and safety program, but leading the way toward the future."