As some of you may know, I work for A.P. Moller-Maersk. Recently they helped fund a new exhibit... this was an article written internally to announce the new exhibit... Thought some people might like to see the online exhibit and/or go visit it. Its pretty cool and I'm gonna try to make it out there sometime this fall:

New Maritime History exhibit at the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History opened a new exhibit "On the Water: Stories from Maritime America." Colleagues, policymakers, Defense Department officials and many others from the maritime industry gathered at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on May 21st for a special reception, celebrating the opening. "On the Water" was made possible by the generous support of The A.P. Moller and Chastine-McKinney Moller Foundation.

The 8,500 square-foot exhibition features videos, documents and artifacts recalling numerous aspects and time periods in the development of the American maritime industry. Ranging from the 1600's to the present, this unique exhibit exemplifies the tremendous impact and vital role that ocean travel and transport have played in US history. Ship models of Ro/Ro's, cruise ships, and the EMMA MAERSK are among the more modern models on display – among models of older ships can be found the SUSAN CONSTANT, which brought English settlers to Jamestown, Virginia 13 years before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth Rock. Merchant mariners are highlighted for their service to the country and their central role in making the US a maritime commercial power. Journals and published works from as far back as 1606 describe life on the sea as a full-time sailor, or as a transatlantic passenger. With the help of narrative videos and sound, interactive components of the exhibition area allow visitors the opportunity to explore maps, an engine room, or the life of pirates. Along with many Maersk colleagues, Ane Uggla, Vice Chairman of the Board for A.P. Moller-Maersk and Captain Richard Phillips of the MAERSK ALABAMA were in attendance. If you would like to explore the exhibit and some of its artifacts from a computer, go to On the Water to browse through photos, book excerpts, songs, and narratives from the exhibit.

 

Thanks for the link. My husband is a maritime engineer, and sails primarily MARAD and MSC ships (Maersk being one of the companies); he's always questioned when he mentions that he's a merchant marine since most people thought the Merchant Marine only existed during WWII with the Liberty Ships, and that modern ships were all foreign-flagged and crewed. Ironically enough, the hijacking of the Alabama made us aware of an entire profession all over again.

When we lived in VA we visited DC whenever we could, and the Smithsonian was always a stop. Nice to see that there is now a full exhibit of the evolving industry and not a simple few posters from the WWII era in a corner of the Museum of Industry (I forget the exact name).

 

if your husband works for MARAD and MSC then he definately is on some of our ships (Maersk Line Limited) as a large majority of their business is government contract work.

Frankly, the terrorists were lucky, if the MAERSK ALABAMA had been on military prepositioning like it was on its previous voyage...they would have been met by a ful tac team...and yes, the tac team is completely armed...

Its a pretty cool sight to see... Its like a floating batallion.

 

My husband's sailed as an engineer in Pre-prosition, Ready Reserve (including ROS) and Sealift fleets, with Maersk (he was on several Special Mission - TAGOS ships with Maersk) as well as other companies through AMO. He spent many assignments in Diego Garcia, or tooting along the mid-east with supplies (his ship - goodness, there have been too many in the almost 15 years that he's been at sea - entered what was considered the Zone of Engagement (I think that is the term) and he received a medal for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Many people aren't aware that the licensed side of the crew that run these ships are Naval Reserve as well as licensed through the Coast Guard.

He loves his work, even though right now he's kvetching since he wanted a change from Diego and opted for a cargo run with military supplies between UAE and Pakistan ('it's too %^(*)*)_( HOT!!!!!').

He told me that what happened to the Maersk Alabama is something every commercial ship crew knows about, trains for, and hopes will never happen to them. And the crew did exactly what they were trained to do - cut the power, set up water hoses, etc. Actually, he used to say that when he was a cadet at KP, his instructors would mention that the hotspots for piracy were actually in the Far East. MARAD and MSC ships also don't tend to travel by themselves, and usually most potential pirates would see the giant gray hulls and turn away.

If any good comes out of the Maersk Alabama, it is that the public is being re-introduced to a profession that still struggles to exist despite FOC (flags of convenience, which many times translates to sub-par ships) and legislation that makes it harder for US companies to keep up with strict USCG standards as well as manage a profit.

I wish we could make it to the Smithsonian to see the exhibit; hopefully it might turn into one of those travelling exhibits.

(and yes , I am very proud of hubby...)