On Wednesday, February 17th, Lieutenant Commander Tom Gill, the U.S. Embassy’s Coast Guard Liaison Officer to The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, officially recognized award-winning Bahamian flagged vessels under Campbell’s Shipping Company for their strong participation during 2014 in the United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system. The brief awards presentation was held at Campbell’s Shipping headquarters in Nassau.

AMVER is a USCG managed search and rescue program in which merchant ships make themselves available for maritime emergency response on a volunteer basis. In accordance with the Coast Guard’s primary mission of search and rescue, the AMVER program exists as a vehicle for mariners to help each other without regard to nationality with the end objective that no call for help should go unanswered. Since its inception in 1958, AMVER has proven to be an invaluable search and rescue resource, and an enduring example of international public/private partnership.

Fifteen Campbell Shipping representatives were also formally presented with Letters of Appreciation, a Certificate of Merit to each ship, and three executives received an AMVER pennant, representing a ship's continuous participation in the program. The success of AMVER reinforces the important contribution provided to the international maritime community by crews, ships, companies, search and rescue authorities and governments in their global commitment to saving lives by preventing maritime accidents before they occur.

Campbell Shipping Company representatives with Lieutenant Commander Tom Gill, the U.S. Embassy’s Coast Guard Liaison Officer to The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. From left: Capt. Rajesh Dhadwal, Mrs. Cynthia Constantakis, Mr. Dario Mortimer, Mr. Daniel Cesari, LCDR Tom Gill, U.S. Coast Guard Liaison Officer, Mrs. Jennifer Pinder and Mr. Warren Armbrister.

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