56th Annual USS Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award Returns to NYC This October

[By: United Seamen’s Service]

The United Seamen’s Service (USS) proudly announces that the 56th annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) Awards will honor three champions of American maritime: Captain Willie Barrere, National President of American Maritime Officers; Edward F. Hanley, Chief Operating Officer of Maersk Line, Limited and Vincent J. Marino, Chief Executive Officer of CMC-ITI-CCS.

A Special Recognition plaque will be presented to Edward R. Morgan in honor of his extraordinary leadership as President of USS. Serving in this role for more than 20 years, Mr. Morgan helped guide the organization with steady vision and deep commitment, ensuring that seafarers and their families received the vital support and services they depend on. The plaque will be presented by F. Anthony Naccarato, the newly elected President of USS. With more than 56 years of experience in both maritime management and labor, including a distinguished tenure at Crowley Maritime Corp., Mr. Naccarato also serves as President of American Maritime Officers Services. He brings deep industry insight and unwavering dedication to continuing the legacy of service that Mr. Morgan helped build.

The coveted AOTOS Award, represented by the iconic silver Columbus statuette, will be presented at a black-tie gala on Friday, October 24, 2025, at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. The evening will also include tributes to American seafarers honored for acts of heroism and bravery, reinforcing the core mission of USS: uplifting those who serve at sea.

For more than half a century, the AOTOS Award has recognized individuals whose leadership, integrity, and vision have advanced the U.S. maritime industry while upholding the welfare of the American seafaring workforce. This year’s honorees reflect those values and more, standing as tireless advocates for safety, progress, labor, and the strength of the American-flag fleet. “These are leaders who never forgot where they came from. They have built trust with crews, strengthened labor partnerships, and fought to keep the American maritime workforce resilient, respected, and ready. Their unwavering dedication to seafarers and to the values that define our industry makes them ideal recipients of this prestigious award,” said LTG Kenneth R. Wykle, USA, (Ret.), Chairman of the USS AOTOS Committee. “We are proud to honor Ed Morgan, whose integrity, honor, and dedication made him a trusted steward of USS’s mission, leading with purpose, advancing seafarer welfare, and strengthening the organization’s service to the maritime community.”

Captain Willie Barrere, National President, American Maritime Officers
Captain Willie Barrere is a mariner’s mariner—an accomplished captain, seasoned union leader, and steadfast champion of U.S. maritime labor. A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, he spent 27 years at sea, many as captain aboard Crowley and Maersk vessels, before bringing his deep-sea experience ashore to lead with the same discipline, resolve, and purpose that defined his time on the water.

Since taking the helm of American Maritime Officers, Captain Barrere has emerged as a formidable negotiator and unapologetic advocate for his members. He has led from the front, securing stronger wages, better benefits, and building critical recruitment pipelines. His leadership has delivered tangible wins, including new tonnage, expanded contract fleets, and safeguarded jobs for U.S. officers in a volatile industry climate. He brings persistence, clarity, and strategic insight to every negotiation, fighting not just to maintain ground, but to advance it.

Respected for his steady leadership and commanding presence at the table, Captain Barrere is known for getting results. He combines credibility with conviction, navigating complex challenges with calm determination and an unshakable focus on those he represents. Whether leading a ship or shaping the future of maritime labor, his compass remains fixed: To serve, to strengthen, and to secure the future for American mariners.

Edward F. Hanley, Chief Operating Officer, Maersk Line, Limited
Edward F. Hanley has dedicated more than four decades to strengthening American-flag shipping, earning a reputation as one of the most respected and effective leaders in the U.S. maritime industry. With a career marked by operational excellence, strategic vision, and an unshakable commitment to seafarers, Mr. Hanley has championed the growth of the U.S.-flag fleet and the safety, dignity, and welfare of those who sail under it. As a seasoned labor relations expert and longtime COO of Maersk Line, Limited, he has played a critical role in bringing new tonnage under

U.S. registry and ensuring that crews are supported not only with jobs, but with safe, stable, and honorable careers.

A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, Mr. Hanley holds dual licenses in navigation and engineering and served in the U.S. Naval Reserve. His leadership spans key executive positions at Sea-Land Service and U.S. Ship Management, where he earned the trust of both labor and management for his rare ability to balance operational demands with an unwavering focus on mariner safety and workforce development. He has been a driving force in advancing shipboard safety standards and investing in the systems and people that keep vessels moving, and crews protected.

Across the maritime community, Mr. Hanley is known as a unifier. He understands the human, technical, and operational dimensions of this industry like few others, and he brings those worlds together with purpose and clarity. His lifelong devotion to the U.S. Merchant Marine and his enduring work to expand its capabilities, while never losing sight of the seafarers at its core, make him not only a trusted leader, but a legacy builder whose impact will resonate for generations to come.

Vincent J. Marino, Chief Executive Officer, CMC-ITI-CCS
Vincent J. Marino is a driving force in intermodal operations, a leader whose commitment to safety, workforce development, and strong labor partnerships has helped shape the backbone of American cargo movement. As CEO of CMC-ITI-CCS, Mr. Marino has transformed the company his parents founded over half a century ago into a powerful, multi-regional network of equipment service facilities spanning the East Coast, Gulf, Midsouth, and Midwest. Under his leadership, the company has remained grounded in its founding values of family, integrity, and respect for labor, while pushing forward with bold operational growth.

Throughout his career, Mr. Marino has viewed organized labor not as a challenge to overcome, but as a cornerstone of success. He has earned deep respect across the labor-management spectrum for his consistent investment in the workforce and his unwavering commitment to labor stability. His hands-on leadership has fostered long-standing partnerships with labor unions, built on mutual trust, transparency, and a shared priority: creating safe, well-paying, and sustainable jobs. His forward-thinking strategies in container maintenance, repair, refurbishment, and drayage support have not only kept cargo moving efficiently but have set new standards for safety and reliability in the field.

Following the passing of his brother and business partner, Anthony V. Marino, in 2022, Mr. Marino has continued to grow the company with both purpose and heart. He remains a mentor to many, a fierce advocate for the men and women who keep the industry running, and a clear example of what’s possible when leadership is grounded in values and committed to people. His legacy is one of progress through partnership, where safety is non-negotiable, labor is valued, and the workforce is always front and center.

Proceeds from AOTOS benefit USS’s global network of seafarer support services, which provide aid and facilities to American mariners, allied crews, and U.S. military personnel overseas.

David W. Heindel, President of the Seafarers International Union, will serve as Dinner Chairman, with F. Anthony Naccarato of American Maritime Officers Service and Joseph J. Cox of Cox Maritime LLC as National Committee Co-Chairmen. USS is led by President F. Anthony Naccarato and Executive Director Roger T. Korner.

For event inquiries, tickets, or advertising opportunities in the AOTOS Journal, please contact the USS AOTOS Coordinators Lisa Aurichio or June Chin at [email protected] or (732) 817-0400. To contact USS directly, call (201) 369-1100.