With the Great Lakes shipping season on its annual winter furlough, the port of Duluth, Minnesota, is hosting a national convention of ship captains starting today. The International Ship Masters’ Association is “North America’s largest fraternal organization of vessel Captains, Crewman and Executives, with local lodges in the primary ports of the Great Lakes.”
The president of the Twin Ports lodge, Capt. Joe Walters, is being sworn in as the association’s new national president, bringing the event back to Duluth for the first time since 2001.
The press release from the Duluth-Superior Port Authority is below, but before that I’ve intercepted the top-secret itinerary of the ship captains while in Duluth:
7a: Seafood breakfast
8a: Peg (leg) waxing by Jane.
9a: “Hooks or Hands?” session
10a: Rum break w/ synergy activity
11a: “The tax ramifications of A Girl (or Boy!) in Every Port” session
12p: Lunch in the Arrrrrrboritum (seafood)
1p: Whale tolerance training
2p: Rum break w/ table check-in
3p: “Knots for the Digital Age” session
4p: “Where’s polaris? Oh, there it is!” session
5p: Dinner at Fitgarrrrrrrrrs (seafood special)
6p: Happy ARRRRRR!
7p: Dancing/Live Music (Charlie P’ARRRRRRRRR)
Duluth, Minn. (Feb. 5, 2015) – Been seeing more ship captains in town lately? That’s because the Port of Duluth-Superior is hosting a national convention of them! The International Ship Masters’ Association is North America’s largest fraternal organization of vessel Captains, Crewman and Executives, with local lodges in the primary ports of the Great Lakes.
Thursday, Friday & Saturday (February 5th, 6th & 7th) will see hundreds of Captains, Chief Engineers, other vessel officers and shipping company executives fly, drive and ‘float’ into town for the 2015 International Ship Masters’ Annual Grand Lodge Convention. It is hosted by the Ship Master’s Twin Ports Lodge 12, whose President, Capt. Joe Walters, will be inducted as the new national Grand Lodge President. The last time the local lodge brought the convention to Duluth-Superior was in 2001.
The maritime industry has always been the most environmentally friendly way to transport people and products. But now, the development of “Green” fuels, low emission engines and cleaner ballast water systems, it is truer than ever — which is why this year’s convention theme is “Deep Blue, Is The New Green”.
The highlights of the three day event are the dramatic new National Grand Lodge Officer’s Induction Ceremony on Friday afternoon & the elegant Grand Lodge Dinner and Ball on Friday evening. The Induction Ceremony will be at the Radisson Duluth and the Grand Dinner & Ball at the Harbor Side Ballroom at the Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center (DECC).
Media are invited to the Induction Ceremony, which starts at 4:00 PM Friday, in the “Great Hall” at the Radisson. An informal press conference will follow, with interviews available from the new national President and other key Great Lakes vessel Captains & Officers.
City Councilor ShARRRRRRla GARRRRRRdner is a big supporter of this.
So are Emily LARRRRRRRson and BARRRRRRRb Russ.