SEATTLE, Oct. 21, 2016 /CNW/ -- The captain and crew
of Holland America Line's ms Veendam were honored by the
Association for Rescue at Sea with a prestigious AFRAS AMVER Award
for the 2015 rescue of a pilot who ditched his aircraft in the
Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. The
Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System was implemented by
the U.S. Coast Guard in 1958, and the AMVER Awards were created in
1971 to recognize vessels that participate in the program.
Holland America Line received the
award at the annual Coast Guard Award Ceremony Sept. 21, 2016, at the United States Capitol in
Washington, D.C. Veendam's
Captain Eric van der Wal accepted
the honor on behalf of the cruise line.
"The pilot rescue in the Pacific Ocean is a proud moment in our
company history, and we are honored to receive the AFRAS AMVER
Award from the Association for Rescue at Sea," said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line's
president. "We are proud to support the AMVER motto, 'No Call for
Help Goes Unanswered,' and on behalf of Veendam's captain
and crew we thank you for the recognition."
The AMVER awards honor the heroism of those who take
extraordinary measures to effect a successful rescue at sea. On
Jan. 25, 2015, Veendam rescued
a pilot 225 miles off the coast of Maui,
Hawaii, who had to ditch his single-engine aircraft after a
malfunction with the fuel system. The plane had a parachute system,
and the pilot was able to safely escape into a life raft from which
he was retrieved by Veendam.
The ceremony was hosted by California Rep. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Marine Transportation, with
additional members of Congress and the Vice Commandant, Adm.
Charles D. Michel, of the United
States Coast Guard and his senior staff also in attendance.
The AFRAS AMVER Award was inaugurated in 1996 by the nonprofit,
charitable-status Association for Rescue at Sea, which is devoted
to supporting services concerned with saving lives at sea and
promoting the importance of safety in concert with other maritime
and aviation organizations. Selection criteria for the award
include seamanship, ship handling, degree of effort involved in the
rescue and the ship's initiative in responding.
The Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System, or AMVER,
which is sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a computer-based
voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and
rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress
at sea.
This was the third rescue at sea by a Holland America Line ship
in 2015. On Jan. 3, ms
Zuiderdam rescued eight crew members from a sinking vessel in
the Caribbean, and on Jan. 4 ms Zaandam came to the aid of seven
stranded crew members at the Arctowski Polish research station at
King George Island in Antarctica.
Editor's note: Photos are available at
https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/f3bfpsw5.
Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland
America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the Online
Communities quick link on the home page at hollandamerica.com.
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival
Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland
America Line's fleet of 14 ships
offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400 ports in 98
countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From
shorter getaways to 115-day itineraries, the company's cruises
visit all seven continents with highlights including Antarctica explorations, South America circumnavigations and exotic
Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; four annual Grand Voyages; and
popular sailings to the Caribbean,
Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Panama Canal. The line
currently has a new 2,650-guest ship, ms Koningsdam,
delivered in April 2016, as well as a
second Pinnacle Class ship, ms Nieuw Statendam, due for
delivery in November 2018.
The company recently announced $300
million in brand enhancements to secure its position as the
leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships feature innovative
initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on
destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests can expand
their knowledge on board at an America's Test Kitchen shipboard
culinary show, Explorations Café, powered by The New York Times, and Digital Workshop powered by
Windows. Outstanding entertainment fills each evening at venues
including Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and B.B. King's Blues Club. The dining experience
can be savored at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature
selections from Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council
that comprises world-famous chefs who design dishes exclusively for
guests.
CONTACT:
|
Sally
Andrews
|
PHONE:
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800-637-5029
|
EMAIL:
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pr@hollandamerica.com
|
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SOURCE Holland America Line