Submitted by Lt. Cmdr. Eustacia Weist, Commercial Regulations & Standards Directorate

The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) selected Mr. Joseph J. Angelo as the recipient of the International Maritime Prize for 2018 and Aviation Survival Technician 2nd Class Michael W. Kelly as recipient of the Extraordinary Bravery at Sea Award for 2019. 

Angelo has a long and very distinguished career in the maritime field; first as a member of the United States Coast Guard civil service and later as a member of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO).  His nominations, coming from both the U.S. Coast Guard and INTERTANKO, highlight his substantial contributions to the IMO over the past 39 years. 

Angelo’s numerous contributions to the IMO include developing or amending the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), the Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL73/78) and the International Convention for the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).  He also led efforts on the Anti-fouling Convention, Ballast Water Convention, International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS), and Goal Based New Ship Construction Standards. In addition to representing the U.S. and INTERTANKO, Angelo also held key leadership positions at the IMO, including as the Chair of the Maritime Safety Committee and Committee 2 of the IMO Assembly.

While widely known and respected, Mr. Angelo is perhaps best known for his enduring effort to work constructively with all other delegates, which earned him the title “IMO Joe.”

Read IMO’s news release about Joe Angelo’s accomplishments.

AST2 Michael Kelly is currently assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He is being recognized for his bravery during the rescue of four fisherman 70 miles off the coast of Portland, Maine on Nov. 14, 2018 after they were forced to abandon their sinking vessel.  Kelly was lowered by helicopter into the cold water, and, battling 50-knot winds and 20-foot waves, held onto the survivors while swimming to the life raft, which was being pushed away from him.  Kelly then pulled the four survivors, two of them unable to swim and all four suffering from hypothermia, one by one from the raft, kept them afloat, and lifted them into the swaying rescue basket.  This required extraordinary strength and stamina as the wind continued to push the raft further away from the rescue basket after each successive survivor was rescued.

Read IMO’s news release about AST2 Kelly’s heroism.

In addition, two other U.S. nominees for the Extraordinary Bravery at Sea Award are being recognized.  

• The crew of the U.S. flagged M/V Green Lake will receive a Certificate of Commendation for their exceptional seamanship, tenacity and leadership over 18 hours as they maneuvered their 633-foot ship expertly to rescue seven mariners, and coordinate with three other ships the rescue of the remaining 14 mariners who were forced to abandon the M/V Sincerity Ace due to a fire. 
• The crews of two Motor Lifeboats 47295 and 47229 from U.S. Coast Guard Station Umpqua River will receive a Letter of Commendation for their rescue of three survivors from a capsized recreational boat in rough seas amid dangerous debris and the threat of grounding.

The International Maritime Prize and Extraordinary Bravery at Sea Award will be presented by the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Ki-tack Lim, at a special award ceremony held in conjunction with the IMO Assembly Nov. 25, 2019.

The International Maritime Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations and the global standard setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping.  Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented. 

Additional information on the previous recipients of these awards can be found at www.imo.org.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.