Profile


Captain Jim Staples

Jim holds a Bachelors Degree in Marine Transportation from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Jim is a Master Mariner and has sailed in the capacity of Master in the US Merchant Marine. He holds his seventh edition Unlimited Tonnage-Oceans Master License. He has continued his training within the Maritime Industry and continues those educational opportunities as well. Jim has been at sea for thirty years with seventeen years command experience operating worldwide. He has been Master on Ro-Ro vessels, Break Bulk, and Containerships, as well as, working on Tankers, Cable ships and Drilling vessels. Jim has extensive time operating in the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean area, Malacca Straits, South China Sea and the Gulf of Aden off Somalia. He carried cargo to and from the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Recently, Jim has been carrying cargo for Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has operated under time charter to the US Military and commercial interest such as NYK. Jim’s experience as Captain includes delivery of newly built vessels, living and working in Japan to see the final construction of a Ro/Ro vessel in shipyard. He is well versed in trouble shooting and emergency procedures on board vessels associated with Maiden Voyage break in periods. Jim has written procedures for the ISM and ISPS code concerning operational and safety matters, including anti-piracy drills and procedures. Jim was recognized in 1998 and was presented with the American Merchant Marine Seamanship Trophy for the rescue of four sailors in a foundering sailboat, while carrying a cargo of military ammunition and encountering severe weather conditions. This was the second incident he had been recognized for saving lives at sea. He is certified as Company Security Officer, Ship Security Officer, in hazardous materials, and a small arms expert with tactical shipboard training, as well as contingency planning and Media response.

Jim has given testimony concerning piracy and vessel security to the US Senate Committee for Transportation and has testified in congressional subcommittee hearings concerning Piracy. Jim has encountered Pirates on voyages and is an expert in counter piracy tactics on board vessels. Jim has lectured and taught at the collegiate level on Ship Security and Piracy. He has been interviewed concerning piracy and vessel security by major networks and newspapers including CNN Headline News, CNN World News, Channel News Asia, FOX News, MSNBC, BBC World, NBC Nightly News, Associated Press, USA Today, People Magazine, Al- Jazerra and local Boston News stations, Radio stations and papers. He has also made guest appearances on the TODAY show with Matt Lauer and Amy Robach, CBS Morning Show with Harry Smith, The Rachel Maddow show, Countdown with Keith Oberman, Fox News “Weekend Edition” with Geraldo Rivera with guest speaker Ann Coulter.

Jim is associated with the Council of American Master Mariners, the Boston Marine Society, and an associate member of the UDT-SEAL Association, the advisory board of the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA), and the editorial board of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operation Training Center.


Chief Engineer Chunyi “Lou” Liu

Lou was born in Guangdong, China. His family immigrated to the United States when he was a sophomore in high school and he later became a US Citizen. Lou went to SUNY Maritime College receiving a bachelor degree of Engineering with a major in Electrical Engineering. He was certified by the United State Coast Guard as a licensed Engineer of Steam and Motor Vessel of any Horse Power.

Lou sailed as third, second and first assistant engineer on board Containerships, tankers, and RO/RO vessels with the US Merchant Marine fleet. Lou has held a license as Chief Engineer of steam, motor and gas turbine of any horsepower since 1994. Lou started sailing in the capacity of Chief Engineer at the age of thirty-one and has sailed in that position the past fifteen years. He was assigned as permanent chief engineer on board various vessels during his career consisting of Containerships, Break Bulk vessels and Ro-Ro’s. Lou was involved in reflagging foreign vessels to United States flagged vessels and has lived in Japan supervising the final construction of various Ro-Ro type vessels. He has also been a riding engineer during sea trials of newly built vessels.

As Chief Engineer on newly built vessels and re-flagged vessels, Lou was instrumentally responsible for converting and modifying the ship to meet US Coast Guard regulations and United States shipping industrial standards. These projects include installing Dead Man Alarm Systems, converting foreign galley equipment to United States shipping industrial standard, and up grading or installing new ship communication systems. Lou has comprehensive knowledge with vessel blueprints, electrical systems and power distribution systems. He has written shipyard specs for repairs and has been the lead engineer during repair periods for various vessels while in shipyard. Lou has a strong background in Mechanical Engineering and has been the lead Engineer involved in main engine overhauls.

Lou holds the Certificate of Service Approval as a Chief Engineer by ABS to survey machinery items for Continuous and Special periodical Machinery Survey. He is certified as Hazmat Technician, Universal Technician for refrigerant transition and recovery. In his twenty years working in the shipping industry, he has continued with the latest training on working on propulsion, power generation and power distribution systems. Lou has taken continuing education in various fields including Finance and economics. Lou speaks Mandarin and Cantonese fluently.


Jack Lynch

Jack retired from the US Navy after serving as a senior enlisted and officer in operational commands with key positions in operations, intelligence, training, research and development, test and evaluation with operational and international experience. He graduated from Underwater Demolition Team, Replacement Training Class 29 and served with Underwater Demolition Team 21 and SEAL Team Two. He made numerous combat and operational deployments, special assignments, and Mobile Training Team detachments for classified operations. Jack also served at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit as a human test subject. He was assigned to the State Department through Naval Sea Systems Command to assist Navy Supervisor of Salvage in explosives during the 1974 Suez Canal Clearance. As team leader, he made the first 1000 foot saturation dive in the Ocean Simulation Facility, Panama City, Florida and was selected and served as an operational team leader for classified operations within a Chief of Naval Operations Special Project. Jack was Commissioned and served in many sensitive programs to include Officer in Charge Navy School Deep Diving Systems and Diving Officer of the MK II Deep Diving System. Jack is a qualified Navy SEAL, Surface Warfare Officer, Navy Parachutist, Saturation Diving Officer, and Navy Salvage Officers. He has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and a Master Firearms Instructor Certificate from the University of Illinois. Since retirement, Jack was a Commercial Pilot for Eastern Air Lines and is a retired Deputy Sheriff from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He has contracted with numerous organizations within and outside of his diverse areas of expertise as a Maritime Security Analyst providing security training and operational support. He contracted with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agencies International Programs and Oakridge Associate Universities National Security Directorate as a Senior Operations Planner. Jack holds a Top Secret Clearance and continues his dedication and commitment in defense of our Constitution of the United States of America. Jack continues work within his diverse experiences of security, firearms, tactics, counter terrorism, aviation security, and maritime intervention which provides confidence to those he Teams with.