I have always taken great care to ensure that the statements I post on this blog site are truthful, factual and accurate and that there is documentation and evidence to support those statements. There are many individuals who find the truth to be inconvenient or inflammatory. I suppose that is the nature of the truth. However, speaking and stating the truth is paramount and the truth must be sought after and spoken. In these posts I have called out several individuals by name and/or title for what I believe to be disingenuous and/or unethical conduct. Again, this is supported with evidence and documentation. I am of the opinion that if an individual does not want to be called out for disingenuous or unethical behavior then, perhaps, they should take that into consideration before conducting themselves in a disingenuous, unethical or dishonorable manner. I, personally, have no issue being called out for anything as long as the statements being made are truthful, accurate and factual. I do, however, have an issue (and I believe most people would) when someone outright lies and makes knowingly false as well as slanderous and defamatory statements. On all of my posts I always sign my name along with my personal cell phone number and personal email address. I don’t hide behind a pen name, a pseudonym or an avatar. I stand by my statements. 

Occasionally, I will put a post or comment on the gcaptain forum which is part of the gcaptain.com website. As with this blog site, I always sign my name along with my personal cell phone number and email address. If I put a statement out there I stand behind it. gcaptain is considered one of the most popular and widely read websites for the maritime industry. The recent comments I posted on the gcaptain forum were specific to the continued lack of regulatory oversight in the maritime industry i.e. the continued failure of the U.S. Coast Guard (along with the Flag States and in some cases the U.S. Department of Justice ) to hold shore-based management accountable for their management “cultures” that greatly contribute to the detriment of the safety of the mariner. My previous posts on this blog regarding Noble Drilling illustrate this in great detail. In the interest of complete transparency the two gcaptain forum threads I had commented on were titled “Former Employee: Transocean Nearly Caused Oil Rig Catastrophe – Zeta – Deepwater Asgard”and “Why Ships Keep Crashing.” Most seasoned and experienced mariners recognize that regulatory oversight is a problem that has been going on for decades but despite recent tragedies such as “Deepwater Horizon” and “El Faro” nothing seems to change. I also commented that a Captain will always put the safety and well being of their crew first and foremost despite the personal consequences that may arise from that. A Captain who puts himself and his own self-serving interests above his crew and vessel is, in my opinion, not worthy of being in that position as they will sacrifice the safety and well being of their crew for their own personal interests and, in particular, in order to make themselves look favorable in the eyes of management. An individual named Dan Askins posted several comments on the gcaptain forum as it pertained to my posts. Specifically, on April 12, 2021, Dan Askins made numerous knowingly false, untrue and defamatory statements and outright lies as it pertained to me and my character. These statements were published on the gcaptain forum. As previously stated, I don’t mind being called out as long as what is being stated is truthful and factual. However, Dan Askins did not do that. Dan Askins lied. 

To put this in to more context, Dan Askins was my former relief. He was the Captain who worked opposite me. Prior to this he was my Chief Mate on the vessel and I was his ally and advocate when a Captain’s billet became available opposite me. It was also Dan Askins who was responsible for the illegal, unethical and unsafe conduct that I reported to Noble Drilling’s “Alternate Designated Person Ashore” (ADPA) Vaclav Jedlicka. Ignoring this information and not reporting this was not an option. To not report it and ignore it would have been tantamount to consent and approval of such illegal, unprofessional and unacceptable conduct. However, it was reporting this illegal conduct that resulted in my retaliatory/whistleblower termination. Through the discovery process of my litigation (after my termination) I would also come to learn that Dan Askins had been scheming and undermining me to shore-based management for a period of time before the events described below. I had considered Dan Askins a colleague/peer as well as a friend. I never envisioned him as someone so devious, sneaky and conniving. Obviously, from a personal standpoint, this was very disappointing. To this day I don’t know nor will I ever understand what his motivation was for such behavior. We had a great crew on a great vessel which was considered the top performing vessel in the fleet. Our vessel, the “Noble Danny Adkins” had earned an outstanding reputation for safety, performance, regulatory compliance and crew morale. As a Captain on this vessel from 2010 to 2015 I took great pride in this fact. 

Over the past six years I have had my name smeared and dragged through the mud and my character assassinated with multiple vile and vicious lies by Noble Drilling management and their lawyers, i.e. James Sanislow, John Cox and Herbert Ray, as well as Dan Askins himself. Speaking the truth tends to result in such behavior from others. The truth tends to bring out desperation and when dishonest and unethical people are confronted with their behavior their response tends to be universal: deflect from the truth and attack the character of the individual speaking the truth. In the interest of the truth, below is a detailed summary of the truth and facts, supported with evidence and documentation, of what actually took place and debunks the multiple lies and false statements published by Dan Askins:

1. Vaclav Jedlicka, Noble Drillings “Alternate Designated Person Ashore” (ADPA), and I spoke on the phone the morning of March 20, 2015. He asked me to memorialize our conversation in an email following the conclusion of our phone conversation. Attached below is my emailed/written report of the safety violations we discussed as well as Vaclav Jedlicka’s confirmation of receipt of this email dated March 20, 2015. This would be the last communication I had with Vaclav Jedlicka. I never heard from him again after I filed this report. I attempted to follow up with him via email on March 23, 2015 but he never responded. My employment was terminated eleven days later on March 31, 2015. Unbeknownst to me, I did not realize at the time that I made this report of safety violations to Vaclav Jedlicka I wasn’t reporting to him anything he didn’t already know as it pertained to the fast rescue craft davit. Dan Askins made reference as to why I would involve the ADPA as opposed to the DPA. The DPA, Dustin Stringer, was copied on Jedlicka’s email to me confirming receipt of my email which is attached below. I went to Vaclav Jedlicka because I had a rapport with him and because of his prior experience in the U.S. Coast Guard I felt he was more appropriate to handle the safety violations I reported. Obviously, if I knew he was involved I would not have notified him of the safety violations. It wasn’t until after the fact that I realized he was involved with the cover up. 

Specifically, and outlined in the email, I reported to him 1) that there were false “red” entries in the deck logbook for the “launching and maneuvering” of the vessels four lifeboats on January 29, 2015 and 2) The attempt to deceive and mislead U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors as to the faulty and defective condition of the vessels fast rescue craft davit. I will elaborate on both of these topics further down in this post. 

2. Attached below is the deck logbook page from January 29, 2015. The false entries are the “red” entries that were made as it pertained to the “launching and maneuvering” of the vessels four lifeboats as is required by SOLAS every 3 months. Though this event was logged it never happened. ADPA Vaclav Jedlicka was tasked with investigating the two safety violations I reported in bullet point #1. An excerpt from his investigative report into the false logbook entries regarding the “launching and maneuvering” of the vessels four lifeboats is attached below. Vaclav Jedlicka testified under oath that the lifeboats were not “launched and maneuvered” as logged. When asked “What did your investigation reveal with regard to whether or not the lifeboats were lowered and actually launched?” he responded with “They weren’t.” See attached highlighted excerpt from the deposition of Vaclav Jedlicka. Attached are copies of the “work permit” and “over the side permit” for January 29, 2015 both of which are signed by the Captain, Dan Askins. It clearly states “lower lifeboats” and “hoist.” There is a vast difference between lowering a lifeboat to the water and hoisting it back up on deck and “launching and maneuvering” a lifeboat. Vaclav Jedlicka stated in his attached report that no one was in the lifeboats when they were lowered. A lifeboats cannot be “launched and maneuvered” if no one is in the boat. Dan Askins testified under oath that “For me launching and maneuvering does not necessarily mean that the boat is in the water.”  An excerpt from his deposition specific to this statement is attached below and highlighted in yellow. The SOLAS regulations stipulate that this evolution is, in fact, to be done in the water. See highlighted attachment of the SOLAS regulation below. Making false statements in a logbook is a violation of law i.e. a felony offense. It is also extremely unethical. There is a “late entry” on May 1, 2015 that indicates the “red” entries were false. This “late entry” was ordered by Noble’s legal department. I believe it is reasonable to conclude that the Legal Department of Noble Drilling would not order a corrective entry to be made in the deck logbook unless it was warranted. It is clear that the “red” entry pertaining to the “launching and maneuvering” of the vessels four lifeboats was false. Dan Askins claims there was “no wrongdoing” and “nothing illegal occurred” and nothing that was “verifiable.” The evidence shows otherwise. 

3. Deception with USCG Inspectors regarding the inoperability of the fast rescue craft (FRC) davit during the February 10, 2015 USCG Certificate of Compliance Inspection. Per Dan Askins’ sworn testimony, a highlighted excerpt of which is attached, he knew that the FRC davit was not operating properly yet he testified that he did not feel the need to notify the Coast Guard of this. Dan Askins testified that it was something that “I’m not sure it  was something we really needed to broach with them when they arrived on board.” In an email exchange between the vessels Drilling Superintendent, John Hawkins, on the night before and the morning of the USCG Inspection, Dan Askins stated, as it pertains to the USCG, “…….we should let them broach the subject first.” A copy of this email is attached below. Use of the word “broach” is not very common but it was contained in Dan Askins sworn testimony and in his email exchange with John Hawkins. As USCG Licensed Officers we are required legally to “….assist inspection authorities and to make defects and imperfections know to those authorities.” This statute falls under 46 U.S. Code, Chapter 33, Section 3315 and a copy of this is attached below. Dan Askins testimony indicates that he did not comply with this regulation. Dan Askins also testified that he didn’t know if the inoperability of the FRC davit was disclosed to the USCG Inspectors prior to them going out to inspect it. It is the responsibility of the Captain to inform the USCG Inspectors of something of this nature……If not the Captain, then who else? ADPA Vaclav Jedlicka, who was also tasked with the investigation into this matter, testified under oath that he could not conduct an investigation of the deception involving the FRC davit with the U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors because the Chief Mate refused to discuss this matter with him. Specifically, Vaclav Jedlicka stated that the Chief Mate said things were “too hot” on the rig for him due to the behavior of the Captain, Dan Askins. In another excerpt from ADPA Vaclav Jedlicka’s sworn testimony he testifies to this. What is puzzling is that the ADPA, Vaclav Jedlicka, was a 27 year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and he abruptly drops his investigation because the Chief Mate won’t speak with him because things are “too hot” on the rig with Dan Askins. If everything is above-board and there is nothing nefarious taking place then why would things be “too hot” on the rig (due to the Captain’s behavior) for the Chief Mate to have this discussion? What is also very puzzling is that Vaclav Jedlicka testified, under oath, that he never questioned the Captain, Dan Askins, about the FRC davit. I believe most reasonably intelligent people would have questioned the Captain; especially, when the Chief Mate refuses to discuss the matter because things are “too hot” because of the Captain. For the record, it was this particular Chief Mate who had made me aware of the safety violations that I reported to Vaclav Jedlicka. The refusal of someone to cooperate with an investigation of any kind should be a “red flag.” Apparently, though, not to Vaclav Jedlicka. He just dropped the investigation and as the saying goes “nothing to see here.” Combine that with the fact that one of the items I had already reported to Vaclav Jedlicka (the false “red” entries pertaining to the lifeboats) was credible and true. Vaclav Jedlicka testified that he was not able to come to a conclusion about the FRC davit since he dropped the investigation due to the fact that the Chief Mate would not discuss it with him. Then, again, Vaclav Jedlicka was part of this cover-up and he certainly did not want the truth exposed any more than it already was especially since he was a knowing and willing participant in the deceit of the U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors. The email exchange between Dan Askins and John Hawkins as it pertains to “broaching the subject first” directly implicates the agreement and approval by Vaclav Jedlicka of this illegal and unethical behavior. Vaclav Jedlicka also implicated James Sanislow, the VP/Chief Compliance Officer of Noble Drilling as well. It is difficult to comprehend that a VP/Chief Compliance Officer, a 27 year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, a Drilling Superintendent and a vessel Captain would be in agreement and condone deceiving U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors about anything. Especially, considering the fact that two months prior to these events, Noble Drilling had just commenced a four year term of criminal probation after pleading guilty to eight felony charges related to safety and oil pollution violations that occurred on the vessel previously “managed” by Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins, the vessel “Noble Discoverer.” Dan Askins claims I “misread” an email between him and Vaclav Jedlicka. 

Dan Askins also stated that my third mate was “gun decking” inspections. That is a lie. Considering that it was Dan Askins who knowingly signed off on false “red” entries in the deck logbook this false statement is particularly hypocritical. Regarding the issue with the fast rescue craft (FRC) davit, it was on February 7, 2015, (3 days before the USCG Inspection) that Dan Askins had his crew attempt to launch the FRC. They discovered that the gravity davit would not work properly and as it was designed and engineered. In and of itself this posed a safety risk to attempt to lower the FRC once this was known. Dan Askins had been onboard the vessel since January 28, 2015 and his crew had been onboard since January 29, 2015. The FRC was supposed to be inspected weekly and those weekly inspections are documented. However, during the time between January 29th and February 7th (when Dan Askins and his crew were aboard) there had been no inspection of the FRC and this was validated because there was no documentation of the inspection. The last documented inspection was on January 25, 2015 and conducted by my crew. Dan Askins and his crew were on board for approximately ten days (from January 29th to February 7th ) and in that timeframe they had not inspected that FRC. In an effort to hide his negligence and to avoid responsibility, Dan Askins, tried to blame myself and my crew for the condition of the FRC davit. 

4. In his gcaptain forum posts, Dan Askins claimed that there was no wrongdoing or, to directly quote him, no “conspiracy,” but rather just a disgruntled employee “gossiping” to me on the phone. Dan Askins is referring to the vessels Chief Mate as the “disgruntled employee.” In the interest of transparency, the basis for my phone conversation with ADPA Vaclav Jedlicka and subsequent written report of safety violations, was from a two hour phone conversation that I had with the vessels Chief Mate who was on board at the time these incidents occurred. This conversation with the Chief Mate took place on March 16, 2015. I had known and worked with this individual for the previous five years and I had come to know him as trustworthy and credible. False logbook entries and lying to U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors is extremely serious; especially, where both incidents involved safety and/or lifesaving equipment. To ignore what this Chief Mate told me would have been irresponsible on my part and was not an option. I was obligated to report it which is why I reported it to ADPA Vaclav Jedlicka. Dan Askins also stated that I did not encourage the employee (the Chief Mate) to report the wrongdoing. This Chief Mate was afraid for his job and was fearful of retaliation from Dan Askins. This was validated by the testimony that the environment created by Dan Askins was very hostile or “too hot” as Vaclav Jedlicka attested to. This fear of retaliation was also conveyed to me directly in email correspondence with this Chief Mate. In September 2015 Dan Askins sent me an email referring to this Chief Mate as a “coward” and a “liar.” Considering his own conduct, I found it to be extremely hypocritical and ironic that Dan Askins would have the audacity to refer to anyone with such adjectives. I believe the documentation and evidence provided in bullet points #2 and #3 validate that the information the Chief Mate relayed to me was truthful and accurate.

5. Dan Askins stated that I made a false entry and/or signed off on a false entry in the Oil Record Book for an incident on January 15, 2015. Dan Askins is lying about this and this is another knowing and willing false and untrue statement. This oil record book entry has nothing to do with any of this; however, Dan Askins is/was attempting to use this as a means of deflection from his own wrongdoing. In the interest of complete transparency I will address the false statements of Dan Askins so as to set the record straight. What is true and what did happen is that there was an inadvertent suction taken from a tank that had recently been removed from the vessels MARPOL International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificate and, therefore, we could no longer discharge oily waste from that tank as we had routinely and previously done over the past four and half years. Prior to the change in the vessels IOPP Certificate, oily waste was regularly taken from this particular tank and processed through the oily water separator (OWS) and oil content monitor. In the instance Dan Askins was referring to an inadvertent suction was taken from this particular tank, which according to the new IOPP Certificate, we were no longer allowed to do. When the Barge Engineer (the person who maintained the oil record book) came to me and made me aware of the incident I told him to log the event exactly as it happened. Despite the fact that we were no longer able to take suction from this tank, we logged the suction from this tank and the volume of liquid pumped out exactly as it happened. There was no false entry in the Oil Record Book. There was also no pollution and/or environmental incident. This entry in the Oil Record Book was a truthful, accurate entry albeit it was an event that should not have happened. However, it did happen, and thus it must be logged truthfully and accurately and that is what took place. Ironically, Dan Askins testified, under oath, that my logbook entry was, in fact, truthful and accurate. Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins also testified under oath that the oil record book entry was truthful and accurate. Despite both of them stating the entries were accurate they attempted to state that the time and date of the entries was wrong which was also not true. The vendor who services the oily water separators, Greene Marine, came to the vessel on January 26/27, 2015. During their inspection/servicing of the units they discovered that the time/date of the equipments internal “data logger” was incorrect. I conveyed this to Vaclav Jedlicka in a phone call and in an email. A copy of this email is attached below which validates this. The result is that the time and date were, in fact, correct contrary to the statements of Dan Askins and John Hawkins. In addition, the USCG reviewed the Oil Record Book during their February 10, 2015 “Certificate of Compliance” Inspection and had no issue with it. It is also reasonable to conclude that if this entry in the oil record book was truly false then the Noble Drilling legal and/or compliance group would have made a late corrective entry in the oil record book as they did with the false entry in the deck logbook as it pertained to the “launching and maneuvering” of the vessels four lifeboats. Attached below are excerpts from the deposition of Dan Askins and John Hawkins with their specific statements highlighted in yellow. There was no false entry made in the oil record book nor did I sign off on a false entry in the oil record book. The evidence and documentation are vastly contradictory to the statements made and published by Dan Askins on the gcaptain forum. 

6. Dan Askins stated that two former mariners (DPO’s) were transferred off of the vessel. Nic Zoretic and Michael Primpas were both transferred off of the vessel because it was proven that they used the “NobleLine” to anonymously make very egregious, disgusting and vile allegations (which included allegations of criminal activity) that were investigated and proven to be baseless lies in what was nothing more than a vile and vicious smear campaign. These allegations were made by these two individuals in late January/early February 2014 which is a full year prior to the events discussed in the above paragraphs. I spoke with both Noble Drilling’s Legal and Human Resources Departments as it pertained to these allegations. One of the allegations that was made in 2014 and that Dan Askins refers to in his gcaptain forum posts has to do with “diverting overtime.” This is another lie and it never happened. All of the allegations made by Nic Zoretic and Michael Primpas were investigated and debunked and found to be completely false and baseless. As a result of the investigation and the fact that the allegations were proven to be false the decision was made by Noble Drilling management to remove them from the vessel. So, yes, it is true that they were removed from the vessel but not in the manner and context that Dan Askins is trying to portray. The genesis of this disgraceful behavior from these two individuals was from their failure to properly respond to an alarm on the vessels fire control panel. As bridge watch officers I explained to them the criticality of investigating all warnings and/or alarms from the fire control panel. This stipulation was also contained in my “standing orders.” Apparently, they did not take this criticism well and when they were off the vessel they came up with the idea of calling the “NobleLine” to retaliate because they knew they could do it anonymously. It speaks volumes as to ones complete lack of character, ethics and integrity to anonymously lie and make knowing and willing false and untrue allegations about another human being for no other reason than to smear them. They also knew their anonymity would be protected by Noble management. However, Nic Zoretic and Michael Primpas compromised their own anonymity by revealing what they did to their fellow peers in the marine crew. Evidently, they thought they would be revered for doing what they did. To the contrary, their peers were disgusted with their conduct. Nic Zoretic is presently the Director of Operations at TOTE. Given the reputation of TOTE it is only fitting that an individual of his character and integrity, or lack thereof, is in their employ. Michael Primpas forged my signature on his Dynamic Positioning Certificate application under “Section F – Suitability of Officer….” to the Nautical Institute. Incredibly, Michael Primpas forged my signature on a day when I was not on the vessel: March 30, 2013. I had been relieved by Dan Askins the previous day, March 29, 2013. Michael Primpas was on the vessel on March 30, 2013. I could not sign and stamp his DP book if I am not on the vessel and he is. Attached is a copy of the deck logbook page illustrating the day I was relieved as well as a copy of the forgery. Furthermore, contrary to Dan Askins posts, I was requested by the Nautical Institute to vet the application of Michael Primpas. In April 2014, I received the request from the Nautical Institute. Evidently, Dan Askins forgot this fact as it was he who forwarded me the email from the Nautical Institute. As he stated in his post, we shared a computer and email address. A copy of this email chain is attached below. I did as the Nautical Institute requested and I did, in fact, inform them that the signature was a forgery. The fact that Michael Primpas forged my signature is a clear indication of his lack of ethics and credibility which is consistent with the multiple lies he and Nic Zoretic spun on the “NobleLine.” For most people, forgery is considered to be extremely unethical and demonstrates a complete lack of character and integrity not to mention that it is illegal. In my personal opinion, anyone who would forge a Captain’s signature for a credentialing such as a Dynamic Positioning Certificate is someone who cannot be trusted to be a Deck Officer on the bridge of a vessel. I notified Noble Drilling management that Michael Primpas forged my signature. Noble Drilling management conducted an investigation into the forgery and, ultimately, terminated the employment of Michael Primpas. Ironically, and in direct contradiction to his own statements, Dan Askins himself emailed the Nautical Institute validating that the statements I had made were true. This email is contained in the attached thread. Based on the evidence and his own statements, it would appear that Dan Askins is contradicting himself yet again and it appears that he condones the dishonest behavior of Nic Zoretic and Michael Primpas i.e. lying and forgery.

7. Dan Askins claims that I am not a “whistleblower” yet my lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division, was filed under the “Seaman’s Protection Act” which is, in fact, an OSHA statute that provides whistleblower protection to mariners. Attached is a copy of the lawsuit which clearly stipulates this. I did sue Noble Drilling and the case settled out of court in early 2017. Multi-million dollar drilling contractors don’t settle out of Court because they are innocent of wrongdoing. I was Captain of the vessel “Noble Danny Adkins” for five years. My employment was terminated eleven days after filing a report of illegal safety violations. Most people would view that as a retaliatory i.e. whistleblower termination. However, as with all of the material provided, it is up to the reader to come to that conclusion. 

8. Dan Askins tried to sue Noble Drilling in U.S. District Court but could not because had no case. Dan Askins tried to sue me, personally, in U.S. District Court and failed and lost because he had no case. The Judge ruled in my favor as a judgement as a matter of law/directed verdict. Dan Askins stated that I never called any witnesses in “our suit.” I called no witnesses because I won the case. I/we did not have to present a case-in-chief because his “case” was thrown out of Court and ruled in my favor after Dan Askins presented his “evidence.” Dan Askins could not prove one element of his lawsuit. The irony is everything that Dan Askins accused me of in his lawsuit is exactly what he did to me. This lawsuit against me that was concocted by Dan Askins and his attorney, Mateo Fowler, was not based on the truth or facts. This “lawsuit” was nothing more than an effort to harass me and to cost me money. It also cost Dan Askins quite a bit of money as well. It is clear that Mateo Fowler did not do his due diligence as is required by an attorney to determine if there was a legal cause of action. Mateo Fowler smelled money and it is clear he was more concerned with billable hours than he was with his ethical obligations as an Officer of the Court. In addition to my winning the case the Court also ruled “that Askins’ lawsuit was frivolously and vexatiously brought…..” and I was awarded “sanctions” to cover my attorney’s fees and costs in defending this frivolous lawsuit. Unfortunately, I lost the award of sanctions on appeal which is another whole matter in and of itself. However, the fact that the Court ruled that the lawsuit was “frivolous” and “vexatious” did not change. Dan Askins attorney, Mateo Fowler, knew he did not have a legitimate case. If he truly believed in the merits of his case then he would have appealed the actual ruling in the case which was ruled in my favor. 

9. Dan Askins has made reference to the fact that James Sanislow, Noble Drillings VP/Chief Compliance Officer, and myself are both graduates of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and that we have some sort of “college affiliation.” While it is true that James Sanislow and I (as is also Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins) are graduates of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy that is the only thing we have in common. It is clear that Dan Askins has not read the posts on this blog with any sort of detail. If he had read them he would have seen that I have been extremely critical and candid as it pertains to the disgraceful and hypocritical conduct of James Sanislow and John Hawkins. All one has to do is read the posts on this blog and my opinion of James Sanislow and John Hawkins is articulated in no uncertain terms. Dan Askins has also made reference to this blog and to my criticism of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Board of Trustees. Yes, I am also critical of the hypocrisy of the administrative leadership of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and of the Academy’s Board of Trustees. Specifically, the Board of Trustees lied and mis-represented me in their publicly published “minutes” from a meeting I attended and spoke at on December 6, 2019. 

10. In late March 2017, I met with a U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) in Houston, TX and presented and gave him all the evidence I had regarding what took place at Noble Drilling. He forwarded it up his chain of command and from there it evaporated. In May 2017, I provided evidence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska via the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS). In October 2017 I met with two of the original prosecutors who prosecuted Noble Drilling back in 2014. This meeting took place in Providence, RI. These two individuals and the CGIS agent found me credible. However, the U.S. Attorney refused to prosecute Noble Drilling despite all the evidence I provided them. In previous posts on this blog I have referenced the negligent and derelict conduct of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska. I have also been very critical of the U.S. Coast Guard. In particular, the conduct of the USCG’s 8th District Officer In Charge of Marine Inspection (OCMI) at the time who was “Captain” Joshua Reynolds. The USCG did absolutely nothing and looked the other way and gave Noble Drilling a free pass. I was also told by a member of the USCG’s 8th District that this situation with Noble Drilling was too “politically sensitive” and that they were given an order to “stand down.” Considering that Noble Drilling’s Director of Compliance and the bulk of the “compliance” team (Vaclav Jedlicka was a member of this) as a whole were all former members of the U.S. Coast Guard it doesn’t come as a surprise that the U.S. Coast Guard would want to ignore this. Obviously, it is not a good look for Noble Drilling that while the ink is still drying on a plea deal with the Department of Justice that one of their “compliance” team members (Vaclav Jedlicka) is advocating and encouraging lying to U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors. For the record, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, Bryan Schroder, was also a U.S. Coast Guard Academy graduate and spent over two decades in the USCG before retiring as a Captain and joining the Justice Department. My experience with the U.S. Coast Guard is outlined in greater detail in other posts on this blog. The fact that the USCG and the U.S. Department of Justice looked the other way and did nothing only empowers the dangerous management cultures of organizations such as Noble Drilling. There is no incentive for them to change their culture when they know they can keep getting away with what they have been doing. 

I can only surmise that Dan Askins believed he would be protected by Noble Drilling management (i.e. Vaclav Jedlicka, John Hawkins, James Sanislow and Priscilla Heistad) for agreeing to be complicit in such illegal and unethical conduct as was described in the above paragraphs. Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins had a consistent record of such behavior and I believe he felt he could influence Dan Askins to do the same. What Dan Askins failed to realize is that when a cover-up of illegal and dangerous activity is exposed management will always “close ranks” and eliminate liabilities. Dan Askins grossly over estimated his value and worth and did not realize that once the truth was exposed he now became a liability. His employment at Noble Drilling was terminated on Monday, April 6, 2015.

In conclusion, as a ships officer and, in particular, as a Captain we have a great responsibility. That responsibility is, first and foremost, to the safety and well being of our crew and vessel. The safety and well being of the crew always comes first. Unfortunately, our industry has seen an increase of “Captains” who put themselves above their crews and will compromise the safety and well being of their crews for their own personal interests. Anyone who would do that is, in my opinion, not worthy of possessing an Unlimited Masters License. Personal responsibility and accountability are an inherent part of the job of a Captain. It is clear that the concept of personal responsibility and accountability is beyond the scope of comprehension of Dan Askins. It has been six years since the above events took place but Dan Askins but still can’t acknowledge the truth and has yet to accept any responsibility or accountability for his actions. At this point, it is doubtful that he ever will…… 

I believe the documentation and evidence I have provided in the above paragraphs debunks the multiple lies and false statements of Dan Askins. Ultimately, it is up to the reader to form their own conclusions. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. 

Captain Jeffrey B. Hagopian

Training Instructor – U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officers School – Newport, RI

Massachusetts Maritime Academy – 1988

Cell: 978-764-3908/Email: jbhagop@yahoo.com

The content contained below is from an email I sent to my alma mater, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, this past Friday, January 8, 2021. In addition, this email was also sent to the Board of Trustees of the Academy as well as the Chairman of the Academy Foundation.

The Massachusetts Maritime Academy considers itself to be one of the finest maritime training institutions in the country. It also refers to itself and proclaims itself as “The Commonwealths Leadership University.” I am a 1988 graduate of the Academy. The education and training I received set the foundation and prepared me to enter the maritime industry to learn what it is to be a Merchant Marine Officer and, ultimately, a ships Captain. Along with the practical eduction and application of navigation and seamanship, our education taught us to be honorable and ethical and to always put the safety and well being of our crew and vessel first and foremost. The below quote can be found as one enters Bresnahan Hall on the campus of the Academy.

“You can have a merchant marine with first class men even if they sail second class ships. But second class men can’t be trusted on the finest ships afloat.” – Joseph P. Kennedy, May 1937

I believe the above quote is self-explanatory. Noble Drilling is a “corporate partner” of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I had been a Captain for Noble Drilling on the dynamically-positioned, mobile offshore drilling unit, “Noble Danny Adkins,” for five years from March 2010 to March 31, 2015. Prior to being promoted to Captain, I was Chief Mate on the vessel from April 2009 to October 2009 during the vessels final phases of construction in Singapore and prior to its arrival in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in February 2010. The “Noble Danny Adkins” was considered to be one of the finest vessels in the Noble Drilling fleet and had earned an outstanding reputation for safety, regulatory compliance, efficiency and crew morale. For any Captain, the safety of the crew and vessel is paramount and it is their primary and ultimate responsibility. My employment as Captain was terminated by Noble Drilling on March 31, 2015, eleven days after I filed a report of illegal and felonious safety violations with Noble Drillings alternate “designated person ashore.” The shore-based position of “designated person ashore” is a position mandated and required by the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code). The illegal safety violations that I reported were 1) False “red” entries in the vessel logbook as it pertained to the quarterly SOLAS requirement for the vessels lifeboats to be launched and maneuvered. This event was logged on January 29, 2015 but it never happened and 2) The directive to lie and not be forthright with U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors as it pertained to the faulty and defective condition of the vessels fast rescue craft davit. This directive was contained in email correspondence the night before and the morning of the U.S. Coast Guard Inspection that took place on February 10, 2015. This email correspondence was between Drilling Superintendent (shore-based manager) John Hawkins and the vessel Captain, Daniel Askins, who was on board the vessel at that time. Both of these safety violations are violations of Federal Law, i.e. felony offenses, and are incredibly unethical. Considering that there was 150 to 200 persons on board the vessel at any given time and that both of the violations involved safety and/or lifesaving equipment that directly effects the safety and well being of all those on board I was legally obligated to report this. If I did not report this then that would have been tantamount to consent of this conduct. More importantly, from a moral and ethical standpoint, I was also obligated to report this. I would come to learn that this directive of cover up and deceit from shore-based management also included the approval from Noble Drilling’s VP/Chief Compliance Officer James Sanislow. In addition, I would also come to learn that the individual whom I reported this to was also involved in the cover up of this illegal and unsafe activity. My employment was terminated by Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins eleven days after I filed the report of the aforementioned safety violations. John Hawkins had been my direct supervisor for approximately 6 months. I had been with the vessel for almost 6 years. Both John Hawkins and James Sanislow are graduates of Massachusetts Maritime Academy: John Hawkins is from the class of 1997 and James Sanislow is from the class of 1989. James Sanislow is also a member of the Board of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Foundation and serves as the Secretary of the Foundation. As a result of my retaliatory termination, I filed a lawsuit against Noble Drilling under the “Seaman’s Protection Act” which is a Federal OSHA Statute that provides whistleblower protection to mariners. The case was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division. The case settled out of Court in late February/early March 2017. 

The illegal safety violations that I reported occurred in late January/early February 2015. This was merely two months after Noble Drilling entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. On December 8, 2014, Noble Drilling commenced a four year term of criminal probation as a result of pleading guilty to eight felony charges related to safety and oil pollution violations that occurred on the vessel “Noble Discoverer”  from 2010 to 2012 when the vessel was operating in Alaska. Coincidentally, the Drilling Superintendent (shore-based manager) of the “Noble Discoverer”was also the previously referenced John Hawkins, the individual who terminated my employment after I filed my report of safety violations. Clearly, illegal and unsafe conduct is a pattern of behavior with John Hawkins but, more troubling, it is behavior that is encouraged, condoned and even rewarded by the corporate management of Noble Drilling. Regarding Noble Drilling’s illegal conduct on the vessel “Noble Discoverer”, they pled guilty to the following:“knowingly presented false and fictitious records to the USCG”; “knowingly and willfully failed to notify the USCG of hazardous conditions aboard the Noble Discoverer”; “knowingly made false entries in its oil record book”; “Noble knowingly engaged in the below conduct with the intent to avoid compliance with the law and avoid detection by the U.S. Coast Guard.” Additionally, “The Coast Guard discovered numerous violations, including but not limited to, major non-conformities with the safety management system….” The illegal conduct outlined in the previous sentences is eerily similar to what took place and what I reported on my vessel…..thus resulting in my whistleblower/retaliatory termination. In addition to the four years probation, Noble Drilling was ordered to pay approximately $12.2 million dollars in fines as part of their plea agreement. It would appear, however, that the “management” of Noble Drilling didn’t take their eight felony convictions and probation very seriously. When an eight time convicted felon is violating probation with the same shore-based manager and reoffending with nearly identical offenses two months after commencing a four year term of probation it is reasonable to conclude that legal “compliance” and safety is not a priority to Noble VP/Chief Compliance Officer James Sanislow and the “management” of Noble Drilling as a whole. This is the culture of Noble Drilling and the culture of any organization starts at the top. The above referenced bold-faced/italics quotes are taken directly from Noble Drilling’s plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. The entire plea agreement can be viewed at www.corporatecrimereporter.com. Case# 3:2014-CR-00114-RRB, the United States of America vs. Noble Drilling filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. 

One would think that the Massachusetts Maritime Academy would not be engaged in a relationship with such a disingenuous, immoral and unethical “corporate partner” that has demonstrated a continued and consistent culture of illegal and dangerous conduct, retaliation and cover-up that, ultimately, puts the safety of the mariner and vessel personnel at risk. I was always under the impression that a “corporate partner” of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy was an organization that conducted itself and identified with the same core values consistent with the mission statement of the Academy. I don’t believe this to be an unreasonable expectation. One would also think that the leadership of the Academy would have this expectation as well. The Academy prides itself on honor, ethics and integrity and, in turn, should expect the same of its corporate partners. It is the epitome of hypocrisy for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy to think of itself as one of the finest maritime training institutions and the “Commonwealths Leadership University” but yet look the other way at such illegal and disingenuous conduct from one of its “corporate partners” and, especially, when this conduct endangers the safety and well being of the mariner. It is for this reason that, after much deliberation, I felt it appropriate to inform the administrative leadership of the Academy (i.e. the President of the Academy and, ultimately, the Board of Trustees) regarding Noble Drillings conduct and the events that took place regarding my whistleblower/retaliatory termination. It makes no sense that a corporation or entity (Noble Drilling or otherwise) which possesses none of the character traits of what the Academy is supposed to stand for is a “corporate partner” of the Academy. It is also incredibly hypocritical that a “corporate partner” for the “Commonwealths Leadership University” is an eight-time convicted felon. In late March/early April 2019, I first reached out to one of the members of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Board of Trustees, Mr. John Prendergast, class of 1985. I knew who Trustee Prendergast was because he (along with Academy President Fran McDonald – MMA class of 1985) was a senior when I was a freshman at the Academy. I told Trustee Prendergast what had happened and provided him all of the details and documentation of what took place at Noble Drilling. Judging by the statements in our email correspondence, Trustee Prendergast was appalled at Noble’s conduct and even referenced that it contradicted the mission statement of the Academy. He also expressed his disappointment that what happened at Noble Drilling directly involved two of our fellow Academy graduates: the previously referenced James Sanislow & John Hawkins. Trustee Prendergast also made it a point to highlight in red that the mission statement of the Academy  “…..instills honor, responsibility, discipline and leadership.” Trustee Prendergast is correct in that it is incredibly disappointing that it was two of our graduates who were involved in such illegal and unethical conduct and cover up. Unfortunately, this is not the first occurrence of such conduct for John Hawkins or James Sanislow. There is a consistency to this “culture” that continues to this day. Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduates are supposed to be better than this. A copy of this email from Trustee John Prendergast is attached below this paragraph. Mr. Prendergast suggested I speak with Admiral McDonald. On May 1, 2019, I met with Admiral Fran McDonald, the President of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Prior to our meeting I had emailed Admiral McDonald all of the details and documentation as it pertained to what took place at Noble Drilling. Subsequently, I sent an “open letter” to Admiral McDonald and the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. This letter/email was dated July 29, 2019 and it outlined and detailed what took place at Noble Drilling. I received a letter dated August 28, 2019 from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, James Kane, acknowledging receipt of my letter and that he and the Board of Trustees would take the matter “under advisement.” I never received any other response from James Kane or the Board to Trustees. I attended the Board of Trustees meeting of December 6, 2019. I was able to speak during the “public comment” part of the agenda. I was given approximately three to five minutes to speak. Given how short of time I was given to speak the focus of my statements to the Board of Trustees was the following: Is a corporate partner of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy that engages in dangerous, illegal and felonious activity and that retaliates against those who report such activity an example of a corporate culture that is consistent with the values and mission statement of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I attempted via email to follow up with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, James Kane, on January 28, 2020. He responded to me via email on February 14, 2020, and stated that he would follow up with me again in the “near future.” I never head from James Kane again. Instead, on April 13, 2020, I received a letter dated April 8, 2020, from Attorney James B. Cox who represents the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Board of Trustees. I was very surprised and quite puzzled as to why James Kane felt it necessary to involve an attorney. From my perspective this was not a legal issue at all. In this letter Attorney Cox made it very clear that since the “entity” (i.e. Noble Drilling) was a benefactor/donor to the Academy and its Foundation that the Academy would take no action. In addition, he also stated that since “the entity” provides employment to graduates of the Academy they would take no action. Yes, Attorney Cox is correct in that statement. I know that I, personally, referred approximately 6 graduates of the Academy to Noble Drilling who did, in fact, get hired. To the best of my knowledge, two of these individuals are still presently employed at Noble Drilling. That is what our graduates are supposed to do: we are supposed to look out for one another and watch each others backs. A copy of my open letter of July 29, 2019 to the Board of Trustees  and the April 8, 2020, letter from Attorney Cox are attached below. It is disappointing, to say the least, that Board of Trustees Chairman James Kane did not honor his word and follow up with me directly as he stated but instead chose to hide behind an attorney. Such a lack of intestinal fortitude and cowardice is not very becoming of an individual in a leadership role such that as of a Chairman of a Board; especially, when one is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of “The Commonwealths Leadership University.”

As of late December 2020, there have been some changes to the website of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (www.maritime.edu). Among some of the changes is that what had previously been the “Mission Statement” of the Academy appears to no longer exist. The Mission Statement of the Academy was as follows:

 “The mission of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy is to provide a quality education for graduates serving in the merchant marine, the military services, and those who serve the interests of the Commonwealth, Nation and global marketplace. The Academy does so by combining a rigorous academic program with a regimented lifestyle that instills honor, responsibility, discipline, and leadership.”

On the “new” website it simply states that the Mission Statement is “The Commonwealths Leadership University.” Also, curiously enough, the new website does not list who the “corporate partners” of the Academy are. The previous website listed and showed who the “corporate partners” of the Academy were. I am curious as to why the “corporate partners” of the Academy are no longer displayed on the “new” website. 
Apparently, the only criteria for being a “corporate partner” of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy is the willingness to write a check. It is deeply disappointing and troubling that the administrative leadership and Board of Trustees of the Academy would prostitute the reputation of the Academy for money but, from my perspective, that is what they have done. Corporate cultures such as that of Noble Drilling that retaliate and fire Captains who raise safety issues and concerns are not corporate cultures that, in my opinion, reflect the mission statement of the Academy or, should I say, what was the mission statement of the Academy. In fact, Noble Drilling’s conduct is directly contradictory to the mission statement of the Academy. Those reading this who have been to sea know exactly what I am stating. Corporate cultures such as that of Noble Drilling that are eight-time convicted felons are also not corporate cultures that reflect the mission statement of the Academy. When one considers that the illegal activity that I reported occurred only two months after Noble Drilling entered into their plea agreement and commencement of probation and involved the same shore-based manager, John Hawkins,what does that say about their corporate culture? Noble Drilling “management” chose to fire a Captain who was looking out for the safety of his crew and vessel. In turn, they also made a choice to protect a dangerous and grossly incompetent manager, John Hawkins. It is difficult to comprehend that someone whose “management” was responsible for eight felony convictions, $12.2 million in fines and four years criminal probation would be so protected. Noble VP/Chief Compliance Officer James Sanislow was involved in my litigation against Noble Drilling. He is copied on this email. Perhaps, he can offer an explanation. 

In addition, I notified the Chairman of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Foundation, Mr. Brendan O’ Connor – Massachusetts Maritime Academy Class of 1993. Mr. O’ Connor and I had several email exchanges and phone conversations about this matter. He stated to me via email that what happened at Noble Drilling was “unfortunate” but the position of him and the Foundation was “unwavering and neutral.” Mr. O’ Connor is a Vice President with Interlake Steamship Company. Ironically, when one goes to their web page, www.interlake-steamship.com, one of the first things that appears is a statement of the company’s safety culture: “Safety Culture: At Interlake, there is nothing more important to us than the health, safety and well-being of our employees and their families.”One can only surmise that Mr. O’ Connor and Interlake Steamship Company, similar to Noble Drilling, use slogans related to safety to create the illusion that they actually care about the safety of their mariners and vessel personnel. Evidently, the repeated and continued illegal and dangerous conduct of Noble Drilling is acceptable to Mr. O’ Connor and his Foundation. After all, the position of him and the MMA Foundation as it pertains Noble Drilling is “unwavering and neutral.” Again, it appears that the common theme is about money. The fact that James Sanislow is a member and an officer of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Foundation is yet another example of the disgraceful hypocrisy of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy as well as the Foundation and the “leadership” of both. In his position as Noble Drilling VP/Chief Compliance Officer James Sanislow is a lawyer. I sat across a table from James Sanislow and watched him lie under oath in a deposition. I am of the opinion that it is unconscionable that a lawyer, i.e. an Officer of the Court, would show such a flagrant and blatant disregard for the law and lie under oath. However, James Sanislow is the VP/Chief Compliance Officer for an eight-time convicted felon so I suppose this should not come as a surprise. In addition, when my litigation with Noble Drilling had concluded, I provided a plethora of evidence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska that Noble Drilling had violated the terms and conditions of their probation. Why did I contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office? Because it was very clear that the safety of the mariner and vessel personnel was continuing to be compromised by Noble Drilling corporate management. Captains are supposed to report safety issues as it is in the best interest of the crew, the vessel and, ultimately, the company. The most elementary concept of vessel safety is to report dangerous and/or unsafe activity so that it may be corrected. When Captains are fired for raising safety concerns it sends shock waves through a company and it is a great deterrent for individuals to speak up if they see something that is dangerous or unsafe. When Noble Drilling became aware of my contact with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, James Sanislow along with Noble Drillings outside legal counsel, Attorneys John C. Cox and Herbert Ray, engaged in a vile and vicious smear campaign of lies and character assassination that included numerous lies and false accusations including that of criminal activity. These lies and false statements are contained in official Court documents. James Sanislow and Noble’s outside legal counsel knowingly, willingly and maliciously lied to the Court. This only reinforces how dirty and corrupt Noble Drilling truly is. How is it that a corporation so bankrupt of honor, morals, ethics and integrity is a “corporate partner” of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and its Foundation? I provided MMA Foundation Chairman O’ Connor these various Court documents but that did not change the position of the Foundation from being “unwavering and neutral.” Evidently, illegal, immoral and unethical conduct of a “corporate partner” is acceptable to the MMA Foundation.
The knowing, willful and malicious false statements that were submitted to the Court by James Sanislow and John C. Cox and Herbert Ray are protected and immune from prosecution for defamation……and they knew it. Such a fine example of honorable and ethical conduct and “leadership” from a member of the MMA Foundation and the VP/Chief Compliance Officer of one of the Academy’s “corporate partners.” In the Spring 2015 edition of MMA’s “Enterprise” magazine James Sanislow is quoted as saying the following: “Among Noble’s core values are honesty and integrity, safety, environmental stewardship, respect and performance.” James Sanislow is a member and board member of an organization called the New Canaan Society. Their motto is “Live Pure, Right Wrong, Speak Truth & Follow The King.”James Sanislow had the opportunity to “right wrong” and he did nothing. James Sanislow had the opportunity to “speak truth” but instead lied. It would appear that the arrogance and hypocrisy of James Sanislow has no limits or boundaries.

So what does Noble Drillings conduct demonstrate? This is the textbook reaction to whistleblowers in any industry. Noble Drilling never addressed the truth and facts of what took place and that is because they can’t alter the truth. They don’t think or care of the safety and well being of their vessel personnel. They attack and smear the whistleblower who is speaking the truth. They attack the person trying to follow the law and do what is in the best interest of the mariner and vessel personnel. They dove head first into the deep end of the cesspool to try and lie their way out and by smearing and assassinating my character for coming forward. Their only objective was self-preservation and cover-up and they would stop at nothing to achieve that. However, this is nothing new for Noble Drilling. This is a consistent element of their culture. Is such conduct an example of what our cadets should emulate? As I stated in a previous paragraph, I sued Noble Drilling and the case settled out of Court. I would ask anyone who is reading this the following question: Why would a corporation with virtually unlimited resources settle out of Court with an individual such as myself? At the time Noble Drilling was a publicly traded company on the NYSE with assets in the hundreds of millions of dollars if not more. They didn’t settle because they were right or because they had the law and the truth on their side. 

Captain John Konrad, the CEO and founder of the maritime website www.gcaptain.com published an article in 2018 titled “The Top 10 Reasons Why the Merchant Marine is Failing.”Bullet point three of this article states the following: 
 “The nations Maritime Academies are our nations future but what example do they set? Authors of pulp fiction, leadersof failing shipping companies (e.g. TOTE and Overseas Shipholding Group), Generals who stood watch over a weakening Merchant Marine and long serving Academy trustees who failed to find replacements for a 50+year old trainings ship get praised with honorary degrees and importantseats on academy foundations.”This article can be read in its entirety from the following link: https://gcaptain.com/top-10-reasons-why-the-us-merchant-marine-is-failing/

When I approached the administrative leadership and the Board of Trustees I felt it important that they know what took place at Noble Drilling as I was and still am of the belief that such disingenuous conduct is directly contradictory to the mission statement or, should I say, what was the mission statement of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I provided them all of the evidence and documentation as to what took place. This documentation included internal Noble documents, deposition transcripts, emails, copies of logbook pages as well as copies of work permits. Beyond presenting the truth, facts and evidence there is not much more I can do. 

My reason for this email is that when the minutes of the December 6, 2019 Board of Trustees meeting (the meeting in which I attended and spoke) were published they were greatly distorted and misleading in their specific reference to my statements. The minutes were signed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, James Kane, and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees Colleen Ruggeri. The minutes as it pertained to the “public comment” section and, specifically, my statements, were greatly distorted and misleading and gave a false narrative as it pertained to my statements to the Board of Trustees. I believe this was done in a knowing, willful and intentional manner so if an individual were reading the minutes it would distort and mis-represent the true reason for my address to the Board. Words are very important and their addition or deletion can have a profound effect on the context of what is written or stated. I believe that this was also done so as to avoid any potential scrutiny for the administrative leadership and/or the Board of Trustees as it pertained to their “corporate partner,” Noble Drilling. The minutes of the meeting are a matter of public record and are published on the website of the Academy. The focus of my statements to the Board of Trustees as I had indicated in a previous paragraph was the following: Is a corporate partner of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy that engages in dangerous, illegal and felonious activity and that retaliates against those who report such activity an example of a corporate culture that is consistent with the values and mission statement of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The minutes, as published, very conveniently and deliberately did not specifically reference the conduct of a “corporate partner” of the Academy. Why would James Kane and his Board of Trustees feel the need to omit this very specific language in their minutes? This is not how the “leaders” of the “Commonwealths Leadership University” should be conducting themselves. On May 28, 2020 I saw, for the first time, the published minutes. I immediately requested, via email, that James Kane and the Board of Trustees revise the minutes to truthfully and accurately reflect what I stated. A copy of that email is attached below this paragraph. They ignored this request and I, again, followed up with a second email on July 3, 2020. This second email was met with a response from the previously referenced Attorney James Cox stating that the Board of Trustees would take no action as to the revision of the minutes. Once again, Board of Trustees Chairman James Kane displayed his weakness and cowardice and hid behind Attorney James Cox. Perhaps, the administrative leadership and the Board of Trustees of the Academy have much more in common with Noble Drilling than originally thought. All I have requested is that the minutes be revised to accurately and truthfully reflect what I stated. I don’t believe this to be an unreasonable request. It is, once again, incredibly obtuse that I have to request the Board of Trustees of the “Commonwealths Leadership University” to state the truth. Ironically, according to the cadet honor code of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, if a cadet lies that is considered an offense that could result in expulsion. True leaders know that one of the most important aspects of leadership is to set the example with ones own behavior. Unfortunately, the arrogance and hubris displayed by those involved will prevent the comprehension of this concept. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, James Kane, is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. I don’t know, if any, what connection he has to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I will surmise that his appointment to the Board of Trustees is strictly political given that both James Kane and his wife are both elected officials in Massachusetts. To those members of the Board of Trustees who are graduates of the Academy: shame on you. You are supposed to know better.  

What kind of example is the “leadership” and the Board of Trustees and the Foundation of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy setting for the cadets of today? Their actions are such that they are indicating that is acceptable to lie and conduct oneself without honor, ethics or integrity just as long as you write a big check. Is this really the example the administrative leadership and Board of Trustees desires to set for the cadets attending the Academy? Money does not buy redemption nor does it exonerate an individual or a corporation for lying, cowardice or hypocrisy. In a phone conversation with Trustee John Prendergast he shared with me that his daughter is a graduate of the Academy and went to sea as an engineer for a tanker company. Would Trustee Prendergast or any other members of the Board of Trustees want their son or daughter on board a ship with a Captain who falsified safety inspections and lied to the U.S. Coast Guard about the status of lifesaving equipment? Or would they want their son or daughter on a vessel with a Captain who spoke the truth and put the safety and welfare of his crew first and foremost? I would also ask any of the Board of Trustees and Foundation members would they want their son or daughter on a ship where the corporate management culture is that of Noble Drilling in that it retaliates against and fires Captains who put the safety of their crew and vessel first but protects and covers up for those who knowingly violate the law and think nothing of the safety and well being of the vessel personnel? Or would you all look the other way as long as a large check made its way to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy?

In the interest of transparency, Noble Drilling did make a donation of $1 million dollars to the Academy in 2013. However, the timing of this donation is very curious. In 2013, Noble Drilling was under Federal investigation for the previously referred to safety and oil pollution violations that took place on the vessel “Noble Discoverer”from 2010 to 2012.As previously stated, in December 2014, Noble Drilling entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. To the best of my knowledge, Noble Drilling has not made any donations to the Academy since the $1 million dollar donation in 2013. This was also verified in an email from Foundation Chairman Brendan O’ Connor. For almost eight years Noble Drilling has not donated any money to the Academy. Ironically, in 2018, when Noble Drilling was petitioning the U.S. District Court for early termination of probation they (James Sanislow, John Cox & Herbert Ray) stated that Noble Drilling had made multi-million dollar contributions to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. This was yet another false statement submitted to the Court and it is contradictory to the information I received from the advancement office and from Foundation Chairman Brendan O’ Connor. Considering that Noble Drilling filed for bankruptcy protection in late July 2020 it is reasonable to conclude that they will not be making any donations to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy for the foreseeable future. Coincidentally, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy “Maritime Person of the Year” in 2013 was then President & CEO of Noble Drilling, David Williams. When one considers the criteria for the “Maritime Person of the Year” it would appear that Noble Drilling CEO David Williams “bought” this award with Noble Drilling’s $1 million dollar donation to the Academy. As quoted from the Academy website, The Emory Rice Medal is awarded based on the following: This medal has been presented to a select group of maritime professionals who have contributed significantly to the advancement of the very principles taught at the Academy; leadership, ethics, business sense and respect for the ocean environment. All medal recipients have one thing in common, they have earned the respect of their peers. It is difficult to comprehend that this “award” was presented to the President & CEO of a corporation that was, at the time the award was presented, under Federal investigation for safety and oil pollution violations which, ultimately, they pleaded guilty. In fairness to Admiral Fran McDonald, he was not the President of the Academy during the 2013 timeframe. The President during the 2013 timeframe was Admiral McDonald’s predecessor, Richard Gurnon. It would appear that the genesis of the arrangement between Noble Drilling and the Academy dates back to 2013 when Noble Drilling was under Federal investigation. I can’t think of a scenario in which James Sanislow would not have disclosed Noble Drillings multiple felony offenses that were pending prior to Mr. Gurnon, i.e. the Academy, entering into this relationship.

 The above paragraphs illustrate multiple examples of hypocrisy for an institution that refers to itself as the “Commonwealths Leadership University.” I, personally, find this disgraceful and as a graduate of the Academy, it is extremely disappointing. One thing that is for certain is that this is not the Massachusetts Maritime Academy that I graduated from. Regarding “leadership,” what is leadership? Leaders conduct themselves honorably, ethically and their integrity cannot be bought or compromised. Leaders speak and seek the truth in the face of adversity and despite what the personal consequences may be. Leaders say what they mean and they mean what they say. Leadership is not about what one says but about what one does as evidenced by their deeds and their actions and the examples that they set with their own behavior and conduct. Leaders do not cover up the truth and lie. Leaders are not cowards and are not hypocrites. Leadership is doing the “right thing.” Leadership is being unselfish and leadership is setting a standard and holding ones self accountable and responsible for that standard. These are the examples of leadership that I was taught when I attended the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Individuals such as Captain Joe Murphy, Captain Tom Bushy, Captain Pat Modic, Captain Jerry McGourthy and the late Captain John Gibbons, to name a few, were some of my instructors and their influence always stayed with me throughout my seagoing career. 

For the past four years, I have been a training instructor for the U.S. Navy at the Surface Warfare Officers School located in Newport, RI. I consider it to be a great privilege to be in such a position to be able to train our Naval Surface Warfare Officers who range in rank from Lieutenants to Commanding Officers on vessels that range from conventional surface combatant vessels to the high-speed littoral combat ships. I would like to believe that being in this position lends a certain amount of credibility. In addition, I contributed to a paper published by the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (commonly known as the MMP) in conjunction with Dalhousie University. The paper was titled “Spotlight On Safety: Why Accidents Are Often Not Accidental.”I am not nor have I ever been a member of the MMP but they felt as a whistleblower and the facts surrounding my retaliatory termination from Noble Drilling that it should be included in this paper. “Spotlight On Safety:…” was also presented before Congress i.e. the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation in November 2019 and was subsequently entered into the Federal Register. 

 In closing, the motto of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point is “ACTA NON-VERBA.”This is latin for “DEEDS NOT WORDS”………Perhaps the administrative leadership, the Board of Trustees and the Foundation of “The Commonwealths Leadership University” could learn something from the leadership of the U.S Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. 

Captain Jeffrey B. Hagopian 

Massachusetts Maritime Academy – Class of 1988

Instructor – U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officers School – Newport, RI

Cell: 978-764-3908/Email: jbhagop@yahoo.com

Below is a copy of an “open letter” that I sent via email on November 12, 2019. Among the recipients are several members of the the U.S. Coast Guard including Admiral Paul Thomas, Admiral John Nadeau, Admiral Richard Timme, Captain Joshua Reynolds and Captain Scott Kelly. Also included is retired U.S. Coast Guard Captain U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder and his Office as well as individuals from the Liberian Registry. I also included Noble Drilling’s outside legal counsel: John Cox and Herbert Ray. In addition, I included the two court appointed “independent” and “3rd party auditors” Jay Webster and Kim Estes. The content of this “open letter” and the content of the attached videos are self-explanatory.

There are two video links attached with this post. Click on the highlighted/underlined link and then a “vimeo” link will pop up. Click on the vimeo link and the video will be able to play. To date, I have received no response from any of the individuals addressed or copied on this email.

To: bryan.schroder@usdoj.gov, “Steward, Aunnie (USAAK)” <Aunnie.Steward@usdoj.gov>, “Skrocki, Steven (USAAK)” <Steven.Skrocki@usdoj.gov>, Joshua Reynolds <joshua.d.reynolds@uscg.mil>, paul.f.thomas@uscg.mil, Alphard Romero <AROMERO@liscr.com>, dmuir@liscr.com, dpascoe@liscr.com, tkeegan@liscr.com, safety@liscr.com, david.pereira@sabinesurveyors.com, “Mr. Jay Webster” <jay.webster@sabinesurveyors.com>, kim@estesgroupllc.com, John.Cox@jcoxlawfirm.com, hray@schwabe.com 

Cc: “Mr. Adam Carron – Special Agent” <adam.j.carron@uscg.mil>, John Cashman <John.Cashman@usdoj.gov>, Kenneth Nelson <kenneth.nelson3@usdoj.gov>, CWO Todd Michael <Todd.M.Michael@uscg.mil>, Brian Khey <Brian.R.Khey@uscg.mil>, scott.j.kelly@uscg.mil, john.cashman@uscg.mil, john.nadeau@uscg.mil, john.p.nadeau@uscg.mil, Kevin Kohlmann <kevin.kohlmann@dot.gov>, richard.v.timme@uscg.mil, HQS-DG-NMCProceedings@uscg.mil, HQS-DG-NMCProceedingsDist@uscg.mil

This “open letter” is directed to the multiple individuals addressed (not “Cc’d”). In 2016 and 2017, during various times, I came forward to the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska and the Liberian Flag-State. Specifically, I came forward and provided evidence of the continued unsafe, dangerous and reckless conduct of convicted felon Noble Drilling. However, this evidence was ignored and/or withheld and, as a result, Noble Drilling and their management were not held accountable or responsible for their illegal behavior. Had this evidence been used, investigated and action taken the situation contained in the attached video(s) may very well have been avoided. 

The drillship “Noble Don Taylor,”IMO #9618915, had a “drop” of a length of riser that fell onto their rig floor. This joint of riser was approximately 75 feet long and weighed approximately 35,000 pounds. This drop nearly killed a crew member who, literally, ran for his life and got out of harms way. Here is a video of the incident, which speaks for itself. Also, attached is the Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) report. This incident occurred in January 2019 approximately ten months after Noble Drilling was granted “early” termination of criminal probation from case # 3:2014-cr-00114-RRB. In May 2017, I came forward and provided evidence of Noble Drilling’s continued illegal, unsafe and dangerous behavior. The evidence I provided was evidence from my whistleblower/retaliatory termination as a Captain from Noble Drilling and my subsequent litigation against them. However, despite all the evidence I provided, none of you did anything. To be clear, it is not what you did but the gross negligence in what you didn’t do that has enabled the continued reckless, dangerous and non-existent “safety culture” that is Noble Drilling and the result of which is contained in the video(s). Miraculously, the crew member in the video was not killed or hurt………. but what if he had been? Safety at sea is not about luck. It is about prevention and mitigating risk and instilling a positive safety culture that consists of both vessel management and shore-based management. Safety at sea also relies on regulatory authorities and law enforcement authorities doing their jobs and holding those corporations and their management accountable who continually operate dangerously and without any regard for safety or the law. 

Noble Drilling’s shore based manager of the drillship “Noble Don Taylor” is/was Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins. This is the same John Hawkins who was previously the shore-based manager of the vessel “Noble Discoverer” which, in December 2014, was the vessel at the epicenter of Noble Drilling pleading guilty to eight felony charges related to safety and oil pollution violations as well as major non-conformities with their safety management system, case # 3:2014-cr-00114-RRB. This is also the same John Hawkins who, in retaliation, terminated my employment as Captain of the vessel “Noble Danny Adkins” on March 31, 2015, eleven days after I reported illegal and felonious safety violations to Noble Drilling’s “Alternate Designated Person Ashore” (ADPA), Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka. As I would come to learn, the illegal and felonious safety violations I reported aboard the “Noble Danny Adkins” took place with the full knowledge and approval of Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins, Captain Daniel Askins, ADPA Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka himself as well as other senior management of Noble Drilling including VP/Chief Compliance Officer James Sanislow. U.S. Attorney Schroder, you and your Office are well acquainted with James Sanislow as he was an attorney of record for Noble Drilling in their litigation with the United States. These illegal safety violations included false logbook entries as it pertained to lifesaving equipment and the directive that was agreed upon between shore-based and vessel based management to deceive and not be forthright and honest with U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors. One could argue that ADPA Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka, Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins, Captain Daniel Askins and, indirectly James Sanislow, conspired and obstructed justice when they made this decision. For the record, this directive of deceit with the U.S. Coast Guard was contained in writing (in an email) between John Hawkins and Daniel Askins the night before and the morning of the U.S. Coast Guard Inspection. I provided you and your Office and copy of this. Not exactly the behavior one would expect from a convicted felon who just commenced their term of probation is it, Mr. Schroder? U.S. Attorney Schroder, you are a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and were a former Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard for twenty-four years. I would think that you, of all people, would find this conduct appalling……especially, considering that Noble Drilling had just commenced probation. Noble Drilling and their lawyers (John Cox, Herbert Ray & James Sanislow) knowingly, willingly and maliciously lied to you and the Court but that didn’t matter. Despite all of this evidence that I provided, Noble Drilling was still given a free pass by all of you. The U.S. Coast Guard’s 8th District came up with excuses as to why they couldn’t and wouldn’t get involved. Eventually, I was told that the situation I reported regarding Noble Drilling was too “politically sensitive” and that they were given an order to “stand down.” Evidently, in the eyes of the U.S. Coast Guard, “political sensitivity” is more important than keeping mariners safe from dangerous and irresponsible corporate management cultures such as Noble Drilling. Clearly, there is/was a continued pattern of illegal and unsafe behavior as it pertains to the “management” of Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins and Noble Drilling management as a whole. Even after commencing probation there was no change to the behavior of John Hawkins or Noble Drilling management. Given Mr. Hawkins’ tenure of employment of over two decades with Noble Drilling and the continued lengths that senior management will go to in an effort to protect him, it is quite clear that his conduct and behavior is approved, condoned and encouraged by Noble Drilling’s senior management. Not even one year after Noble Drilling was granted “early” termination of probation, a vessel managed by Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins has a “drop” incident that nearly kills a crew member. The fact that this incident occurred on a vessel “managed” by John Hawkins is not a coincidence. Given the history of John Hawkins and Noble Drilling this doesn’t come as a surprise or a shock. This is the culture of Noble Drilling; however, this irresponsible and dangerous culture has been enabled and, thus, allowed to continue because none of you, i.e. the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Justice and the Liberian Flag State, held them accountable or responsible for their conduct. The end result of this lack of accountability and consequences is contained in the video(s). 

It is my understanding that John Hawkins is now employed as a “consultant” at Pacific Drilling. Daniel Askins is employed as a “marine technical manager” at Pacific Drilling. The CEO of Pacific Drilling is Bernie Wolford. Prior to joining Pacific Drilling, Bernie Wolford was the President/VP of Operations for Noble Drilling. Several of you on this email know Mr. Wolford as it was his signature as the Noble Drilling corporate representative on the December 8, 2014 plea agreement with the Department of Justice. Clearly, the dysfunctional and dangerous safety culture of Noble Drilling and the “management” of John Hawkins was acceptable to Mr. Wolford as John Hawkins remained employed at Noble Drilling for the remainder of Mr. Wolford’s tenure there. Presently, John Hawkins and Dan Askins are now in his employ. What does that say about the safety culture of Pacific Drilling? Most would agree that the culture of any organization starts at the top.

In conclusion, I can’t help but think that if any of the law enforcement or regulatory authorities took action after I made you aware of Noble Drillings conduct then, perhaps, the situation in the video could have been avoided. It is very fortunate that the crew member in that video was not killed or injured. In the hypothetical, what if that crew member were not so lucky? What if he was killed or seriously injured? How would all of you explain your negligent conduct? You were all made aware, with hard evidence, that Noble Drilling was still operating dangerously even after commencing probation yet you all did nothing. I would suggest you think about how you would explain your grossly negligent and irresponsible conduct to the family and loved ones of that crew member and, no doubt, their attorneys. They will want answers as to how the regulatory and law enforcement agencies that are entrusted to regulate and make the industry safe completely failed. It is very clear as to what happened here and, quite frankly and in my opinion, all of you should be ashamed of yourselves for looking the other way and doing nothing. Perhaps this video will give pause to think twice the next time a back-room deal is made with a convicted felon or to play politics or pander to a corporate entity as opposed to prioritizing the safety of the mariner. Had that crew member been killed or seriously injured you would all, most certainly, have blood on your hands.

Thank you for taking the time to read and view this post. As always, if there are any questions or comments regarding the content of this post please feel free to contact me via phone or email.

Captain Jeffrey B. Hagopian

Email: jbhagop@yahoo.com

Cell: 978-764-3908

In my previous post I illustrated the gross negligence and indifference of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Liberian Registry as it pertained to the illegal and dangerous conduct of Noble Drilling which I reported to them. 

The epitome of this knowing and willful cover-up was when I notified the U.S. Department of Justice. Specifically, I notified the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska. This was the U.S. Attorney’s Office that had prosecuted Noble Drilling as it pertained to their eight felony convictions that took place on the vessel “Noble Discoverer” from 2010 to 2012. During this timeframe of illegal activity, the shore-based manager of the “Noble Discoverer” was Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins. The case # was 3:2014-cr-00114-RRB, the United States of America vs. Noble Drilling. This is also where Noble Drillings probation officer was located. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska is Mr. Bryan Schroder. He is a 1981 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and served as an Officer for twenty-four years before retiring as a Captain from the U.S. Coast Guard. 

On May 1, 2017, I emailed the U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, Bryan Schroder, as well as a number of other individuals who had been involved in the initial prosecution of Noble Drilling. I notified them that Noble Drilling had violated the terms and conditions of their probation and plea agreement. Approximately two weeks after sending the email I received a phone call from a Special Agent with the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS). The CGIS requested I send the evidence I had. I sent the CGIS the same identical evidence I had given to the U.S. Coast Guard and the Liberian Registry. This evidence included emails, internal documents, work permits, job safety analysis documents and full deposition transcripts from my “Seaman’s Protection Act” litigation against Noble Drilling. 

I never spoke with or met with any of the previously mentioned U.S. Attorney’s from the District if Alaska. On October 27, 2017 I met with DOJ Attorneys Ken Nelson and John Cashman. They were both involved in the initial prosecution and plea agreement against Noble Drilling. We met in Providence, RI.

 Several months passed since that October meeting and in early March 2018 when I followed up with the CGIS agent I had been communicating with he informed me Noble Drilling was granted early termination of probation. I was stunned. Noble Drilling was granted early termination of probation as of March 1, 2018. In my subsequent contact with the previously mentioned Ken Nelson and John Cashman, (which was in early March 2018 and after Noble Drilling was granted early termination of probation), they told me they found me very credible and truthful. How could a convicted felon who was reoffending within two months of commencing probation with the same shore-based manager, and committing nearly identical illegal and felonious offenses get away with such behavior and be granted early termination of probation?

I read several of the Court documents that contained Noble’s petitions to the Court for early termination of probation. These included sworn affidavits signed by the Court Appointed “3rd Party Auditor” and “Independent Auditor.” I will elaborate on the auditors further on in this paragraph. Another sworn affidavit was signed by Noble Drilling’s employee services directory, Priscilla Heistad. At the time of my termination she was Noble Drillings Human Resources Manager and she was involved in my litigation against Noble Drilling. Priscilla Heistad knowingly, willingly lied in her sworn affidavit. For the record, Priscilla Heistad is a licensed attorney in the State of Texas. Noble Drilling and their attorneys (James Sanislow, John Cox and Herbert Ray) also knowingly, willingly and maliciously lied to the Court on multiple occasions in their Court filings and petitions. In particular, they lied about the events leading up to and surrounding my termination. Upon learning of Noble being granted early termination of probation I immediately tried contacting U.S. Attorney Schroder and his Office as I thought it was important that they be aware that Noble Drilling lied in Court. They never returned any of my phone calls. I sent several emails with additional documentation and evidence. I offered to travel to Alaska so as to meet with with Mr. Schroder and his prosecutors but that request was denied. I even sent a letter and a large 3-ring binder with evidence and documentation directly to the Judge who presided over the case, Judge Ralph R. Beistline. I never received a response from the Judge. In April 2018 I received an email/letter from U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder and Asst. U.S. Attorney Andrea “Aunnie” Steward. In this email/letter they offered to “seal” the documents in the Noble case. I declined this offer as all that would do was conceal Noble Drillings illegal and unethical conduct as it pertained to their false Court filings. I had done nothing wrong and I had told the truth. Why would I need or want the documents “sealed.” I requested that they file perjury charges against Noble Drilling. That never happened. In their letter, they also stated that the Judge based his decisions on the affidavits of Noble Drillings “court appointed auditor” and “independent auditor.” As a condition of their plea agreement, these two “auditors” were tasked with monitoring Noble Drillings progress while on probation. The Court Appointed Independent Auditor was Kim Estes and the Court Appointed 3rd Party Auditor was Jay Webster of Sabine Surveyors. To the best of my knowledge Kim Estes does not have an active USCG License and has not been to sea in many, many years. It appears for quite some time he has been pursing an acting career. I find it very odd that of all of the highly skilled, highly qualified maritime consultants available that Noble Drilling and their legal counsel would select Kim Estes. Kim Estes had a clear conflict of interest in this case as he had provided “consulting” services in the form of “coaching and ethical behavior” to the law firm of Keesal, Young and Logan. (This is directly from Mr. Estes website, www.estesgroupllc.com). Not coincidentally, that is the same law firm that Attorneys John Cox and Herbert Ray were employed by when they first began representing Noble Drilling. In fact, their signatures are on the December 8, 2014 plea agreement as attorney’s for Keesal, Young and Logan representing the defendant, Noble Drilling. The Court had to approve of these auditors. One would think that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. District Court in Alaska would recognize this very clear conflict of interest between Kim Estes and the defense counsel. However, that would not be the case. At the time of Noble’s granting of early termination of probation, John Cox and Herbert Ray were no longer with the law firm of Keesal, Young and Logan. James Sanislow, the other attorney, is a Noble Drilling employee. He is their VP/Chief Compliance Officer.

 After reading the sworn affidavits of Kim Estes and Jay Webster I tried emailing them and calling them on several occasions. In the email to them I provided all the evidence to prove that Noble Drilling was lying. I never received any response via email or phone from Kim Estes or Jay Webster. I have come to learn that that is the consistent behavior of those confronted with their dishonest and unethical behavior. It also became very clear to me that Kim Estes and Jay Webster were not interested in the truth and that they were bought and paid for by Noble Drilling. Personally, for alleged former mariners such as Kim Estes and Jay Webster to “sell out” the way they did is beyond disgraceful. As for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, it was very clear that the evidence I provided was suppressed, withheld and ignored. In my opinion, there was blatant collusion between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska and Noble Drilling. This collusion was all in an effort to aid and abet Noble Drilling to be granted early termination. The evidence I provided was an inconvenient truth to whatever back room deal that U.S. Attorney Schroder and his Office made with Noble Drilling which is why, in my opinion, it was withheld and ignored. 

One would think that a U.S. Attorney’s Office led by a former Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard and a Federal Judge would be livid that an eight-time convicted felon who just entered into a plea agreement was violating their probation within sixty days……and with the same shore-based manager, John Hawkins, leading the way. The fact that the events surrounding my termination is indicative of a dysfunctional and dangerous corporate culture that does not value safety is deeply troubling. One would also think that the events surrounding my termination and the cover up of illegal activity involved Noble Drillings own James Sanislow would be very troubling to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Court. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Court, in tandem with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Liberian Registry, gave Noble Drilling a free pass. I believe the fact that Noble Drilling was granted early termination of probation validates this.

 I was always under the impression that when one is on criminal probation they are so supposed to be following the law and staying out of trouble. Evidently, the rules of law don’t apply to Noble Drilling. Perhaps, they knew all along that the Department of Justice, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Liberian Registry would just look the other way and do nothing and would not hold them accountable or responsible for their behavior. How else can one explain their blatant hubris and arrogance? In Court documents, the pinnacle of the collusion between Noble Drilling and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was when Noble Drilling stated that the U.S. Attorney’s Office now agreed with them that I was not a whistleblower!

The end result of the impotence and inaction by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Coast Guard is to the detriment of the safety of the mariner. These entities are supposed to be looking out for the safety of the mariner because, quite frankly, management cultures such as Noble Drilling have demonstrated that they are irresponsible, unethical and operate illegally on a consistent basis. Again, this is to the detriment of the safety of the mariner. When Captain’s or any other crew member are fired within days of reporting safety violations or hazards and law enforcement and regulatory agencies do nothing but protect and enable this type of management who is looking out for the mariner? 

My next post will illustrate the end result of what happens when law enforcement and regulatory agencies such as the Department of Justice and U.S. Coast Guard negligently and irresponsibly look the other way and enable such dysfunctional corporate management cultures such as Noble Drilling.

As always, if any of you have any questions or comments regarding the content of this post please feel free to call me or email me. Thank you for taking the time to read this. 

Captain Jeffrey B. Hagopian

Cell: 978-764-3908

Email: jbhagop@yahoo.com

Written by Captain Jeffrey B. Hagopian

This article is a follow-up to the original blog post titled “On Whistleblowing.” In this first article I outlined and detailed the events that led to my whistleblower/retaliatory termination. 

My termination occurred eleven days after I reported two illegal and felonious safety violations that took place on my former vessel, the “Noble Danny Adkins.” Specifically, “red” entries in the logbook falsely stating that on January 29, 2015 all four lifeboats were “launched and maneuvered” (this event never happened) and the collective directive and agreement between Noble Drilling shore based management and the vessel management i.e. the vessel Captain, Daniel Askins, to lie and not be forthright with U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors during the February 10, 2015 U.S. Coast Guard Inspection as it pertained to the faulty and defective condition of the vessels fast rescue craft (FRC) gravity davit.



I made my safety report both orally and in writing (via email) to Noble Drilling’s “Alternate Designated Person Ashore” (ADPA) Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka. Unbeknownst to me at the time I filed my safety report was that ADPA Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka himself, among several others in shore based management, was a knowing, willing participant in this illegal and felonious conduct. Hence, eleven days later I was terminated. 

The members of shore-based management included ADPA Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka, Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins and VP/Chief Compliance Officer James Sanislow. In addition, former Operations Manager Greg Broussard and the Human Resources Manager at the time, Ms. Priscilla Heistad, also were aware of this. For the record, Ms. Heistad is also a licensed attorney in the State of Texas. 

This next article will focus the conflicts of interest that exist between the Marine Inspections division of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Flag State(s) and the corporate management of companies such as Noble Drilling. This is nothing new and has been going on for years. The result has created a culture of enablement as the U.S. Coast Guard refuses to hold dysfunctional, irresponsible and outright dangerous corporate management cultures, such as Noble Drilling, accountable and responsible for their behavior that endangers their vessel personnel.

As mariners, we are supposed to be able to rely on the U.S. Coast Guard to support the mariner when it comes to enforcement of regulations for safety at sea. The U.S. Coast Guard is supposed to hold corporate management accountable when they operate illegally and endanger the safety of their vessel personnel. In addition, they are also supposed to hold licensed officers accountable should they conduct themselves in an illegal or disingenuous manner that threatens the safety of their crews. 

The “prevention” page on the USCG’s website lists one of its missions as to “Honor The Mariner.” In my opinion, this is a complete farce as the U.S. Coast Guard has done the opposite and actually made our industry more dangerous. When there are no consequences for ones actions there is no incentive to change. In my opinion, the U.S. Coast Guard has hung the mariner out to dry. I realize that this is a very strong statement; however, I base this on my own personal experiences related to my termination. This is outlined in the following paragraphs:

In March 2016, I contacted a member of the “prevention” department of the U.S. Coast Guard’s 8th District in New Orleans, LA. I had a previous rapport with this individual so I sought him out and we spoke. The Spring 2016 edition of the U.S. Coast Guard’s “PROCEEDINGS” Magazine was just published. This magazine is the the U.S. Coast Guards “Journal of Safety & Security at Sea.” This edition of “PROCEEDINGS” was dedicated to “Safety Management Systems.” Given the fact that my termination resulted eleven days after making a report to Noble Drilling’s “Alternate Designated Person Ashore” (the Designated Person/Alternate Designated Person are a critical component and requirement of safety management systems) contacting the U.S. Coast Guard and reporting what had happened seemed appropriate; especially, where the U.S. Coast Guard had used “PROCEEDINGS” to emphasize the importance of safety management systems.

I explained how Noble Drilling retaliated and terminated me and the details of what had happened. They did nothing. They came up with excuses as to why they could not and would not investigate it and would not get involved. They also said that since the vessel had been “stacked” i.e. “laid up” and was no longer in service that they could not do an investigation into this matter. The fact that the vessel was “stacked” or “laid up” is completely irrelevant; however, this was the excuse the U.S. Coast Guard used.

I had all of the evidence to validate what had happened but they were not interested and were not going to get involved. Again, in October 2016, I followed up again with the U.S. Coast Guard’s 8th District. This time I was put in contact with the Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection (OCMI) who was Captain Joshua Reynolds. Captain Reynolds had just given a presentation to the “Center for Offshore Safety” at their annual forum which took place in late September 2016.

Ironically, the topic of Mr. Reynolds presentation was the “changing of safety culture” in the offshore industry. In his opening remarks, Captain Reynolds states the following: “I am all in; the Coast Guard is all in. We have to get beyond compliance to a Safety Culture. The Coast Guard will do its part.” In attendance was U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Paul F. Thomas – at the time he was the U.S. Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy. Admiral Thomas is quoted in the Spring 2016 “PROCEEDINGS” as stating the following: “There is nothing more dangerous than the false sense of security that comes with a safety management system that exists on paper only.” However, when I spoke directly with Mr. Reynolds approximately two weeks after he gave his presentation he couldn’t backtrack and make excuses fast enough as to why the U.S. Coast Guard could not and would not get involved.

This incident with Noble Drilling was a textbook example of the “culture” that Mr. Reynolds was addressing. When a five-year Captain is terminated/retaliated upon eleven days after making a safety report to a DPA/ADPA that is clear evidence of a non-existent and completely dysfunctional safety culture or as Admiral Thomas is quoted, “……a safety management system that exists on paper only.” Noble Drillings ISM/DPA reporting procedures clearly state that all safety violations must be reported and these procedures are also very specific about non-retaliation for the reporting of safety issues. What the U.S. Coast Guard fails to comprehend is the trickle down effect this has on other crew members. When other crew members see a five-year Captain of one of the best vessels in the company fleet terminated within days of making a safety report what type of message does that send? It sends the message that if you speak up about safety you will be fired. This is a very elementary concept that the U.S. Coast Guard cannot seem to grasp. The dysfunctional and warped culture of Noble Drilling is precisely the culture that Mr. Reynolds and, allegedly, the U.S. Coast Guard is “all in” about trying to change. This was an ideal opportunity for Mr. Reynolds and the U.S. Coast Guard to actually take action and do something to promote a safety culture rather than just talk about it. Unfortunately, they chose the latter.

At the time of my termination, Noble Drilling was already a convicted felon on probation for safety and oil pollution violations as well as having “major non-conformities with its safety management system.” On December 8, 2014, Noble Drilling pled guilty to eight felony counts related to safety and oil pollution violations which occurred on the vessel “Noble Discoverer.”The events surrounding the illegal safety violations I reported occurred merely two months after the signing of the plea agreement and the commencement of probation. I will elaborate on Noble’s felony convictions and my communications/interactions with the Department of Justice in the next post.

Clearly, this demonstrates a pattern of illegal, disingenuous and unethical conduct on the part of Noble Drilling management. However, that didn’t matter to Mr. Reynolds and the U.S. Coast Guard. They just kept looking the other way and did nothing. I followed up with Mr. Reynolds, again, in mid-February 2017. In an email, I asked him point blank if he and the U.S. Coast Guard were going to do something regarding Noble Drilling or keep looking the other way and doing nothing. Mr. Reyolds and the U.S. Coast Guard, again, chose the latter. 

The epitome of the hypocrisy of Mr. Reynolds and the U.S. Coast Guard was at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, TX on June 28, 2017. Mr. Reynolds is quoted as saying the following: “I’m a believer in safety management systems……The challenge is to get buy-in at all levels; they should be part of a safety culture. If there’s no safety culture, a safety management system becomes shelf ware generated by a corporate to satisfy a regulation….There are three steps to a good safety management system: 1. Say what you do; 2. Do what you say and; 3 Prove it”  Mr. Reynolds is absolutely correct and I would suggest that Mr. Reynolds and the U.S. Coast Guard should heed those words themselves……..Mr. Reynolds and the U.S. Coast Guard have the words down but their words aren’t worth the paper they are written on.

They know how to say the right things and they can deliver a presentation but it is all smoke and mirrors and nothing but a “dog and pony show.” When it comes to actually taking action and following through with their words they do nothing. What I, personally, find repugnant is that Mr. Reynolds had the audacity to “double down” and make these statements four months after I called him and the U.S. Coast Guard out for looking the other way and doing nothing (see attached email). The U.S. Coast Guard has the power and authority to enforce ISM/safety management system compliance……..but they refuse to do it. Unfortunately, this is the consistent hypocrisy of the U.S. Coast Guard.

In an effort to appease me, Mr. Reynolds put me in contact with U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Todd Michael who was based out of U.S. Coast Guard sector Corpus Christi, TX. One would think that given the egregious nature of Noble Drillings conduct and how allegedly “passionate” Mr. Reynold is about safety management systems that he would want to speak and meet with me directly. This would not be the case.

This further demonstrates the hypocrisy of Mr. Reynolds and that of the U.S. Coast Guard. For the record, I met with U.S. Coast Guard CWO Todd Michael on March 30, 2017, in Houston, TX. I provided him hard copies and electronic copies of all of the evidence I had. In my last communication with CWO Michael he told me had forwarded the evidence up his chain of command. Unfortunately, from there it evaporated and I have heard nothing ever since from the U.S. Coast Guard. In 2017, in a phone conversation with a member of the U.S. Coast Guard’s 8th District, I was told that my situation with Noble Drilling was too “politically sensitive” and that they were given an order to “stand down” from getting involved. Since when does “political sensitivity” have anything to do with the safety of mariners? I could not believe what I was hearing.

If there are any members of the senior leadership of the U.S. Coast Guard who are reading this article perhaps they can provide some insight into how “political sensitivity” relates to the safety of mariners. To be clear, as mariners, our world is not about politics or cronyism or political sensitivity. At sea or offshore, our world is very black and white and the one thing we all want to do is to come home safely to our families and loved ones. 


My personal opinion and interpretation of “political sensitivity” is that the U.S. Coast Guard does not want to “upset” the management of companies such as Noble Drilling. After all, these companies employ many former members of the U.S. Coast Guard. Noble Drilling is no exception to this. This is articulated further in this article. Members of the U.S. Coast Guard know that if they are lenient and/or “cooperative” with these companies then there will be a lucrative position for them upon leaving the U.S. Coast Guard. This quid pro quo and “revolving door” is not a coincidence and it has been going on for years. This is a direct conflict of interest and the result is sub-standard inspections being conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard with the end result having a direct effect on the safety of the mariner.

A textbook example of this is former U.S. Coast Guard sector Jacksonville Commander, “Captain” Jeff Dixon. Upon leaving the U.S. Coast Guard in April 2017 he went to work for TOTE in May 2017 and in January 2019 he was promoted to President of TOTE.

Coincidentally, the U.S. Coast Guard has, to the best of my knowledge, not levied the civil fines on TOTE as a result of the tragic loss of the “Ef Faro.” It appears that things have worked out quite well for TOTE and Mr. Dixon. 

At the time of my termination, Noble Drillings “compliance” group was headed by VP/Chief Compliance Officer James Sanislow. Mr. Sanislow is a 1989 graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy and at one time held a U.S. Coast Guard Unlimited Tonnage Deck License. Mr. Sanislow is also an attorney for Noble Drilling. The Director of Compliance was Mr. Jim Gormanson who was a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. In addition, ADPA Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka, Mr. Odell Reid and Mr. Alan Grodecki are all former members of the U.S. Coast Guard and were all members of the “compliance” and/or “health, safety & environmental” (HSE) group at Noble Drilling at the time of my termination. ADPA Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka, whom I made my safety report to, is a twenty-seven year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard who spent the last seven years of his Coast Guard career in marine inspections. One would think that a regulatory “compliance” group led by a maritime academy graduate, a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and several other members who were all former members of the U.S. Coast Guard would be well versed in compliance with applicable maritime laws and regulations.

Specifically, it is not unreasonable to expect that all of them would be well versed and knowledgable in safety regulations contained in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations as well as those required by SOLAS. SOLAS is an abbreviation for the “International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.”

One would also think that while the ink was still drying on a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and Noble Drilling had just commenced four years probation that ADPA Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka would not be recommending to Drilling Superintendent John Hawkins and Captain Daniel Askins that they should let the U.S. Coast Guard “broach the subject first” regarding the condition of a faulty and defective fast rescue craft (FRC) gravity davit.

This directive was contained in an email (which is attached) the night before and the morning of the U.S. Coast Guard Inspection of February 10, 2015. This is in direct violation of the law and it is also extremely unethical. Considering ADPA Jedlicka’s background with the U.S. Coast Guard this directive is unconscionable. Perhaps, the U.S. Coast Guard viewed Noble’s  behavior as an embarrassment and a “black eye” for the U.S. Coast Guard. After all, it does speak volumes that the compliance group of an eight time convicted felon that is reoffending within two months of commencing probation is comprised, primarily, of former members of the U.S. Coast Guard.



Perhaps, that is what they meant by “political sensitivity?” From strictly a personal point of view, any individual with an unlimited tonnage license (especially an Unlimited Masters License) who would knowingly, willingly sign off on false logbook entries for something as critical as lifesaving equipment is not worthy of possessing any type of Merchant Mariner Credential.

The conduct of the U.S. Coast Guard and their former members reached a new low when my attorney informed me that the “expert” witness that Noble Drilling was going to use against me in my litigation with Noble Drilling was U.S. Coast Guard Captain David L. Nichols. Mr. Nichols was the U.S. Coast Guards 8th District former Chief of the Outer Continental Shelf Division which was responsible for the safety and security of rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Nichols retired from the Coast Guard in 2015. Given the truth, the facts and the evidence I don’t know how this individual, in good conscience, could actually testify and/or provide expert counsel and defend Noble Drilling in their actions; especially, where they were already an eight-time convicted felon on probation.

According to his Linkedin profile he is presently employed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Perhaps, the potential involvement of Mr. Nichols providing “expert” testimony for Noble Drilling contributed to the “political sensitivity” that was previously referred to. 

In addition, in May 2017, I notified the Liberian Registry of Noble Drillings conduct. As the Flag State they have a responsibility to ensure their vessels comply with the law and applicable rules and regulations as well as complying with the ISM Code and safety management systems. Considering Noble was a convicted felon on probation notifying them seemed appropriate. As with the U.S. Coast Guard they came up with excuses and took no action. Coincidentally, there are many former members of the U.S. Coast Guard employed at the Liberian Registry. I have copies of all of the email correspondence with them. As with the U.S. Coast Guard, they made excuses, looked the other way and did nothing. 

This was an opportunity for the U.S. Coast Guard and the Flag State to send a message to corporations such as Noble Drilling and set a precedent that this type of conduct would not be tolerated. Instead, they did just the opposite and set the horrible precedent that this type of conduct was acceptable. The action of doing nothing is tantamount to consent and approval. As I previously stated, when there are no consequences for illegal, irresponsible and dangerous corporate behavior there is no incentive for them to change. 
 
A real Captain puts his crew and vessel first above all else including themselves. The U.S. Coast Guard is supposed to have “the back” of the mariner. However, corporations know they can fire their Captains for raising safety concerns and that they can get away with it because they know the U.S. Coast Guard will look the other way and do nothing. This is very, very dangerous. The U.S. Coast Guard has put politics, cronyism and corporate pandering ahead of the safety of the mariner. Who is looking out for the safety and well being of the mariner?  “Honor The Mariner” it says on the “prevention” page of the U.S. Coast Guard’s website. If only that were actually true.

The U.S. Coast Guard must change their culture of enablement. If they don’t, it is only inevitable that there will be more tragedies such as “El Faro”and “Deepwater Horizon.”

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If any of you have any questions or comments please feel to comment on the blog or to contact me directly. Until the next post……

Captain Jeffrey B. HagopianMassachusetts Maritime Academy – Class of 1988Cell: 978-764-3908Email: jbhagop@yahoo.com

I am a 1988 graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I sailed VLCC’s as 3rd and 2nd Mate. I then came ashore for a bit and then returned to sea working as Captain and Chief Mate on three different IMO high speed craft. My last seagoing job was Captain of a dynamically positioned, mobile offshore deepwater drilling unit for Noble Drilling aboard the vessel “Noble Danny Adkins.” Presently, and since March 2017, I have been a training instructor for the U.S. Navy at the Surface Warfare Officers School located in Newport, RI. I teach both conventional surface combatant vessels as well as the high speed littoral combat ships to Navy Officers that range from Lieutenants to Commanding Officers. 

I had been Captain of the previously mentioned “Noble Danny Adkins” for five years from March 2010 to March 31, 2015. Prior to that, in 2009, I was Chief Mate on the “Noble Danny Adkins” during the vessels final phases of construction in Singapore and prior to the vessels arrival in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico which was in February 2010. The “Noble Danny Adkins” was on contract to Shell until mid-2014 and the vessel earned and enjoyed an outstanding reputation for safety, regulatory compliance, efficiency and crew morale. The “Noble Danny Adkins” was considered to be one of, if not, the best vessels in the Noble Drilling fleet. 

On March 31, 2015, my employment was terminated from Noble Drilling. This termination took place eleven days after I filed a report of illegal safety violations that took place on the vessel in my absence. These safety violations were extremely egregious. Morally, ethically and legally, I was obligated to report this. On March 18th and March 20, 2015, I reported the safety violations to Noble Drilling’s “Alternate Designated Person Ashore,” (ADPA)Vaclav “Jed” Jedlicka. Eleven days after filing my report of these safety violations, March 31, 2015, I was fired. What I didn’t realize is, at the time, that my report to ADPA Jedlicka exposed both corporate and vessel management, in collusion and agreement, as it pertained to the illegal safety violations I reported.

The result was my termination eleven days later. The details of my termination is contained in a post on this website titled “On Whistleblowing.”
My whistleblower/retaliatory termination has been a very eye-opening experience. I care deeply about our industry and the safety of all mariners. Mariners may disagree on many things; however, the one common denominator all mariners should share is safety. We all want to come home to our families and loved ones. In this day and age, mariners in any capacity should not be fearful of retaliation and/or termination for raising safety issues to management. Unfortunately, it still keeps happening. 

I want to be clear that this is not about me. It is about us as an industry and changes that need to be made to what is a very broken system. What happened in my situation can happen to any of us. My goal and my passion is to try as best I can to prevent this type of activity from repeating itself. I would welcome any mariner to please feel free to comment or to contact me directly at 978-764-3908 or jbhagop@yahoo.com. Thank you and until the next post. 

Captain Jeffrey B. Hagopian

Cell: 978-764-3908

Email: jbhagop@yahoo.com

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