Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey.

The article presents comments from David M. Rider, president and executive director of the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey, on the problem of recruiting and retaining people for shipboard careers in the U.S. He points out that although the economic crisis will slow the growth of merchant shipping, the recruitment problem still remains. He acknowledges the effort of the U.S. Coast Guard to enhance cooperation with the maritime industry and improve seafarers' job satisfaction. He suggests steps for U.S. leadership in 2009.