AMO officers work aboard international liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers operating worldwide.

At the Simulation, Training, Assessment & Research (STAR) Center, operated by the AMO Safety & Education Plan, AMO officers, have access to the only LNG training program in the U.S.[2] certified to the standards of the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators (SIGTTO).

With developed international equivalencies, AMO officers can crew vessels registered with more than a dozen flag states.

At STAR Center, AMO officers also have access to a comprehensive dynamic positioning (DP) training program accredited by the Nautical Institute.

The former STAR center in Toledo, Ohio was closed in 2008, and training for AMO officers has been consolidated at the site in Florida.

[5] In 1953 at the SIUNA Convention, the Brotherhood of Marine Engineers gained autonomy, allowing it to adopt a constitution and elect officers.

[6] The first constitution was drafted by Edward Reisman, Rudolph Wunsch, James Wilde, Everett Landers, Peter Geipi, and William Lovvorn,[7] who "wanted to craft a document that would provide for free and fair elections, set the terms of office for official positions, specify the duties of union officials, provide for charges, trials, and appeals, permit rank and file membership inspection of the union's financial records, and permit amendments by rank and file vote".

In February 1955, the union began pursuing the "first pension plan ever for U.S. merchant marine officers", which was well underway by November 1955.

[12] Today, AMO thrives as a national union representing licensed officers in all sectors of the United States merchant fleet—including ocean-going, Great Lakes and inland waters—aboard a wide range of commercial and military support vessels, as well commercial vessels operating in the international energy transportation trades.

On January 8, 2007, Tom Bethel was appointed by the AMO national executive committee to fulfill the term of former president Michael McKay.

[15] The dispute focused on three Great Lakes "river class" self-unloading bulk carriers:[16] the M/V David Z, the M/V Earl W, and the M/V Wolverine.

[16] Headquartered in Lakewood, Ohio,[16] the company is a subsidiary of Sand Products Corp.[17] The ships were purchased from Oglebay Norton Corporation for $18.7 million in 2006.

The strike was called on May 9, 2007,[17] when the company "refused to sign a pattern agreement already agreed to by three other Great Lakes operators".

[18] During the fiscal year ending in March 2006, AMO discovered that the former National Vice-president Deep Sea, Thomas Kelly, entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. government.