Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the merchant marine?
2. What does the Maritime Administration do?
3. Where do I find information on maritime training and education?
4. Where do I find information on shipbuilding, ship repair, owner/operators and marine suppliers in improving their international competitiveness?
5. What is the Ready Reserve Force?
6. What does it mean to say a ship is "U.S.-flag"?
7. Where do I find maritime industry statistical information?
8. Where do I obtain information on merchant mariner records?
9. Who is eligible for mariner veteran's benefits?
10. Where do I find information on the Adopt-A-Ship program?
11. What is the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF)?
12. Where do I find information on my local port authority?
13. Where do I find information on Cargo Preference?
14. Where do I find information on Title XI financing?
15. How do I obtain information on boating safety?
16. Where can I file a cruise line complaint?

1. What is the merchant marine?
   

   The term merchant marine refers to the commercial ships or fleet of a nation, and to the people who operate them. The United States Merchant Marine also serves as an auxiliary in time of war or national emergency, transporting goods or materiel needed by the Armed Forces. The United States Merchant Marine has played a vital role in every national conflict since 1775, and played a particularly large and vital part in World War II.

   The Merchant Marine Act of 1936 set up the predecessor agencies to the Maritime Administration, and its provisions govern many of the activities of the Maritime Administration today.  The act reads, in part: "It is necessary for the national defense... that the United States shall have a merchant marine of the best equipped and most suitable types of vessels sufficient to carry the greater portion of its commerce and serve as a naval or military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency..."  During World War II the fleet was in effect nationalized; that is, the federal government controlled the cargo and the destinations, contracted with private companies to operate the ships, and put guns and Navy personnel, the Navy Armed Guard, on board. The government trained the men to operate the ships through the U.S. Maritime Service.  The U.S. Maritime Service only exists now through maritime academies.  

   Individuals who serve in the merchant marine are referred to as mariners, sailors, commercial sailors, or seafarers.  More information on the U.S. Merchant Marine may be found at www.usmm.org.

2. What does the Maritime Administration do?
   

   Programs of the Maritime Administration promote the development and maintenance of an adequate, well-balanced United States merchant marine, sufficient to carry the Nation's domestic waterborne commerce and a substantial portion of its waterborne foreign commerce, and capable of service as a naval and military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency. The Maritime Administration also seeks to ensure that the United States maintains adequate shipbuilding and repair services, efficient ports, effective intermodal water and land transportation systems, and reserve shipping capacity for use in time of national emergency.

3. Where do I find information on maritime training and education?
   

   The Maritime Administration vigorously supports maritime training and education through the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, support of six State maritime academies, and several outreach and continuing education programs. More information can be found in the Education portion of our web site.

4. Where do I find information on shipbuilding, ship repair, owner/operators and marine suppliers in improving their international competitiveness?
   

   The Maritime Administration's National Maritime Resource and Education Center (NMREC) provides information.

5. What is the Ready Reserve Force?
   

   The Ready Reserve Force (RRF) is a fleet of cargo ships, owned and maintained by the Maritime Administration and managed by commercial companies. The ships are used to support the deployment of U.S. military forces overseas and in national emergencies. More information can be found on the RRF portion of this web site.

6. What does it mean to say a ship is "U.S.-flag"?
   

   It means a ship is registered in the United States.  Ships registered in the United States must meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements for safety.  The company operating the ship must also meet citizenship requirements, and abide by the laws of the United States.

7. Where do I find maritime industry statistical information?
   

   The Maritime Administration's Office of Policy and Plans conducts statistical and economic analyses of the shipping industry, conducts studies and evaluations of Maritime Administration programs, assists in developing the Maritime Administrations's strategic and performance plans, and supports the Administrator's negotiation of multilateral and bilateral maritime agreements. More information can be found on the Data and Statistics page of this web site, and also at the Marine Transportation System Data Inventory Portal.

8. Where do I obtain information on merchant mariner records?
   

   Mariner records information can be obtained from the Department of Homeland Security's United States Coast Guard's National Maritime Center. The Center is located at 100 Forbes Drive, Martinsburg, WV 25404; phone 1-888-427-5662, web site www.uscg.mil/nmc.

9. Who is eligible for mariner veteran's benefits?
   

   Qualification eligibility and application instructions can be found at the National Maritime Center.  There is a special web site for World War II Merchant Marine Veterans.

10. Where do I find information on the Adopt-A-Ship program?
    

    The Adopt-A-Ship program, sponsored by the Propeller Club of the United States and the Maritime Administration, is a free program that helps students grades 5-8 with geography, science, language, and much more.  Classrooms "adopt" a working ship and correspond with its officers and crew.  For more information, go to the Adopt-A-Ship web site.  

11. What is the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF)?
    

    The National Defense Reserve Fleet is comprised of ships owned and maintained by the Maritime Administration.  The fleet serves as a reserve of vessels which can be activated to help meet U. S. shipping requirements during a national emergency. More information can be found on the NDRF portion of this web site.

    Part of the responsibility for maintaining the fleet is disposing of obsolete ships. More information can be found on the Ship Disposal portion of this web site.

12. Where do I find information on my local port authority?
    

    The American Association of Port Authorities provides a member directory on its web site.

13. Where do I find information on Cargo Preference?
    

    The Office of Cargo Preference's primary focus is to promote and monitor the use of U.S.-flag vessels in the movement of cargo on international waters.  The Cargo Preference program facilitates the shipping of U.S. Government-impelled cargo on U.S.-flag ships.   More information can be found on the Cargo Preference pages of this web site.

14. Where do I find information on Title XI financing?
    

    The Federal Ship Financing Program provides for a full faith and credit guarantee by the United States Government to promote the growth and modernization of the U.S. merchant marine and U.S. shipyards. More information can be found on the Title XI portion of our web site.

15. How do I obtain information on boating safety?
    

    The U.S. Coast Guard's Office of Boating Safety educates the public on the prevention of accidents, injuries, and fatalities while boating. Information on boating safety course, safety tips, news, recalls, defects, and laws and regulations can be found at http://www.uscgboating.org/.

16. Where can I file a cruise line complaint?
    

    The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has limited jurisdiction over cruise vessels and operators. Primarily, the Commission ensures that cruise line operators who are embarking passengers from a United States port have evidence of financial responsibility to indemnify passengers in the event of nonperformance or casualty. Passengers are not covered by the Commission's financial responsibility program if they did not embark from a United States port. Relations between the cruise lines and their customers, however, are contractual matters governed by the terms of the passenger ticket. More information can be found here.