Maritime Administration in the United States

The Maritime Administration was established by Reorganization Plan No. 21
of 1950 (5 U.S.C. app.). The Maritime Act of 1981 (46 U.S.C. 1601) transferred the
Maritime Administration to the Department of Transportation. The Administration
manages programs to aid in the development, promotion, and operation of
the U.S. merchant marine. It is also charged with organizing and directing emergency
merchant ship operations.

The Maritime Administration administers subsidy programs to pay
the difference between certain costs of operating ships under the U.S.
?ag and foreign competitive ?ags on essential services, and the difference
between the costs of constructing ships in U.S. and foreign shipyards.
It provides ?nancing guarantees for the construction, reconstruction, and
reconditioning of ships; and enters into capital construction fund agreements
that grant tax deferrals on moneys to be used for the acquisition, construction,
or reconstruction of ships.

The Administration constructs or supervises the construction of merchanttype
ships for the Federal Government. It helps industry generate increased
business for U.S. ships and conducts programs to develop ports, facilities, and
intermodal transport, and to promote domestic shipping.

It conducts program and technical studies and administers a war risk
insurance program that insures operators and seamen against losses caused by
hostile action if domestic commercial insurance is not available.
Under emergency conditions the Maritime Administration charters
Government-owned ships to U.S. operators, requisitions or procures ships
owned by U.S. citizens, and allocates them to meet defense needs.

It maintains a national defense reserve ?eet of Government-owned ships that
it operates through ship managers and general agents when required in
national defense interests. An element of this activity is the Ready Reserve force
consisting of a number of ships available for quick-response activation.

The Administration regulates sales to aliens and transfers to foreign registry
of ships that are fully or partially owned by U.S. citizens. It also disposes
of Government-owned ships found nonessential for national defense.
The Administration operates the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point,
NY, where young people are trained to become merchant marine of?cers, and
conducts training in shipboard ?re?ghting at Toledo, OH. It also administers a
Federal assistance program for the maritime academies operated by the
States of CA, ME, MA, MI, NY, and TX. For a complete list of Maritime
Administration of?ces, go to www.marad. dot.gov/about_us_landing_page/gateway_
of?ces/Gateway_Presence.htm.

For further information, contact the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. Phone, 202–366–5807 or 800–996–2723. Internet, http://www.marad.dot.gov.