United States Maritime Administration

Not to be confused with Federal Maritime Commission.

United States Maritime Administration

Seal of the U.S. Maritime Administration
Flag of the U.S. Maritime Administration
Agency overview
Formed	May 24, 1950
Preceding agency	Maritime Commission
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Agency executives	Ann C. Phillips, Administrator Lucinda Lessley, Deputy Administrator
Parent agency	Department of Transportation
Website	maritime.dot.gov

The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. MARAD administers financial programs to develop, promote, and operate the U.S. Maritime Service and the U.S. Merchant Marine. In addition, it conducts research and development activities in the maritime field; regulates the transfer of U.S. documented vessels to foreign registries; maintains equipment, shipyard facilities, and reserve fleets of Government-owned ships essential for national defense. MARAD also maintains the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) as a ready source of ships for use during national emergencies and logistically supporting the military when needed.

History

When the United States Maritime Commission was abolished on May 24, 1950, its functions were split between the Federal Maritime Board which was responsible for regulating shipping and awarding subsidies for construction and operation of merchant vessels, and Maritime Administration, which was responsible for administering subsidy programs, maintaining the national defense reserve merchant fleet, and operating the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

In 1961, the Federal Maritime Board regulatory functions were assumed by the newly created Federal Maritime Commission, while the subsidy functions were assigned to the Maritime Subsidy Board of the Maritime Administration.

On August 6, 1981, MARAD came under control of the Department of Transportation thereby bringing all transportation programs under one cabinet-level department.

Leadership

• Ann C. Phillips, Administrator
• Lucinda Lessley, Deputy Maritime Administrator
• Kevin Tokarski, Associate Administrator, Strategic Sealift
• Vice Admiral Jack Buono, USMS, Superintendent, United States Merchant Marine Academy
• Delia Davis, Associate Administrator, Administration
• Corey Beckett, Associate Administrator, Budget and Programs/Chief Financial Officer
• Michael Carter, Associate Administrator, Environment and Compliance
• William Paape, Associate Administrator, Ports & Waterways
• David Heller, Associate Administrator, Business and Finance Development

Maritime Academies

The Maritime Administration collaborates with stakeholders from all transportation sectors and modes in order to accomplish its mission to improve the U.S. marine transportation system. MARAD operates one federal service academy and administers a Grant-In-Aid Program for six state-operated maritime academies:

Classification	Name	Location	Notes
Federal	United States Merchant Marine Academy	Kings Point, New York	One of the United States service academies
State	California Maritime Academy	Vallejo, California	A campus of the California State University
State	Maine Maritime Academy	Castine, Maine	A public post-secondary college and nautical training institution
State	Massachusetts Maritime Academy	Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts	A regionally accredited, coeducational, state college
State	Great Lakes Maritime Academy	Traverse City, Michigan	A division of Northwestern Michigan College
State	SUNY Maritime College	Bronx, New York	A campus of the State University of New York
State	Texas A&M Maritime Academy	Galveston, Texas	A branch campus of Texas A&M University

Students at these academies can graduate with appropriate United States Coast Guard licenses (Mate or Engineer) if they choose to take the Coast Guard License exam. They may become commissioned reserve officers in any branch of the service when graduating from USMMA or a ROTC scholarship from one of the other maritime schools.

Subsidies

The Maritime Subsidy Board negotiates contracts for ship construction and grants operating-differential subsidies to shipping companies.

Maritime Security Program

The Maritime Administrator is vested with the residual powers of the Director of the National Shipping Authority, which was established in 1951 to organize and direct emergency merchant marine operations.

The Maritime Security Program (MSP) authorizes MARAD to enter into contracts with U.S.-flag commercial ship owners to provide service during times of war or national emergencies. As of 2007, ten companies have signed contracts providing the MSP with a reserve of sixty cargo vessels.

Past Administrators

	Administrator	Term started	Term ended
1	Edward L. Cochrane	August 8, 1950	October 1, 1952
2	Albert W. Gatov	October 2, 1952	June 30, 1953
3	Louis S. Rothschild	July 1, 1953	February 25, 1955
4	Clarence G. Morse	March 16, 1955	May 1, 1960
5	Ralph E. Wilson	July 1, 1960	February 22, 1961
6	Donald W. Alexander	October 9, 1961	October 31, 1963
7	Nicholas Johnson	March 2, 1964	June 30, 1966
8	Andrew E. Gibson	March 25, 1969	July 6, 1972
9	Robert J. Blackwell	July 7, 1972	April 9, 1979
10	Harold E. Shear	October 19, 1981	May 31, 1985
11	John A. Gaughan	November 26, 1985	March 26, 1989
12	Warren G. Leback	October 11, 1989	January 20, 1993
13	Albert J. Herberger	September 14, 1993	June 30, 1997
14	Clyde J. Hart Jr.	August 6, 1998	May 21, 2000
15	William G. Schubert	December 6, 2001	February 11, 2005
16	Sean T. Connaughton	September 6, 2006	January 20, 2009
17	David T. Matsuda	July 30, 2009	June 4, 2013
18	Paul N. "Chip" Jaenichen	July 25, 2014	January 13, 2017
19	Mark H. Buzby	August 3, 2017	January 11, 2021
20	Ann C. Phillips	May 16, 2022	Present

See also

• Merchant navy
• Port authority

External links

• Official website
• United States Maritime Administration in the Federal Register
• MARAD page in the U.S. Naval Vessel Register
• Papers of Louis S. Rothschild (Administrator of the United States Maritime Administration 1953-1955), Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
• United States Maritime Administration at the Wayback Machine (archived December 20, 1996)