Maritime Administration

The Maritime Administration was established by Reorganization Plan No. 21 of 1950 (5 U.S.C. app.) effective May 24, 1950. The Maritime Act of 1981 (46 U.S.C. 1601) transferred the Maritime Administration to the Department of Transportation, effective August 6, 1981. The Administration administers 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. It administers subsidy programs, provides financing 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 merchant type ships for the Federal Government, helps industry generate increased business for U.S. ships and conducts programs to develop ports, facilities, and intermodal transport, and to promote domestic shipping. The Administration conducts program and technical studies and administers a War Risk Insurance Program, and 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 Fleet of Government-owned ships, regulates sales to aliens and transfers to foreign registry of ships that are fully or partially owned by U.S. citizens. It also operates the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point. (OFR1)

Oversees subsidy programs to the United States Merchant Marine. Assigns routes to subsidized liners.