Definition: Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries.
Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc., that a ship can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered volume of a ship available for cargo and passengers and converting it to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable relationship between GRT and DWT.
Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers, combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships, passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, and vehicle carriers.
Foreign-owned are ships that fly the flag of one country but belong to owners in another.
Registered in other countries are ships that belong to owners in one country but fly the flag of another.
Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is accurate as of January 1, 2012
See also: Merchant marine mapRelated News
Veteran joined Merchant Marine during World War II to 'help save the country’
Star-Banner - 5/6/2013 12:23:58 AM
Elmore "Elmo" Berthelot joined the Merchant Marine at age 16. Just months after signing up, he was on the high seas en route to England and France with troops and critical supplies, vulnerable to enemy attack during World War II. “I wanted to see the ...
End of an era for local American Merchant Marine chapter
Observer-Reporter - 6/15/2013 3:11:16 AM
The Merchant Marine in peacetime is a civilian service that handles commercial cargo ... “I am the youngest of the three, and not in the best of health. (I) will continue to support legislation for the good of the few Merchant Mariners ...
201 Future Leaders of America Graduate from U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Yahoo! Finance - 6/17/2013 8:19:41 PM
KINGS POINT, N.Y., June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) graduated 201 new maritime leaders as part of its Class of 2013 commencement ceremony. The keynote speaker, General William M. Fraser III, Commander, U.S ...
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Hosts 2013 Graduation
marinelink.com - 6/17/2013 7:36:44 PM
As I look upon this audience, I know we are in good hands.” This year’s graduates represent 37 states and the four foreign countries of South Korea, Malaysia, Republic of Panama and Singapore. USMMA graduates have the option of working in the seagoing ...
Could the world's biggest marine sanctuary be declared in the Antarctic?
The Guardian - 6/17/2013 10:47:02 AM
And while you probably haven't read much about it, the outcome could see the creation of the two largest areas of protected ocean on the planet that would lock out fishing from more than 1.5 million square kilometres of ocean around the Antarctic.
WWII Then and Now: Elmerick helped Merchant Marines receive veteran status
Canton Repository - 5/28/2013 12:12:11 AM
That members of the U.S. Merchant Marine are recognized as World War II veterans by the State of Ohio is due, at least in part, to the dedication of Francis Elmerick. An Ohio house of representatives resolution was passed in 2000, granting the Merchant ...
Insight: Murder trial of Italian marines in India navigates murky waters
NBC News - 6/10/2013 4:50:15 AM
Indian prosecutors allege the two Indian fishermen were shot by two Italian marines serving as security guards on ... which represents more than 80 percent of the world's merchant fleet. "There is a real and present need for the development of ...
Merchant Marines
Patch - 6/11/2013 8:59:37 AM
Jordan Pappas was accepted into the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Pappas was among 15 students welcomed ... is their personal choice to use their abilities in the service of their country. I am grateful to all of…
Letter: Merchant Marine vets deserve honors
heraldbulletin.com - 5/22/2013 1:09:25 AM
where it was needed and when it was needed World War II would not have ended when it did. When the war was won, the government pleaded with 16- and 17-year-old boys, who had answered our country’s call for volunteers to be trained as merchant marine ...
The Forgotten Branch: Author Jack Beritzhoff Remembers the Merchant Marine
The Huffington Post - 5/24/2013 7:29:25 PM
At the height of the Second World War, when I served, there were over 250,000 merchant sailors bringing supplies to American forces and our allies, getting torpedoed by U-boats ... Marine? Jack Beritzhoff: When my draft number came up, I went ...
LYONS: How Obama is scuttling the Merchant Marine
Washington Times - 3/14/2013 1:48:17 AM
For more than 200 years, the United States Merchant Marine has been a key element in our overall national security equation. It has supported our nation’s military operations and conflicts throughout the world ... of these poor countries, their farmers ...
New License Plates Available for Paratroopers, WWII Merchant Mariners
Yahoo! News - 4/23/2013 3:19:51 PM
"These new plates recognize the added challenges faced by the brave service members who served with our nation's military airborne units and those who served with the Merchant Marines during World War II," said PennDOT Secretary Barry J.
Letter | Where are honors for the merchant mariners?
Mercer Island Reporter - 6/3/2013 6:20:17 PM
A day that we set aside to honor all the men and women who lost their lives serving out country. We honor all the armed ... At least I never saw any. During World War II, the American Merchant Marine sailors had the highest casualty rate of any service.
Middletown teen selected for U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Frederick News-Post - 6/6/2013 6:42:23 AM
Johnson, of Middletown, will attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point ... His family serves as a safety net where he is most comfortable, he said. Parker credits his coaches and Scouting experiences for helping to mold him into an independent ...
Service, sacrifice of Merchant Marine honored in wreath-laying ceremony
portcitydaily.com - 5/21/2013 11:57:50 PM
told of the service the Merchant Marine offers in times of war, providing transportation of cargo and personnel. They also noted the sacrifice of more than 9,500 merchant mariners who died in World War II. With 243,000 merchant mariners in that war ...
