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 12:45:26 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 ...
MICHAEL JEWELL, Boston: Support jobs through U.S. Merchant Marine
Patriot Ledger - 5/14/2013 1:40:22 AM
The U.S. Merchant Marine ... country a base of highly skilled merchant mariners prepared to sail aboard vessels that carry military cargo overseas. This is the same USMM that supported our nation’s military operations and conflicts throughout the world ...
Letters: IRS, sex abuse and the Merchant Marines
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog) - 5/17/2013 1:32:39 PM
Don’t forget Merchant Marines Memorial Day will soon be here and tributes to ... supplies and equipment needed by the Allies to defeat the enemy in World War II, which included the invasion of the Philippines and Okinawa. They made one of the most ...
Merchant marine from North Sydney earned prestigious honour
Cape Breton - 5/21/2013 12:27:39 AM
This rather formal announcement appeared in the London Gazette on Jan. 1, 1946. (First published in 1665, the Gazette is recognized worldwide as the official publication of the British government.) It was the official announcement, from ...
Letter: Jones Act defends U.S. marine jobs
The Advocate - 5/21/2013 3:33:46 AM
The Jones Act ensures that our country maintains a base of highly skilled merchant mariners ... It is the same merchant marine that has supported our nation’s military operations and conflicts throughout the world for over 200 years, even when foreign ...
Married to the Marines
New York Times Blogs - 5/21/2013 7:47:17 PM
That was 1997, long before The Longest War began. I chose my boxy ... Schnelle shouted to the delight of the crowd. “Welcome to the Marine Corps, Mrs. Blake!” I know the details of our military life will fade like Fourth of July fireworks ...
Marine Harvest seeks ASC accreditation by 2020
FIS - 5/21/2013 6:57:11 PM
While the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Scotland said Marine Harvest’s move with the scheme represents a significant step which the rest of the industry could follow, the Salmon and Trout Association (S&TA) insists that the salmon farms are often located ...
Merchant Marine Academy alumni to honor National Maritime Day
theday.com - 4/29/2013 7:34:36 AM
After a gun salute, the president’s National Maritime Day Proclamation will be read and a short service will be held. Earl Maxfield, who served in the U.S. Merchant Marine along the East Coast during World War II, will speak.
Marine Le Pen plays down spine injury after swimming pool accident
The Guardian - 5/18/2013 11:54:14 PM
The accident came to light after Le Pen's father ... had a quite serious accident that prevents her from travelling. She fell into her empty swimming pool and has fractured her spinal column." A party spokesman, Alain Vizier, said on Sunday ...
US Marines pack up in Afghanistan as Taliban wages spring offensive
NBCNews.com - 5/11/2013 11:55:22 PM
But, before long Derstine was back training, this time for deployment with the Marine Corps Special Operations Command, sometime this spring. The 21-year-old Pennsylvanian’s dream of becoming a Special Operator was coming true. So far ...
Kenton Young Marine wins national title
Cincinnati.com - 5/21/2013 2:36:30 AM
She’s met Nobel Peace Prize winners during a week in New York City ... Hawaii, during the first-ever Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade on the 70th anniversary of the “date which will live in infamy.” “Most of the Young Marines training ...
Marines train for expanded embassy guard program
CNN - 5/11/2013 1:08:08 AM
It's part of their training to protect U.S. embassies around the world ... whether Marine guards could have helped or even prevented the attack. Marine security guards are currently posted at embassies and consulates in 137 countries, with ...
U.S. Agency Warns of Pollution Danger from Old Wrecks
shipandbunker.com - 5/21/2013 4:55:29 PM
NOAA recommended assessment and potential removal of bunkers and oil cargo from 17 of the ships. The ships include 13 merchant marine ships that sank during World War II, as well as a barge lost in 1936, two motor-powered ships that sank in 1947 and 1952 ...
Obama Aims Budget Torpedo at Merchant Mariner Unions
Democratic Underground.com - 5/13/2013 10:31:16 AM
Unions believe the Obama administration's proposed changes to a U.S. humanitarian food aid program could mean a loss of jobs for upward of 1,200 Merchant Marine personnel ... a way to benefit undernourished countries, would idle U.S. shipping ...
Fast growth expected for marine economy
The Global Times - 5/20/2013 3:09:18 PM
China released its first comprehensive report Monday on the ... China's marine fishery industry saw annual growth of 6 percent last year, despite the ongoing decline in inshore fishing. The mariculture output, meanwhile, was the highest in the world ...
