Merchant marine, also called merchant navy, is a fleet made up of a nation’s commercial ships and the men and women who operate them. A merchant marine includes both cargo and passenger ships.
The size of a country’s merchant marine is measured by its gross tonnage, rather than by the number of ships. Gross tonnage is the total space within the hull and enclosed deck space on a ship. Each 100 cubic feet (2.8 cubic meters) of space in a ship equals 1 gross ton.
Merchant fleets.
Technically, the largest merchant fleet in the world is registered under the flag of Panama. But Panamanians own few of these ships. Many shipowners from other countries register their vessels in such countries as the Bahamas, Liberia, or Panama because taxes are lower there. Other countries with large merchant marines include China, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Norway, and Singapore.
The Romans had the largest merchant marine of ancient times. England began to build up its fleet in the 1600’s. From the 1700’s to the mid-1900’s, Britain (later the United Kingdom) had the world’s largest merchant fleet. The British Merchant Navy carried British-made goods throughout the world, brought back needed imports, and linked the United Kingdom to its colonies. The Netherlands and Norway also developed large merchant fleets. During the early and middle 1800’s, the United States merchant fleet ranked second only to the British fleet. But the American Civil War (1861-1865) destroyed much U.S. shipping. Two government agencies, the U.S. Shipping Board, which operated from 1916 to 1936 (from 1933 to 1936, the U.S. Shipping Bureau), and its successor, the Maritime Administration, have worked to strengthen the United States merchant marine.
Careers in the merchant marine.
In many countries, training centers, nautical schools, or maritime academies prepare candidates for careers in the merchant marine. These schools may be government-run or independently operated. Some officers and seamen prepare for their careers by studying on training ships.
In the United States, one way to become an officer in the merchant marine is to graduate from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. A few states have nautical schools that grant officer’s licenses. To gain a license generally requires three or four years of study. But seamen can also earn an officer’s license by spending three years at sea, working either on the deck or in the engine room to advance in unlicensed ratings. They must then pass the licensed officer’s examination. A person seeking to gain an unlicensed position aboard ship must first obtain a seaman’s certificate from the Coast Guard.
See also Cruise ship; Maritime Administration; Ship (The United States merchant marine); United States Merchant Marine Academy.
