A recent panel commissioned by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) released a report titled “Red Sky in the Morning:  USMMA” which detailed a critical need for recapitalization of aging and deteriorating facilities at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY.  The report concluded that the Academy has reached a “tipping point” at which failure [...]

The C-5-S-75a class cargo ship is one of the last remaining bulk cargo ships that remain in service under the U.S. Flag. A total of 5 ships were constructed under this class at the Newport News Shipbuilding Co. in Newport News, VA from 1968 to 1969.  They entered the fleet just as containerization began to [...]

Residents who live along the shores of San Francisco Bay may soon see a ghostly sight as two WW-II era ships slowly slip past as they are towed to a shipyard in San Francisco. Two WW-II Victory Ships are preparing to move from the Suisun Bay National Defense Reserve Fleet to the San Francisco BAE shipyard to be prepared for scrapping.

It appears that the old MARAD mothball fleet otherwise known as the Suisun Bay Ghost Fleet near Benicia California may soon be drastically shrinking, with many old warships and auxiliary vessels heading to scrappers in Texas.   Many of the ships in the mothball fleet have significant historical value, including several Victory ships and the [...]

MARAD has issued a press release containing the employment numbers from this years maritime academy graduating classes which indicate a strong demand for licensed officers in the U.S. Merchant Marine. The stats for the class of 2008 can be viewed here.  Good news for those looking for jobs.