U.S. Merchant Marine

" The U.S. merchant marine-the nation's domestic and oceangoing commercial ships and mariners-supports both U.S. commerce and national defense. MARAD, an agency within the Department of Transportation, is responsible for fostering, promoting, and developing the maritime industry; providing for the education and training of U.S. mariners; and studying all problems related to merchant-marine commerce and national-defense policies. Proper education and training of mariners is important to the success of the merchant marine. The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2012 mandated that GAO review mariner training. This report examines (1) the availability of maritime training, (2) the availability of financial assistance for maritime training, and (3) MARAD's actions to ensure mariners meet commerce and defense needs and industry stakeholder views on those actions. GAO analyzed documents and interviewed officials from MARAD, the Coast Guard, the Department of Defense, maritime-training providers, unions, and companies. "