The United States Merchant Marine is an organization composed of United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors,and engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine primarily transports domestic and international cargo and passengers during peacetime,and operate and maintain deep-sea merchant ships,tugboats,towboats,ferries,dredges,excursion vessels,charter boats and other waterborne craft on the oceans,the Great Lakes,rivers,canals,harbors,and other waterways. In times of war,the Merchant Marine can be an auxiliary to the United States Navy,and can be called upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military.
The United States service academies,also known as United States military academies,are federal academies for the undergraduate education and training of commissioned officers for the United States Armed Forces.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a United States service academy in Kings Point,New York. It trains its midshipmen to serve as officers in the United States Merchant Marine,branches of the United States Armed Forces,and the transportation industry. Midshipmen are trained in marine engineering,navigation,ship's administration,maritime law,personnel management,international law,customs,and other subjects important to the task of running a large ship.
The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. MARAD administers financial programs to develop,promote,and operate the U.S. Maritime Service and the U.S. Merchant Marine. In addition,it conducts research and development activities in the maritime field;regulates the transfer of U.S. documented vessels to foreign registries;maintains equipment,shipyard facilities,and reserve fleets of Government-owned ships essential for national defense. MARAD also maintains the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) as a ready source of ships for use during national emergencies and logistically supporting the military when needed.
John William Kime was an admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 19th commandant from 1990 to 1994.
Captain Granville Conway (1898–1969) was born in Cambridge,Maryland. Conway distinguished himself in maritime service and served in various positions during the Roosevelt and Truman administrations,including Shipping Advisor to both Presidents and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He received the Medal for Merit in 1947. In his later years,Conway served as president of shipping companies.
Joseph D. Stewart,also known as "Joey D," was a United States Marine Corps major general,who after his retirement from the Marine Corps,was appointed as superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) on August 1,1998. He retired from the U.S. Maritime Service with the rank of vice admiral on September 30,2008.
Paul L. Krinsky was an American merchant mariner and sailor. He served as the superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy from 1987 to 1993 and attained the rank of rear admiral.
Albert Joseph Herberger was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy,and the first United States Merchant Marine Academy graduate to attain the rank.
The United States Maritime Service (USMS) was established in 1938 under the provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 as voluntary training organization to train individuals to become officers and crewmembers on merchant ships that form the United States Merchant Marine per 46 U.S.C. § 51701. Heavily utilized during World War II,the USMS was largely dissolved in 1954,and its resources were absorbed into other federal departments. However,while the service is no longer structurally organized,remnants of the service still exist today and the service still actively commission officers to function as administrators and instructors at the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the state maritime academies.
Philippine Merchant Marine Academy is a maritime higher education institution operated by the Philippine government in San Narciso,Zambales. Students are called midshipmen but are often also referred to as cadets. Upon graduation,students are commissioned as ensigns in the Philippine Navy Reserve and have the option to join the merchant marine,the Philippine Navy,or the Philippine Coast Guard.
Jody A. Breckenridge is a former commander of the U.S. Coast Guard's Pacific Area.
Efthymios (Thimio) E. Mitropoulos was the seventh Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO),a United Nations agency. Mitropoulos was elected as Secretary-General on 18 June 2003 during the 19th session of the International Maritime Organization Council. His four-year term started on 1 January 2004,and then was extended until 31 December 2011 by the IMO Council on 9 November 2006. He was succeeded by Koji Sekimizu.
Richard Robert McNulty was a former United States Navy rear admiral and a former United States Maritime Service vice admiral,was born in Gloucester,Massachusetts,on April 20,1899,and died in Boston,Massachusetts,on November 1,1980. The United States Merchant Marine Academy community considers Vice Admiral McNulty,a World War II veteran,who had long advocated for the academy's creation,its "Father". The academy's McNulty Campus is named for the vice admiral. He served as the academy's 3rd superintendent. Vice Admiral McNulty was,too,a professor emeritus at Georgetown University.
James Conrad Card is a retired vice admiral in the United States Coast Guard who served as Vice Commandant from 1998 to 2000.
The California Maritime Academy Corps of Cadets is the undergraduate student body at the California Maritime Academy. As a State Maritime Academy,as required by Title 46 Part 310 of the Code of Federal Regulations students are considered Cadets,required to wear uniforms,and utilize a demerit-based disciplinary system. Participation in the Corps of Cadets is mandatory;participation in the Navy Reserve Merchant Marine program is optional. Cadets still utilize Merchant Marine Navy-style uniforms,customs,and traditions. Based on academic majors cadets are organized into Squads,Sections,Divisions and Companies which regularly muster in Morning Formations multiple times a week,as well as stand watches on campus and aboard the training ship.
Dr. James Andrew Helis is a retired United States Army colonel,a rear admiral in the United States Maritime Service and was the twelfth Superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy,being replaced by Rear Admiral Buono in 2018.
Thomas A. King,Rear Admiral,was the first graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point,New York (1942) to become its Superintendent He was the 6th Superintendent of the USMMA,serving in that capacity from 1980-1987.
Christopher J. Wiernicki is a naval architect,engineer,and businessperson. He is the chairman and CEO of American Bureau of Shipping,an international classification organization,and chairman of ABS Group of Companies,a global risk consulting and technical services company. He is a member of the President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC).
Joanna M. Nunan is a United States Maritime Service vice admiral,and a retired United States Coast Guard rear admiral,who has served as the 14th superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy since December 8,2022. The first woman to become superintendent of the Academy,her appointment was lauded by secretary of transportation Pete Buttigieg and administrator of the United States Maritime Administration Ann C. Phillips.
United States of America 
United States Maritime Service 
Vice Admiral 