United States Maritime Commission

E32662

The United States Maritime Commission was a federal agency created in the 1930s to develop, regulate, and expand the American merchant marine and oversee the construction and operation of commercial and auxiliary ships.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf defunct agency of the United States government
federal agency
appliesToJurisdiction United States merchant marine
country United States
dissolved 1950
establishedBy Merchant Marine Act of 1936
hasMainResponsibility administration of shipbuilding subsidy programs
construction of merchant ships
development of the American merchant marine
expansion of the American merchant marine
maintenance of a merchant fleet for commerce
maintenance of a merchant fleet for national defense
operation of auxiliary ships
operation of commercial ships
promotion of U.S.-flag shipping
regulation of ocean shipping rates and practices
regulation of the American merchant marine
hasObjective assure a merchant marine capable of carrying a substantial portion of foreign commerce
assure a merchant marine capable of carrying domestic water-borne commerce
assure a merchant marine capable of serving as a naval auxiliary in time of war
encourage construction of ships in U.S. shipyards
ensure U.S.-flag ships are owned and operated by U.S. citizens
maintain a modern and efficient merchant fleet
hasPart Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation (in part, later transferred)
Maritime Labor Board
headquartersLocation Washington, D.C.
inception 1936
industry maritime transport
shipbuilding
jurisdiction United States federal government
legislativeBody United States Congress
locatedInTimePeriod Great Depression
World War II
early Cold War
parentOrganization United States government
partOf New Deal agencies
produced C1 cargo ships
C2 cargo ships
C3 cargo ships
Liberty ships
T2 tankers
Victory ships
replacedBy United States Federal Maritime Board
United States Federal Maritime Commission
United States Maritime Administration
significantEvent Liberty ship construction program
Victory ship construction program
World War II shipbuilding program


Please wait…