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.
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United States Maritime Administration in the context of Mid-Atlantic (United States)
The Mid-Atlantic is a region of the United States located in the eastern part of the country. Traditional definitions include seven U.S. states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the national capital of Washington, D.C.
Depending on various factors, different regional divisions exist however: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in its newest regional division excludes New York from the region; the U.S. Census Bureau excludes Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia from the region; USGS defines the region by watersheds thus additionally including North Carolina; the EPA excludes both New York and New Jersey; the U.S. Maritime Administration excludes upper New Jersey and New York; the Office of Small Business Programs of the U.S. Department of Defense excludes New York. When discussing climate, Connecticut is sometimes included, since its climate is closer to the Mid-Atlantic than the rest of the New England region.
United States Maritime Administration in the context of United States Maritime Service
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 crew members 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 fill the ranks of the U.S. Navy Strategic Sealift Officer corps and to function as administrators and instructors at the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the state maritime academies.