EM670 - Marine Industry Policy

Credits: 3

To understand where the Merchant Marine is today and where it will be in the future, it is necessary to understand its origins and history. From the earliest days of the republic, the United States government has taken an active role in creating the nation maritime policy. From laws dealing with tariffs and tonnage taxes to the modern Maritime Securities Program, the history of the commercial Merchant Marine has been intertwined with that of the government. At times, it has fostered innovation and the development of technologies, at others it has hindered and stymied growth. This course will examine the history of the United States maritime policy and the history of the US Merchant Marine, with a specific interest toward the rise of the Merchant Marine in the early 19th century, the decline of the Merchant Marine following the Civil War, and its attempted resurrection under the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. We will also study how the use of new technologies, globalization, and the growth of commerce in the late twentieth century has created the merchant fleets of today.

U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

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EM670 - Marine Industry Policy