The U.S. Maritime Administration has published “Foreign-Flag Crewing Practices,” which the agency describes as “a comprehensive analysis of the nationalities and size of the crews of non-U.S.-flag (foreign-flag) cargo vessels calling at major ports of the United States during Calendar Year 2004…. The study is necessary to assist the MARAD in developing insights and understanding of the competitive trends facing the U.S.-flag industry.”The report may be accessed via the MARAD home page at www.marad.dot.gov or opened directly – 81 pages, in PDF format – by clicking HERE
The agency concluded that on foreign-flag ships, “There is little relationship between vessel flag and nationality of crewmembers employed on the vessel.”
The report also notes, “We continue to believe that once freed from legal restrictions, costs become the vessel owner’s primary determinant of the nationality of the crew complement. With few exceptions, only the lowest cost nationalities were employed as unlicensed seafarers in the competitive U.S. trades.”
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