Maritime Registry

Contents

• About
• Maritime Industry Jobs and Careers
• Types of U.S. Maritime Companies
• Search Maritime Employers by State
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Useful Links

About

Maritime Registry is a free directory of U.S. maritime companies. We list maritime employers across every sector: Jones Act shipping lines, tugboat companies, offshore vessel operators, inland barge carriers, shipyards, ferry systems, dredging contractors, commercial fishing fleets, port authorities, and more.

The site is built for anyone looking to work in the U.S. maritime industry, whether that's on a vessel, in a shipyard, or at a port or marine services company.

Maritime Industry Jobs and Careers

The U.S. maritime industry is bigger than most people think. Cargo moves on thousands of vessels along the coasts and inland rivers every day. Offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico produce a significant share of domestic oil. Shipyards from Bath, Maine to San Diego build everything from Navy combatants to tank barges. Under the Jones Act, cargo shipped between U.S. ports has to travel on American-built, American-crewed vessels, which keeps a large domestic workforce employed.

Maritime careers range from licensed deck officers and engineers aboard deep-sea ships to unlicensed deckhands on river towboats, from welders and fitters in shipyards to crane operators and longshoremen at container terminals, from naval architects and port engineers shoreside to commercial divers and ROV operators offshore. Some people enter through a maritime academy or union apprenticeship. Others start as entry-level deckhands, yard workers, or terminal operators and advance from there. The common challenge is figuring out which companies actually hire for the work you want to do. That's what this directory is for.

Types of U.S. Maritime Companies

• Deep-Sea Shipping: Jones Act container lines, RoRo carriers, and bulk operators moving cargo between U.S. ports and internationally.
• Tanker Companies: Crude oil, refined product, and chemical tanker operators on domestic and international routes.
• Tugboat Companies: Harbor assist tugs docking ships in major ports, and coastal tugs moving barges along the seaboard.
• Inland Barge Operators: Towboats pushing grain, petroleum, chemicals, and coal on the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, and Tennessee rivers. One of the largest maritime employment sectors.
• Offshore Vessel Operators: OSVs, crew boats, liftboats, anchor handlers, and drilling rigs working in Gulf of Mexico oil and gas and East Coast offshore wind.
• Shipyards: New construction and repair facilities for commercial and military vessels.
• Dredging Contractors: Channel deepening, waterway maintenance, and marine construction.
• Commercial Fishing: Fishing fleets and processors in Alaska, New England, the Gulf, and the Pacific coast.
• Ferries and Passenger Vessels: Public transit ferries and private excursion operators.
• Port Authorities and Terminals: Port commissions, terminal operators, freight forwarders, and maritime logistics firms.
• Government Maritime Employers: Military Sealift Command, NOAA, MARAD, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Maritime Training and Unions: The six state maritime academies, Kings Point, and union training programs through SIU, MEBA, MMP, and AMO.
• Marine Engineering and Services: Naval architecture, surveying, salvage, environmental response, and maritime technology.

Search Maritime Employers by State

The directory lets you search by company name or filter by state. Useful if you're looking for maritime employers in a specific area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Useful Links

• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) - TSA enrollment and information
• Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) - U.S. Coast Guard application and requirements
• Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) - U.S. Coast Guard certification requirements
• U.S. Passport - Department of State application