Maritime Security Sector Reform

Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA)

MARAD's Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) program is a partnership between the U.S. Government and the maritime industry to provide the Department of Defense (DoD) with assured access to state-of-the-art commercial sealift and intermodal equipment when DoD deploys...

(NATO) and the Transport Group (Ocean Shipping)

The Maritime Administration Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift serves as the Chair of TG(OS), and the Office of Sealift Operations and Emergency Response provides the Secretariat. TG(OS) meets several times per year in both entirety and working group sessions. Meetings are held in two...

National Security Multi-Mission Vessel

Questions and...

Transferring U.S. Flag Vessels to Foreign Ownership (Reflagging)

Under 46 U.S.C. § 56101, U.S. documented vessels 1,000 gross tons and over require Maritime Administration approval to be transferred to foreign ownership, flag and/or registry. Vessels 3,000 gross tons and over are subject to additional financial terms and conditions...

Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Sealift

Nominated in 2019, Captain Harrington serves as Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Sealift, within the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), his portfolio includes responsibility for federal sealift programs that provide for the Nation’s requirements during...

Deputy Associate Administrator for Commercial Sealift

Melinda Simmons-Healy

Melinda Simmons-Healy, a member of the Senior Executive Service, became the Maritime

Administration’s (MARAD) Deputy Associate Administrator for Commercial Sealift in November of...

Shashi N. Kumar, Deputy Associate Administrator and National Coordinator for Maritime Education and Training

Shashi N. Kumar, Ph.D., Master Mariner, joined Federal Senior Executive Service in January 2007 and was appointed the Maritime Administration’s first Deputy Associate Administrator and National Coordinator of Maritime Education and Training in November 2015.  He is the Founding...

Office of Strategic Sealift

The Associate Administrator for the Office of Strategic Sealift, who reports directly to the Maritime Administrator is responsible for the Maritime Administration (MARAD) offices that secure America's maritime interests through a series of...

Port and Cargo Security

It is the mission and responsibility of this Office to develop, coordinate and oversee Agency matters related to security of the Marine Transportation System (MTS). This incorporates all issues relating to security policy, plans, operations, compliance, research, development, and exercises....