U.S. Department of Transportation Launches Merchant Mariner Outreach System (MOS)

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced the creation of the new web-based Mariner Outreach System (MOS). The system will improve MARAD’s ability to contact mariners during a national sealift emergency. Merchant mariners provide crucial sealift to U.S. Armed Forces for overseas missions, and recently provided vital support for hurricane recovery efforts. The MOS, which will be operated by MARAD as a service to mariners, will also improve MARAD’s ability to communicate with them and to solicit feedback through questionnaires and surveys.

MARAD’s new Mariner Outreach System (MOS) is just six months old, but it has clearly gained acceptance with the seafaring community. The system provides mariners who agree to participate an opportunity to review their qualifications and sea service and update their contact information. The MOS is user friendly and allows access by mariners from anywhere in the world through a secure website at: https://mos.marad.dot.gov.

MOS provides the Maritime Administration with a means of monitoring the availability of mariners. As of October 1, 2006, 25 percent of mariners with a valid U.S. Merchant Mariner’s Document have consented to participate.

Anne Dougherty, a program analyst in the Office of Sealift Support, said many of the mariners on file had previously consented to participate in an earlier tracking system before the MOS Internet portal was launched. She points out, however, that gaining the volunteer participation of some 10 to15 new mariners who register each week, for a program that has no money to advertise its existence but just depends on word of mouth, is very good.

“We are working hard to get the word out and appreciate the incredible support we have received from the maritime labor unions and our industry partners. Our goal is to use MOS to better understand what is happening with the pool of United States mariners so we can work with our industry partners to identify and address the specific issues that have a negative impact on the mariner pool.”

For further information on the MOS contact the Office of Sealift Support at (202)366-3423 or at 400 Seventh St., Room 7304, Washington, DC 20590.