The American Maritime Partnership (AMP) – the voice of the domestic maritime industry – congratulates the nearly 1,500 graduates from the seven U.S. maritime academies in 2024. These esteemed institutions have equipped the graduates with the skills, knowledge and leadership necessary to excel in the U.S. maritime industry.

“Merchant mariners are the backbone of our industry, ensuring the safe and efficient transportation of goods across our waterways,” said Jennifer Carpenter, President of the American Maritime Partnership. “We look forward to the innovative and impactful contributions these graduates will make in the years to come.”

The 2024 graduates hail from the seven maritime academies in the United States: the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point, N.Y.), State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College (Fort Schuyler, N.Y.), California Maritime Academy (Vallejo, Calif.), Great Lakes Maritime Academy (Traverse City, Mich.), Maine Maritime Academy (Castine, Maine), Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) and Texas A&M Maritime Academy (Galveston, Texas).

Following graduation, many will sail on vessels in the domestic fleet, which includes over 40,000 vessels ranging from tugboats and barges to massive tankers and container ships. These graduates join the nearly 650,000 private U.S. citizens employed through the domestic maritime industry from a variety of backgrounds, including military veterans and those who have “climbed the hawespipe” and advanced through the ranks.

AMP applauds the graduates for their dedication and commitment to pursuing a career that supports our nation in times of both peace and war and is proud to welcome a new generation to this vital workforce.

These skilled U.S. citizen merchant mariners ensure our national security in times of crisis or war by assisting the military and commercial sealift vessels. Some militarily useful vessels in the domestic fleet can be transitioned directly to military service when needed. In times of crisis, U.S.-flag government and commercial vessels, crewed by U.S. civilian mariners, transport supplies to U.S. troops in relief and war zones.

A significant number of graduates from these seven maritime academies enter the workforce as licensed deck or engineering officers. The new graduates are invited into an industry that is proud to provide a lifelong career path with good-paying jobs, mobility and advancement. Additionally, some graduates choose to serve our nation as members of all branches of the military, especially the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard.

To sail as merchant marine officers, graduates are required to pass the extensive U.S. Coast Guard exam, which covers three days of testing along with the required encyclopedic knowledge of the career path chosen. For that reason, maritime academy cadets supplement their classroom instruction with significant time either on training ships operated by their schools or aboard commercial vessels.