[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22768-22769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06934]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration


MARAD Mariner Workforce Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2023-2027

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the Fiscal Year (FY) 
2021 National Defense Authorization

[[Page 22769]]

Act (NDAA), the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has developed and 
published a Mariner Workforce Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2023-2027 
(the Plan) to recruit, train, and retain merchant mariners. The Plan is 
available for review and download on MARAD's website at 
www.marad.dot.gov by going to the Education page (https://cms.marad.dot.gov/education/marad-mariner-workforce-strategic-plan-fy-2023-2927).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Wahler, Director, Office 
of Maritime Labor and Training, via electronic mail at 
[email protected] or by calling 202-366-5469.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3508 of the William M. (Mac) 
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act amended 46 U.S.C. chapter 
517 directing MARAD to develop a 5-year strategic plan to recruit, 
train, and retain merchant mariners. The Plan addresses the following 
key points:
    1. Merchant mariner recruitment,
    2. Merchant mariner training,
    3. Merchant mariner retention, and
    4. Demonstration and research priorities concerning the previous 
three elements.
    MARAD sought input from stakeholders including Federal agency 
partners, the inland towing community, and maritime labor unions. MARAD 
also identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats 
facing the mariner workforce and structured the strategy around the 
following six goals:
    1. Strengthen mariner workforce development programs.
    2. Support mariner education and training institutions.
    3. Expand mariner workforce by actively recruiting from 
historically underrepresented groups, thereby broadening the 
recruitment pipeline.
    4. Ensure the availability of a skilled and sufficient mariner 
workforce for national security.
    5. Support maritime innovation.
    6. Ensure superior policy execution and stewardship of resources.
    The Plan describes a comprehensive set of strategies, as well as 
demonstration and research priorities. In developing the Plan, MARAD 
considered the availability of existing research and the need to ensure 
results having broad applicability for U.S. Merchant Marine workforce 
development.
    MARAD, through an inter-agency agreement with the Volpe National 
Transportation Systems Center developed the Plan which included 
extensive engagement with the maritime industry and Federal partners. 
The full strategic plan is posted on the MARAD website, at https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/2024-02/MARAD%20Mariner%20Workforce%20Strategic%20Plan%20FY23-27.pdf.
    Pursuant to the FY21 NDAA, the Plan will be updated every five 
years until such time as the Maritime Administrator determines that 
there is an adequate number of United States mariners for sustained 
strategic sealift.
    Pursuant to the statute, the Department of Transportation/MARAD 
transmitted copies of the Plan to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

(Authority: 46 U.S.C. 51707, 49 CFR 1.93(a))

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-06934 Filed 4-1-24; 8:45 am]
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