[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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