The Maritime Administration has approved the award of a new Maritime Security Program operating agreement to Ocean Shipholdings, Inc., a U.S. citizen-owned company.
The new agreement, MA/MSP-108, provides for the operation of the product tanker Baltic Mariner in the MSP. Under the agreement, the vessel is required to re-flag under U.S. documentation and employ U.S. citizen merchant mariners.
In addition to other specific commercial and military criteria, Ocean Shipholdings qualified for the award based on its status as a U.S. citizen-owned company as defined in Section 2 of the Shipping Act of 1916.