UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD

The 'United States Shipping Board' was established as an emergency agency by the Shipping Act (39 Stat. 729), 7 September 1916. It was formally organized 30 January 1917. The Shipping Board's functions were to:

★ Regulate:

★
★ commercial maritime carriers and trade practices,

★
★ marine insurance,

★
★ transfers of ship registry, and

★
★ the rates charged in interstate waterborne commerce.

★ Investigate adequacy of port and water transportation facilities,

★ Determine the necessity for steamship lines and the characteristics of vessels on those lines,

★ Develop a naval auxiliary and merchant marine, and

★ Subsidize private ship construction.
The Board was abolished, effective 2 March 1934.
Its successor agencies have been the U.S. Shipping Board Bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce (1933-36); the U.S. Maritime Commission (1936-50); the U.S. Federal Maritime Board of the Department of Commerce (regulatory functions only, 1950-61); the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (regulatory functions only, 1961- ); the United States Maritime Administration of the Department of Commerce (all other functions, 1950-81); and the U.S. Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation (all other functions, 1981- ).

Contents

References

References

★ National Archives: Records of the United States Shipping Board