Merchant Marine

The Merchant Marine is the fleet of commercial ships that carry cargo and passengers, and the civilian mariners who crew them. For most of the twentieth century, these ships were heavily insulated with asbestos in engine rooms, boiler rooms, pipes, and living quarters. Merchant mariners often worked and slept surrounded by asbestos materials for long stretches at sea.

Significance in Asbestos Context

For patients, service in the Merchant Marine is a well-recognized source of heavy asbestos exposure, especially for engine-room crew, boiler workers, machinists, and pipefitters. Ships were confined spaces where insulation was constantly repaired and disturbed, and ventilation was limited, so fiber levels could be high. Merchant mariners are a distinct group from Navy veterans, and their claims can involve different companies, including shipowners and the makers of shipboard equipment and insulation. If you served in the Merchant Marine, the specific ships, your job aboard, and the years you sailed help identify the products and companies involved. Records of vessel assignments can be important, since they tie you to particular ships and equipment.

Example Sentence

Twenty years as a Merchant Marine engineer explained the asbestos exposure behind his mesothelioma, built up over decades in the engine rooms of cargo ships.

Related Terms

Occupational Exposure, Shipyard, Navy Veteran, Boiler, Insulation, Product Identification

Notes

• Gather your discharge papers, union records, and vessel assignment history, which document the ships you served on.
• List your specific shipboard jobs and where you worked aboard, since engine and boiler rooms carried the highest exposure.
• Ask your attorney how Merchant Marine claims differ from Navy claims, since the responsible companies can differ.