Asbestos and the Merchant Marines

The United States Merchant Marine forms the backbone of civilian and military freight operations. From the Revolutionary War to the invasion of Iraq, Merchant Marines have provided valuable military support including delvering supplies, enforcing blockades and seizure of enemy shipping.

History of the Merchant Marines

The origins of the Merchant Marines can be traced back to the Revolutionary War when the government permitted civilian ships and privateers to transport goods and interfere with enemy shipping on behalf of the United States. This created an important auxiliary for Naval operations that is still in effect more than 225 years later.

The seizure of American merchant ships and the impressment of their crews was one of the factors that led to the war of 1812. 1500 ships were seized by England and France during the Napoleonic Wars in an attempt to shape American allegiance by disrupting commerce.

The Merchant Marine continued to play an important role in subsequent conflicts and during the Civil War the Union called upon more than 600 vessels to help transport goods and enforce blockades. The Confederacy developed its own fleet and raiders managed to destroy nearly 200 Union ships and capture many more.

Merchant Marines would play an integral role in World War I and would provide the greatest sealift in history during the Second World War. The United States called on thousands of ships during the war and many of those ships would never return to port.

The number of Merchant Mariners who died during World War II varies significantly depending on the source. The Coast Guard submitted a figure of 5,662 in 1950 but this number has been put as high as 8,421 following secondary analysis. If that number is true then Merchant Mariners suffered the most losses per capita compared to all other service branches with a rate of 1 in 26 compared to 1 in 34 for the marines and 1 in 48 for the army. The worst year for Merchant Marines occurred in 1942 when an average of 33 allied vessels were sunk each week.

During World War II, the United States nearly quadrupled the number of Merchant Marine personnel from 55 thousand before the war to a maximum of 210 thousand.

Following World War II the Merchant Marines have continued to play important roles in the Korean and Vietnam wars and are currently involved in US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. More on the history of the Merchant Marines.

Asbestos Exposure on Merchant Ships

Asbestos was commonly used on merchant ships for fireproofing and insulation with larger ships containing between 500 and 1,000 tons of asbestos.

Some of the more common items insulated with asbestos include pipes, cabling, floor/ceiling panels and engine room equipment. Asbestos containing materials were often used on ship components that generated or absorbed large amounts of heat including boilers, exhaust systems, pumps and turbines.

In some instances asbestos was applied as spray on insulation which would become friable during normal operations and could linger in the confined ship environment.

Crew members that were vulnerable to exposure include: electricians, engineers, machinists and pipe fitters.

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