Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Federal Maritime Commission


(Record Group 358)
1950-60
15 cu. ft.

Table of Contents

  • 358.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
  • 358.2 RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL MARITIME BOARD 1950-60 16 lin. ft.

358.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Established: As an independent agency by Reorganization Plan No. 7 of 1961, effective August 12, 1961.

Predecessor Agencies:

  • U.S. Shipping Board (1917-34)
  • U.S. Shipping Board Bureau, Department of Commerce (1934-36)
  • U.S. Maritime Commission (1936-50)
  • Federal Maritime Board (1950-61)
Functions: Regulates maritime commerce of the United States.

Finding Aids: Forrest R. Holdcamper, comp., "Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Federal Maritime Commission," NC 53 (Mar. 1964); supplement in National Archives microfiche edition of preliminary inventories.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Federal Maritime Commission in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government. Records of the U.S. Shipping Board, RG 32.
Records of the U.S. Maritime Commission, RG 178.
Records of the War Shipping Administration, RG 248.
Records of the Maritime Administration, RG 357.

RECORDS

RECORD TYPES RECORD LOCATIONS QUANTITIES
Textual Records Washington Area 15 cu. ft.

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358.2 RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL MARITIME BOARD
1950-60
16 lin. ft.

History: U.S. Shipping Board organized January 30, 1917, under the Shipping Act (39 Stat. 729), September 7, 1916. Responsible for regulating maritime carriers and trade practices, developing naval auxiliary and merchant marine, and subsidizing ship construction. Abolished, effective March 2, 1934, by EO 6166, June 10, 1933, and functions transferred to U.S. Shipping Board Bureau, Department of Commerce. Bureau superseded by independent U.S. Maritime Commission, pursuant to the Merchant Marine Act (49 Stat. 1985), June 29, 1936. Commission abolished by Reorganization Plan No. 21 of 1950, effective May 24, 1950, with functions split between the Federal Maritime Board (responsible for regulating shipping and awarding subsidies for construction and operation of merchant vessels) and Maritime Administration (responsible for administering subsidy programs, maintaining the national defense reserve merchant fleet, and operating the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy). Federal Maritime Board abolished, 1961, with its subsidy functions to Maritime Administration and its regulatory functions to the Federal Maritime Commission. SEE 358.1.

Textual Records: Original signed minutes of the board, 1950-57, with indexes. Copies of discussion memorandums, orders, regulations, decisions, and other formally adopted issuances, 1950-57. Transcripts of special meetings of the board, 1951-60. Agendas for special and regular meetings, 1950-60. Correspondence and reading file, 1950-60.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Federal Maritime Board in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government.


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


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