Merchant Marines and Asbestos Exposure

The history of the United States merchant marines is one that is richly storied, full of adventure, danger, and sometimes, even profit. The merchant marines are a vast fleet of civilian-owned and "operated merchant ships. During times of peace, when the United States is not engaged in any overseas warfare, these ships are a key to our great economy, delivering consumer goods to and from the United States as determined by supply and demand. When the United States is at war with another country, the merchant marines act as a supplementary fleet to the Navy, transporting supplies, rations, and troops overseas for the war effort.

The merchant marines have played an integral role in the United States economy and the success of foreign affairs during times of war. Merchant mariners, the men and women who function as crew on the vessels of the merchant marine, are highly skilled seamen who fulfill a variety of roles in the successful operation of a sea vessel. These seamen act as captains, mates, pilots, and engineers, each role carrying with it, its own set of demands, required skills, and at times, even particular dangers.

Ironically, nearly one third of the seamen of the merchant marine who perished during World War II as a result of their occupation were not killed overseas by enemy fire or any other act of war. More than one hundred thousand dedicated merchant mariners died many years later from illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer, caused by exposure to asbestos as they worked.

For many years, asbestos played a huge role in the manufacture of materials and goods used in the shipping and merchant marine industries. Asbestos was used in literally thousands of products. As a result, everyone working aboard these ships could have been subject to asbestos exposure. For example, the ropes and rigging used on deck and on the masts, were manufactured with asbestos. With use and wear, these ropes deteriorated and released an asbestos dust into the air, where mates and other workers could inhale it. Many workers developed terrible diseases after working with asbestos rope.

The blankets used on board merchant marine ships also contained asbestos fibers. These blankets were all-purpose "used for anything for which a blanket could be helpful" and they exposed many workers to friable asbestos fibers. The blankets were particularly dangerous when used to put out fire; at which point millions of asbestos particles could be released into the atmosphere.

For many decades, the gloves, fire coats, and other safety gear worn by engineers and machine workers aboard merchant marine ships contained asbestos materials. This safety gear "intended to protect mariners from the scourge of fire' exposed workers to harmful asbestos, leading them to later develop painful, deadly illnesses, such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Today, workers know the dangers posed by asbestos, but for many years, the men and women working aboard merchant marine vessels were not so well-informed. As a result, many thousands of innocent merchant mariners have developed painful, potentially fatal diseases that could have easily been avoided.

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