§ 15103. National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee

• (a) There is established a National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the “Committee”).
• (b) The Committee shall advise the Secretary on matters relating to personnel in the United States merchant marine, including the training, qualifications, certification, documentation, and fitness of mariners.
• (c)
  • (1) The Committee shall consist of 19 members appointed by the Secretary in accordance with this section and section 15109 of this chapter.
  • (2) Each member of the Committee shall have particular expertise, knowledge, and experience in matters relating to the function of the Committee.
  • (3) Members of the Committee shall be appointed as follows:
    • (A) 9 members shall represent mariners and, of the 9—
      • (i) each shall—
        • (I) be a citizen of the United States; and
        • (II) hold an active license or certificate issued under chapter 71 of this title or a merchant mariner document issued under chapter 73 of this title;
      • (ii) 3 shall be deck officers who represent merchant marine deck officers and, of the 3—
        • (I) 2 shall be licensed for oceans any gross tons;
        • (II) 1 shall be licensed for inland river route with a limited or unlimited tonnage;
        • (III) 2 shall have a master’s license or a master of towing vessels license;
        • (IV) 1 shall have significant tanker experience; and
        • (V) to the extent practicable—
      • (iii) 3 shall be engineering officers who represent merchant marine engineering officers and, of the 3—
        • (I) 2 shall be licensed as chief engineer any horsepower;
        • (II) 1 shall be licensed as either a limited chief engineer or a designated duty engineer; and
        • (III) to the extent practicable—
      • (iv) 2 shall be unlicensed seamen who represent merchant marine unlicensed seaman and, of the 2—
        • (I) 1 shall represent able-bodied seamen; and
        • (II) 1 shall represent qualified members of the engine department; and
      • (v) 1 shall be a pilot who represents merchant marine pilots.
    • (B) 6 members shall represent marine educators and, of the 6—
      • (i) 3 shall be marine educators who represent maritime academies and, of the 3—
        • (I) 2 shall represent State maritime academies (and are jointly recommended by such academies); and
        • (II) 1 shall represent either State maritime academies or the United States Merchant Marine Academy; and
      • (ii) 3 shall be marine educators who represent other maritime training institutions and, of the 3, 1 shall represent the small vessel industry.
    • (C) 2 members shall represent shipping companies employed in ship operation management.
    • (D) 2 members shall represent the general public.