Wire
Shipping firms get a simpler citizenship check
MARAD’s final rule trims personal data from the affidavit and drops notarization. Companies can still be asked for more if the agency sees a problem.
Shipping firms and other businesses in Maritime Administration, or MARAD, programs will have less paperwork to prove U.S. citizenship. The Maritime Administration, part of the Department of Transportation, finalized a rule June 4 that simplifies the affidavit process and trims the personal and ownership details companies must file.
Effective date: June 4, 2026
A leaner affidavit
The biggest change is what comes off the form. MARAD is dropping the requirement to list the birth dates and places of birth of corporate executives, directors and stock owners, and it is eliminating the notarization requirement. The agency says those details do little to improve certainty but can create an unnecessary privacy risk.
For publicly traded entities, the rule also removes some information tied to registered stock owners. If MARAD has doubts about a filing, it can still ask for the information it needs.
Less data, same gatekeeping
The point is not to loosen the citizenship standard itself. It is to make the proof process less intrusive for companies that already have to clear the gate before taking part in MARAD programs.
Agency: Maritime Administration (MARAD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Docket ID: MARAD-2025-0087 RIN: 2133-AB90 CFR parts: 46 CFR Part 355 Effective date: June 4, 2026 Contact: Michael C. Pucci • Office of the Chief Counsel, Division of Maritime Programs • (202) 366-5167 • Michael.Pucci@dot.gov • U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, Office of the Chief Counsel, Division of Legislation and Regulations, W24-220, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001