Bureau of the Merchant Marine

The Bureau of the Merchant Marine is part of the Ministry of the Interior.

❊ EFF 17 Aug 26

Registry CMN-01 Reg 01 of 02 ༶ Est 1971

Headquarters Cama Commonwealth Maritime House

Scale 17 offices
8,100 staff

Bureau of the Merchant Marine
Bureau of the Ministry of the Interior


Employees	8,100
Established	1971
Headquarters	Commonwealth Maritime House, Cama

The Bureau of the Merchant Marine is a bureau of the Ministry of the Interior responsible for commercial and personal maritime traffic through Commonwealth waters and the administration of the Commonwealth’s flag state obligations. As a nation of 83 island republics spanning two oceans, the Commonwealth has some of the most extensive exclusive economic zones on earth, and the management of maritime traffic through them is as much an infrastructure function as highway management is for land-based states. The bureau is not concerned with customs or trade revenue – those fall to the Ministry of Commerce – but instead with the physical movement, registration and safety of vessels.

The bureau administers vessel registration under the Commonwealth flag, manages ports across the republic maritime system and issues certification to seafarers. It maintains the maritime traffic management systems covering the country’s principal shipping lanes and coordinates with the Civil Defence Service on search and rescue within Commonwealth waters.

Locations 3 republics · 17 offices · 7,550

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Legend

Brava Office of Small Island Ports 480

Cama Office of Accident Investigation · Office of Certification & Licensing · Office of Deregistration & Transfers · Office of Flag State Obligations · Office of Incident Coordination · Office of Port Coordination · Office of Registration · Office of Safety Standards · Office of Seafarer Welfare · Office of Shipping Lane Administration · Office of Traffic Management · Office of Training Standards · Office of Vessel Inspections · Office of Vessel Monitoring · Office of Vessel Records 6,770

Oslola Office of Port Standards 300

1Figures reflect headquarters staff only; stations are shown in the department listing. Published total staff is 8,100, including staff not itemised by office.

Departments 5 departments · 17 offices · 10,470 staff

Department of Ship Registration

1,650

Administers vessel registration, documentation and flag state compliance.

Office of Registration
Office of Flag State Obligations
Office of Vessel Records
Office of Deregistration & Transfers

Department of Maritime Traffic

3,980

Manages vessel movements through Commonwealth waters.

Office of Traffic Management 4 stations
Office of Shipping Lane Administration
Office of Vessel Monitoring 2 stations
Office of Incident Coordination

Department of Ports

2,350

Coordinates port operations and infrastructure across the republic network.

Office of Port Standards
Office of Port Coordination 3 stations
Office of Small Island Ports 2 stations

Department of Seafarers

1,110

Administers seafarer certification, training standards and welfare.

Office of Certification & Licensing
Office of Training Standards
Office of Seafarer Welfare

Department of Maritime Safety

1,380

Conducts vessel inspections and investigates maritime accidents.

Office of Vessel Inspections 2 stations
Office of Accident Investigation
Office of Safety Standards

Interwork Detachments What is a detachment?

Annobon-Java Maritime Extension Detachment

with Ministry of the Interior

Extends vessel registration and port coordination to the federalising republics

Search & Rescue Liaison Detachment

with Ministry of Defence

Coordinates with the Maritime Service on search and rescue within Commonwealth waters

Constituents

Body	Remit
Commonwealth Ship Registry	Registration and certification of vessels sailing under the Vekllei flag.
Maritime Traffic Management Service	Monitoring and coordination of vessel movements through Commonwealth waters and shipping lanes.
Commonwealth Port Authority	Coordination of port operations and infrastructure standards across the republic port network.
Seafarer Certification Board	Licensing and certification of seafarers serving on Commonwealth-registered vessels.
Maritime Safety Inspectorate	Inspection of vessels for seaworthiness and compliance with Commonwealth maritime safety standards.

Constituent Bodies — Ministry of the Interior Register

Reg	Body	Remit	Series	Chart
01▸	Bureau of the Merchant Marine	The Bureau of the Merchant Marine manages civilian maritime traffic through Commonwealth waters.	bureau	this chart
02	Bureau of Travel	The Bureau of Travel organises tourism abroad for Vekllei people and facilitates travel and accomodation for foreign visitors to the country.	bureau	CMN-02

1Register positions assigned alphabetically at build; codes recompute when bodies are added or dissolved.