Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association

Name

Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association

Legal name

Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association

Website

https://mebaunion.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Labor Union Services

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Merchant Marine & Deck Operations (EDAOANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Engineering & Engine Room Operations (EDAOANAB), Marine & Offshore Energy O&M (Offshore Wind, Platforms, Subsea Assets) (EUAEAGAO)

Keywords

• Maritime labor union
• Collective bargaining services
• Merchant marine advocacy
• Maritime training programs
• Maritime workforce representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Dues: MEBA operates as a traditional labor union funded primarily through membership dues from represented marine engineers and deck officers.
2. Political Action Fund (PAF): Voluntary contributions from members, employees, and retirees used to support political campaigns and maritime initiatives. Contributions have declined 37% over the past 10 years.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MEBA is the nation's oldest maritime labor union, representing marine engine and deck officers of the U.S. Merchant Marine. It provides collective bargaining representation, dispatches members to vessels through a network of hiring halls, delivers maritime training through the Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School, administers member benefits and pensions, and conducts legislative advocacy on behalf of the U.S. Merchant Marine.

Product overview

The Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (M.E.B.A.) is a maritime labor union offering a unified suite of member services centered on union representation and career support. Core offerings include union membership with collective bargaining representation, job dispatch through hiring halls for deep-sea, government fleet, and inland maritime positions, and the 24-hour M.E.B.A. Hotline for emergency member assistance. The union operates the Member PUP portal for dues payment and record management, administers benefits through M.E.B.A. Plans (medical and welfare), and provides professional development via the Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School. Political advocacy is supported through the Political Action Fund. Communication products include the Marine Officer e-Magazine and Telex Times newsletter. The union maintains over 20 ports and offices nationwide to serve members across the U.S. maritime industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M.E.B.A. Union Membership Union membership services for marine engineers and deck officers, providing collective bargaining representation, advocacy for maritime labor rights, and access to member support programs.
• M.E.B.A. Hiring Hall & Job Dispatch Union hall services that dispatch marine officers to vessels, managing job assignments and career opportunities across deep-sea, government fleet, and inland maritime sectors.
• M.E.B.A. Plans (Benefits) Benefit plans including medical benefits, vacation pay, and welfare programs for MEBA members, administered through mebaplans.org.
• Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School Joint union-industry maritime training center located in Easton, MD, offering courses in engineering, LNG operations, and professional development for mariners, plus the Cadet Intern Program.
• M.E.B.A. Hotline 24-hour toll-free emergency hotline (1-888-519-0018) for members seeking immediate assistance with urgent workplace concerns.
• Political Action Fund (PAF) Voluntary political fund enabling members to contribute to legislative advocacy supporting the U.S. Merchant Marine and maritime industry interests.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 149 years of continuous operation as America's maritime union leader

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEBA is affiliated with the AFL-CIO federation of unions, participating in joint legislative initiatives, policy advocacy, and solidarity actions with other labor organizations.
• Transportation Trades Department (TTD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEBA works closely with TTD AFL-CIO on transportation policy issues including Jones Act protection, Maritime Security Program funding, and cargo preference advocacy.
• Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst joint union-industry training center established by MEBA, offering maritime training courses and the Cadet Internship Program for new member pipeline.
• Maritime Administration (MarAd)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEBA advocates for and works with the Maritime Administration on policies affecting the Ready Reserve Force and U.S. Merchant Marine.
• U.S. Navy Military Sealift CommandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEBA provides trained mariners for government-contracted Military Sealift Command vessels supporting national defense.
• U.S. Coast GuardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEBA works with USCG on merchant mariner credentialing, STCW endorsements, and maritime safety regulations.
• American Maritime Congress (AMC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEBA participates in AMC initiatives promoting U.S.-flag shipping and maritime industry interests.
• International Transport Workers Federation (ITF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEBA maintains ITF inspector representation to protect seafarer rights and combat exploitation of mariners.
• Maritime AcademiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, California Maritime Academy, Maine Maritime Academy, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and others for cadet programs and workforce development.
• Union PlusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMEBA members receive access to Union Plus benefits including scholarships, discounts, and member services programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD): TTD is the AFL-CIO coalition covering transportation labor unions including MEBA. While not a competitor, TTD is the federal advocacy umbrella under which MEBA pursues Jones Act, Maritime Security Program, and cargo preference legislation, making it a strategic peer in policy positioning.
• International Longshoremen's Association (ILA): ILA represents dockworkers at U.S. East Coast and Gulf ports. While representing shoreside labor rather than seafarers, ILA is a comparable maritime labor union peer operating at the same port facilities where MEBA's members crew vessels.
• International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF): ITF is the global federation of transport workers' unions, of which MEBA is an affiliate. ITF inspectors protect seafarer rights worldwide; MEBA leverages ITF representation to combat exploitation of mariners, making it a strategic ecosystem peer for international maritime labor coordination.
• National Maritime Union (NMU) - historical: NMU was a historic U.S. maritime labor union (1936-2001) representing unlicensed seafarers before merging into SIU. Included as a historical comparable union that competed with MEBA in U.S.-flag shipping before its dissolution, providing long-term benchmark for union consolidation trends.
• American Maritime Congress (AMC): AMC is the U.S. maritime industry advocacy coalition promoting U.S.-flag shipping, of which MEBA is a participating member. AMC coordinates labor and management positions on Jones Act, MSP, and cargo preference—making it a strategic industry-association peer rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Seafarers International Union (SIU): The SIU represents unlicensed seafarers in the U.S. Merchant Marine, directly comparable to MEBA as a maritime labor union covering overlapping vessel segments (deep-sea, inland, Great Lakes). SIU crews tankers, container ships, and government-contracted vessels alongside MEBA-licensed officers.
• Inland Boatmen's Union (IBU): IBU represents inland marine workers on the U.S. West Coast including tug, barge, and ferry crews. Directly comparable to MEBA's inland and ferry expansion efforts at Staten Island Ferry, Washington State Ferries, and Cape May-Lewes Ferries.
• International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P): MM&P represents licensed deck officers, masters, and pilots in the U.S. Merchant Marine—a direct peer to MEBA's deck officer constituency. MM&P and MEBA frequently co-file on maritime labor matters (including the recent collective bargaining lawsuit), indicating overlapping scope and shared interests.
• American Maritime Officers (AMO): AMO represents licensed merchant marine officers including deck and engine officers on U.S.-flag vessels, directly competing with MEBA for the same licensed-officer bargaining units in deep-sea and government fleets. AMO operates its own training facility and competes with MEBA's Calhoon School for cadet pipeline.
• Marine Firemen's Union (MFOW): MFOW represents engine room unlicensed ratings (oilers, firemen, watertenders) on U.S.-flag vessels and Pacific Maritime Association-contracted ships. It is a direct union peer to MEBA on West Coast maritime labor, covering the engine room workforce that works under MEBA-licensed engineers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MEBAUNION
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Marine-Engineers-Beneficial-Association-MEBA/134034873349063?fref=nf
• Instagraminstagram.com/meba_union

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association