Asbestos on Merchant Marine Ships

Asbestos on Merchant Marine ships was common throughout the 20th century. Exposure often occurred in confined spaces where asbestos materials insulated high-heat components, such as within the ship’s engine room. Common asbestos sources aboard ships include:

• Boilers, turbines and pumps lined with asbestos-based insulation
• Bulkhead and deck panels reinforced with asbestos
• Pipe insulation, gaskets and packing materials
• Steam-powered winches, windlasses, and cranes

Many different types of maritime workers were exposed to asbestos throughout their careers. Occupations at risk include:

• Engineers and machinists
• Seamen and oilers
• Electricians and maintenance crews
• Shipfitters and boilermakers

Diseases linked to asbestos exposure

Merchant Mariners who worked aboard asbestos-containing vessels have faced significant long-term health consequences. The most common asbestos-related diseases include:

• Mesothelioma: A rare and aggressive cancer that forms in the lining of the lungs or abdomen, decades after exposure
• Lung cancer: Frequently diagnosed among crew members who worked near boilers, pipes and other insulated machinery
• Asbestosis and other chronic respiratory conditions: Caused by the scarring of lung tissue after prolonged asbestos inhalation

Like Navy veterans and shipyard workers, Merchant Mariners were routinely exposed to airborne asbestos fibers in enclosed ship environments. This exposure put them at ongoing risk of severe disease. If you are a Merchant Mariner diagnosed with an asbestos disease, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. If one of your loved ones was recently diagnosed or passed away from an asbestos disease, you may also have legal options.

The maritime docket, or MARDOC, was part of federal multidistrict litigation (MDL-875) that consolidated thousands of maritime asbestos cases in the court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The MDL managed pretrial proceedings for Merchant Mariners and shipyard workers exposed to asbestos aboard commercial and government vessels.

As the MDL evolved, courts suggested transferring remaining trial-ready cases back to their original jurisdictions. This process closed the federal MARDOC docket, allowing individual cases to proceed in state or federal courts.

The Jones Act provides maritime workers, including Merchant Mariners, the right to recover damages when injuries or illnesses are caused by employer negligence. Asbestos exposure aboard vessels falls under this protection when shipowners or operators fail to provide a safe working environment.

Unlike traditional product liability cases targeting manufacturers, Jones Act asbestos claims are brought against shipowners and employers. Plaintiffs must demonstrate that unsafe ship conditions or lack of warnings contributed to their asbestos-related illness.

Key distinctions in Jones Act asbestos litigation

• Defendants: Vessel owners and employers, not product manufacturers
• Jurisdictions: Cases often filed where ships regularly made port
• Evidence: Employment records, vessel logs, witness testimony and expert medical reports

Motley Rice has successfully represented Merchant Mariners in Virginia, New York, Louisiana, Ohio, California, Pennsylvania, Washington, Maryland, South Carolina, and Texas.

Modern maritime asbestos cases follow individualized state procedures rather than centralized MDL rules. Merchant Mariners seeking compensation can generally file in state courts where their vessels made regular port calls or where the shipowner is headquartered.

The first step to filing any asbestos lawsuit is to speak with an attorney. Look for attorneys and law firms with experience in asbestos cases and set up a consultation. The attorney will determine if you are eligible based on a few initial factors, including whether your case falls within applicable statutes of limitations. If your case is still viable, your attorney may take some of the following steps in filing your claim:

• Verifying service as a Merchant Mariner or maritime employee
• Identifying exposure sources on specific vessels
• Collecting employment and medical documentation
• Establishing jurisdiction through port records or shipowner contacts
• Filing a negligence claim under the Jones Act or state maritime law

Other than a trial verdict, potential outcomes include:

• Settlements with shipowners and/or employers
• Trust compensation for those with access to maritime asbestos settlement trusts and related funds

Motley Rice actively pursues these cases for Merchant Mariners and their families.

Motley Rice has decades of experience representing shipyard workers, Navy veterans and Merchant Mariners harmed by asbestos exposure. Our attorneys were instrumental in the original MARDOC litigation. They continue to prosecute maritime asbestos cases nationwide.

Our maritime asbestos practice combines deep knowledge of maritime law with the evidentiary groundwork established through MARDOC. We work with experts in marine engineering, occupational health and toxicology to prove employer negligence and recover compensation for seamen and their families.

Read more on our asbestos exposure litigation experience.