A workshop was conducted by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) in October 1992 for the U.S. shipping industry and selected Government organizations to explore the concept of a Ship Operations Cooperative Program (SOCP), ascertain the level of interest of these organizations in becoming members of the Cooperative, and identify projects which the SOCP could undertake. Subsequent to the workshop, three ship operating companies (ARCO Marine, Inc.; Energy Transportation Group, Inc.; and Sea-Land Service, Inc.) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) committed to become members. A meeting of these organizations and MARAD was held in December 1992 to form the Executive Committee (which included a member from each of these organizations and MARAD). A Chairman was elected, the group reached agreement on the 1993 SOCP Program Plan, and prioritized projects to be funded during the first year's operation.
In April 1993, the SOCP was officially formed with the execution of a Cooperative Agreement among the parties. Shorly after organizing, the United States Coast Guard, the American Bureau of Shipping, the Military Sealift Command and BP Oil joined the SOCP as Associate Members.
In June 1995, five new Associate members: Bay Ship Management, Gulf Coast Region Maritime Technology Center (GCRMTC)- University of New Orleans, Interocean Ugland Corporation, Marine Transport Lines and U.S. Marine Management, Inc., were welcomed aboard. By October 1995, three more Associate Members had joined: Lloyd's Register of Shipping, The Nautical Institute (Northeast Coast USA Branch) and Calhoon MEBA Engineering School.
During 1996, the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS), Boeing North American, Inc., (then known as Rockwell International) and Houston Marine became Associate Members. Equally important, the United States Coast Guard upgraded its status to full membership as did Gulf Coast Region Maritime Technology Center.
In 1997, SOCP welcomed seven new members. These included Center for Advanced Maritime Officers Training, Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship; Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University; Crowley Maritime Transport; California Maritime Academy, Det Norske Veritas, and Registro Italiano Navale. There was the loss of one member (Interocean Ugland Management) because of an inability to actively participate.
As of July 2001 membership totaled 42 organizations.
SOCP Evolution