The major law involved here that you claim is safety related is this:
All officers have to be US Citizens and
"(1)Except as otherwise provided in this section, on a documented vessel—
(A)each unlicensed seaman must be—
(i)a citizen of the United States;
(ii)an alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence; or
(iii)a foreign national who is enrolled in the United States Merchant Marine Academy; and
(B)
not more than 25 percent of the total number of unlicensed seamen on the vessel may be aliens lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence."
What's interesting is that US Officers who meet standard international standards can serve on all these other ships / cruise ships flagged overseas and much more. But international crew cannot serve on a US flagged vessel, even one working entirely overseas.
So there is your reason why so few folks do US flag.
You could instead require safety (actual safety) and actual labor rules that simply applied to everyone, regardless of nationality. But nope, you've chosen to focus on citizenship instead.
We actually have an international standard for safety - STCW – Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. But your UK wiper (a very junior grade) with totally current STCW can't work on a us flagged ship AT ALL.
All officers have to be US Citizens and
"(1)Except as otherwise provided in this section, on a documented vessel— (A)each unlicensed seaman must be—
(i)a citizen of the United States;
(ii)an alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence; or
(iii)a foreign national who is enrolled in the United States Merchant Marine Academy; and
(B)
not more than 25 percent of the total number of unlicensed seamen on the vessel may be aliens lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence."
What's interesting is that US Officers who meet standard international standards can serve on all these other ships / cruise ships flagged overseas and much more. But international crew cannot serve on a US flagged vessel, even one working entirely overseas.
So there is your reason why so few folks do US flag.
You could instead require safety (actual safety) and actual labor rules that simply applied to everyone, regardless of nationality. But nope, you've chosen to focus on citizenship instead.
We actually have an international standard for safety - STCW – Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. But your UK wiper (a very junior grade) with totally current STCW can't work on a us flagged ship AT ALL.