merchant navy BrE
merchant marine AmE

"When was the last time you saw a movie about the merchant marine?"

You ought to study hard and when you're older try for the merchant marine.

Or because of his father, who sailed in the merchant marine.

A college graduate and teacher, he went into the merchant marine with the hope that some day it would give him a way out.

As it happens, this, his next book, is about the sorry state of our merchant marine.

He also served as an engineer in the merchant marine.

Some had joined the merchant marine at age 16 precisely because they were too young for the military services.

He served as an engineering officer in the merchant marine from 1967 to 1970.

I got an e-mail message from a writer friend whose husband is in the merchant marine.

"You know why I took the hitch with the merchant marine?"