The MMMCA was founded in 1945 and incorporated in 1947. At this time, the MMMCA’s member companies were primarily engaged in ship maintenance work, which included the cleaning, maintaining and supplying of ships, as well as mechanical work related to ship systems.

Following the implementation of intermodal container shipping and quayside container gantry cranes in the mid-to-late 1950’s, the first dedicated container terminal in the world was opened in New Jersey, on August 15, 1962. The development presented a need for a specialized workforce to maintain the new equipment in order to foster efficient operations locally and to grow the global economy. Thus in 1968, the MMMCA-ILA Container Maintenance and Repair Agreement was entered into, which expanded the jurisdiction of the MMMCA to include marine container repair, chassis repair and other related work.

Through the 1970’s and 1980’s, the nature of trade was evolving rapidly, and so the Association and its member companies adapted to the change. As conventional cargo ships and lengthy stays in port were phased out, the Association’s member companies dedicated more of their resources to the maintenance and repair of marine containers and chassis, as well as the lashing and unlashing of freight on board cargo vessels. Since then, these functions remain as the primary source of work for the Association’s members today.

In a time that shipping and terminal activity is at an unprecedented high, it is now – more than ever – necessary that companies and labor work together harmoniously in order to meet and exceed the rising demands of the global economy. The MMMCA remains fully committed to protecting the interests of its member companies and is proud to fulfill this commitment through a strong working relationship with the ILA representatives and members that they employ.