Sea Transport Branch (Board of Trade)

The Sea Transport Branch of the British Board of Trade, originally established as the Transport Department or Naval Transport Department, was a logistical branch of the Department of Admiralty responsible for the provision of naval transportation services. It underwent numerous name changes throughout its complicated history with responsibility for sea transportation, known as the Department of the Director of Transports from 1890.

It was temporarily part of the responsibility of the Ministry of Shipping as its Transport Department from 1917 to 1921, though still under the auspice of the Admiralty. It was renamed the Sea Transport Department of the Board of Trade from 1921 to 1941. It then moved then back to the Ministry of Shipping from 1941 to 1946.

Responsibility for naval transportation then became part of the Ministry of War Transport as its Sea Transport Department until 1946, still with co-responsibility with the Admiralty. It continued with the Ministry of Shipping until 1967 when it was renamed the Sea Transport Division and in 1970 it was put under the control of the Board of Trade as the Sea Transport Branch. The branch was administered by the Director of Sea Transport.