SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549




                                    Form 8-K




                CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 1, 2002
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                                 MARITRANS INC.
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               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


         Delaware                       1-9063                 51-0343903
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    (State or Other                  (Commission             (IRS Employee
    Jurisdiction of                  File Number)          Identification No.)
     Incorporation)


                  Two Harbour Place
                302 Knights Run Avenue
                   Tampa, Florida                               33602
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       (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                Zip Code



           Registrant's telephone, including area code: (813) 209-0600
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         (Former Name and Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)







Item 5.  Other Events.
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                  On June 26, 2002 the Board of Directors of Maritrans Inc. (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding
share of Common Stock, $.01 par value (each, a "Common Share") of the Company to
stockholders of record at the close of business on August 1, 2002. Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of
one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Shares, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the "Preferred
Shares"), or a combination of securities and assets of equivalent value, at a
Purchase Price of $57 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The description and terms
of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement")
between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights
Agent.

                  Initially, ownership of the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Share certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate
Rights Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the
Common Shares and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days
following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right
to acquire, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) the close of business on such date as
may be fixed by the Board of Directors, which date shall not be more than 65
days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would
result in a person or group beneficially owning 20% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by
the Common Share certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Share certificates, (ii) new Common Share certificates issued after
August 1, 2002 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Shares outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented by such certificate.

                  The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at the close of business on August 1, 2012, unless earlier redeemed
by the Company as described below or unless a transaction under Section 13(d) of
the Rights Agreement has occurred.

                  As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, and except in connection with the exercise of employee
stock options or stock appreciation rights or under any other benefit plan for
employees or directors or in connection with the exercise of warrants or the
conversion of convertible securities, only Common Shares issued after August 1,
2002 and prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date
will be issued with Rights.








                  Except in the circumstances described below, after the
Distribution Date each Right will be exercisable into one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (a "Preferred Share Fraction"). Each Preferred Share Fraction
carries voting and dividend rights that are intended to produce the equivalent
of one Common Share. The voting and dividend rights of the Preferred Shares are
subject to adjustment in the event of dividends, subdivisions and combinations
with respect to the Common Shares of the Company. In lieu of issuing
certificates for Preferred Share Fractions which are less than an integral
multiple of one Preferred Share (i.e. 100 Preferred Share Fractions), the
Company may pay cash representing the current market value of the Preferred
Share Fractions.

                  In the event that at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date, (i) the Company is the surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring
Person and its Common Shares remain outstanding, (ii) a Person becomes the
beneficial owner of more than 20% of the then outstanding Common Shares other
than pursuant to a tender offer that provides fair value to all stockholders,
(iii) an Acquiring Person engages in one or more "self-dealing" transactions as
set forth in the Rights Agreement, or (iv) during such time as there is an
Acquiring Person an event occurs that results in such Acquiring Person's
ownership interest being increased by more than 1% (e.g., a reverse stock
split), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other
securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price
of the Right. In lieu of requiring payment of the Purchase Price upon exercise
of the Rights following any such event, the Company may permit the holders
simply to surrender the Rights, in which event they will be entitled to receive
Common Shares (and other property, as the case may be) with a value of 50% of
what could be purchased by payment of the full Purchase Price. Notwithstanding
any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in
clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of this paragraph, all Rights that are, or
(under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person who was involved in the transaction
giving rise to any such event will be null and void. However, Rights are not
exercisable following the occurrence of any of the events set forth above until
such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth
below.

                  For example, at an exercise price of $57 per Right, each Right
not otherwise voided following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph
would entitle its holder to purchase $114 worth of Common Shares (or other
consideration, as noted above) for $57. Assuming that the Common Shares had a
per share value of $11.40 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be
entitled to purchase ten Common Shares for $57. Alternatively, the Company could
permit the holder to surrender each Right in exchange for stock or cash
equivalent to five Common Shares (with a value of $57) without the payment of
any consideration other than the surrender of the Right.

                  In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date, (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a
merger that is described in, or that follows a tender offer or exchange offer
described in, the second preceding paragraph), or (ii) 50% or more of the
Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right
(except Rights that previously have been voided as set forth above) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common shares of the
acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the
Right. Again, provision is made to permit surrender of the Rights in exchange
for one-half of the value otherwise purchasable. The events set forth in this
paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."







                  The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of
Preferred Shares or other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the
Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in
the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or
reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) if holders of the Preferred
Shares are granted certain rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Shares
or convertible securities at less than the current market price of the Preferred
Shares, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of
evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular quarterly dividends) or
of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

                  With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the
Purchase Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Shares on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.

                  At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition
Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$.01 per Right, subject to adjustment. That ten day redemption period may be
extended by the Board of Directors so long as the Rights are still redeemable.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the
Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights
will be to receive the $.01 redemption price.

                  Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the
Rights become exercisable for Preferred Shares (or other consideration) of the
Company or for common shares of the acquiring company as set forth above.

                  Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic
terms of the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be
amended by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date.
After the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be
amended by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes that do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of
any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the
Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the time period
governing redemption shall be made at such time as the Rights are not
redeemable.

                  This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is filed as an Exhibit hereto.









Item 7.      Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
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             (c) Exhibits.

             Exhibit No.                                 Exhibit
             -----------                                 -------

             4                     Rights Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2002,
                                   between Maritrans Inc. and American Stock
                                   Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.
















                                    SIGNATURE

                  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                                     MARITRANS INC.



                               By: /s/ Walter T. Bromfield
                                  ----------------------------------------------
                               Name: Walter T. Bromfield
                               Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


Dated: August 1, 2002


















                                Index of Exhibits
                                -----------------

   Exhibit No.        Exhibit
   -----------        -------

   4                  Rights Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2002, between
                      Maritrans Inc. and American Stock Transfer & Trust
                      Company, as Rights Agent.