Tag Archives: MARAD

DoD IG: Inaccurate Military Surge Sealift Fleet Readiness Reporting Undercuts Operational Plans

DoD IG: Inaccurate Military Surge Sealift Fleet Readiness Reporting Undercuts Operational Plans

SATTAHIP, Thailand—A UH-60 Black Hawk is raised from Military Sealift Command’s voyage-charter, general-purpose, heavy-lift vessel MV Ocean Grand at the pier in Sattahip, Thailand, Aug. 17, during an offload of equipment that will be used during exercise Hanuman Guardian 2018. (Courtesy photo/Released)

Inaccurate surge sealift fleet readiness reporting misled geographic combatant commanders about their ability to quickly receive equipment resupplies, according to a Department of Defense Inspector General’s report. Read More

TRANSCOM Stress Test Practiced Cargo Delivery Through Mine- and Sub-Filled Waters

TRANSCOM Stress Test Practiced Cargo Delivery Through Mine- and Sub-Filled Waters

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NORFOLK (Sept. 21, 2019) Military Sealift Command large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off (LMSR) vessel USNS Benavidez (T-AKR 306), departs Lambert’s Point Shipyard alongside USNS Mendonca (T-AKR 303) for Turbo Activation. Navy photo

Running dark and nearly silent, last month a convoy of Military Sealift Command ships practiced delivering people and gear to the fight as part of a large U.S. Transportation Command surge sealift capability stress test.

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Keeping Up With the Jones Act

Keeping Up With the Jones Act

World War II Merchant Marine recruiting poster.

In the last several weeks, the Jones Act has drawn headlines over how it has shaped the U.S. and worldwide shipping industry. After almost 100 years as a part of federal law, there’s much misunderstanding as to what the law actually does. Read More

Study Says Navy Logistics Fleet Would Fall Short in High-End Fight

Study Says Navy Logistics Fleet Would Fall Short in High-End Fight

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) conducts a replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with the fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE-8) on April 12, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Navy is struggling to find support to buy new logistics ships, even as a new study finds the Navy’s current plans to recapitalize that logistics fleet are insufficient to support distributed operations in a high-end fight against China or Russia. Read More

U.S. Facing Looming Shortage of Merchant Mariners

U.S. Facing Looming Shortage of Merchant Mariners

M/V Cape Ray (T-AKR-9679). MARAD Photo

M/V Cape Ray (T-AKR-9679). MARAD Photo

By 2022, the United States will need “70,000 new people” for the nation’s maritime fleet, but the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y., and the six state maritime academies only graduate 900 per year and are at capacity, Paul Jaenichen Sr., the head of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), told the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee on Tuesday. Read More

Document: Economic Impact of U.S. Shipbuilding

Document: Economic Impact of U.S. Shipbuilding

130508-N-ZZ999-001The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) released its May report on the economic impact of the shipbuilding industry in the U.S. The following was from the executive summary:

Currently there are 117 shipyards in the United States, spread across 26 states, that are classified as active shipbuilders. In addition, there are more than 200 shipyards engaged in ship repairs or capable of building ships but not actively engaged in shipbuilding. The majority of shipyards are located in the coastal states, but there also are active shipyards on major inland waterways such as the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, and the Ohio River. Employment in shipbuilding and repairing is concentrated in a relatively small number of coastal states, with the top five states accounting for 62 percent of all private employment in the shipbuilding and repairing industry. Read More