MARAD Announces Full Enrollment in Maritime and Tanker Security Programs

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced its Maritime Security Program (MSP) and Tanker Security Program (TSP) have reached full enrollment with the addition of three new ships. The programs provide the Department of Defense (DOD) with access to a fleet of U.S.-flagged sustainment sealift vessels and product tankers during times of armed conflict or national emergency.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted the importance of the U.S.-flagged commercial fleet, which serves as a critical link in the supply chain during peacetime and supports military missions globally in times of war and crisis. “In the years ahead, these vessels will deliver vital goods, strengthen both our economy and our national security, and create good jobs for American mariners,” said Buttigieg.

Under the MSP, two newly selected vessels, Liberty Power and Tulane, operated by Liberty Global Logistics and Fidelio Limited Partnership, respectively, have been enrolled. Liberty Power is a 12-year-old roll-on roll-off vessel (RO-RO) with cargo capacity of 220,586 square feet, while Tulane is an 11-year-old RO-RO vessel with 194,665 square feet of cargo capacity. Tulane is scheduled to reflag under U.S. registry by the end of the year and will be renamed the Arc Honor.

In addition, the Pypxis Epsilon, an 8-year-old, 325,000-barrel tanker operated by U.S. Marine Management, has been selected for the newly established Tanker Security Program. The tanker is expected to reflag under U.S. registry by the end of the year and will be renamed the Shenandoah Trader.

The Tanker Security Program consists of 10 active, commercially viable, privately-owned U.S.-flag product tankers that are available to meet national defense and other Department of Defense requirements. The enrollment of the first nine tankers in the TSP was announced by MARAD in July. The nine tankers consist of three vessels each from Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG), Crowley-Stena Marine Solutions, and Seabulk Tankers.

Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips emphasized that both the MSP and TSP programs achieve two essential maritime sealift objectives: growing the U.S.-flagged commercial fleet to benefit the economy and ensuring the delivery of vital supplies to support military missions worldwide.

The MSP, established in 1996, aims to strengthen the U.S. supply chain by maintaining a viable presence for the U.S.-flag Merchant Marine in international trade while creating job opportunities. The program currently supports a fleet of 60 commercial ships operating internationally.

“MSP has been a success story for the U.S. maritime industry for over 27 years,” said Phillips. “MSP, together with its sister program TSP, will support U.S. economic competitiveness globally, and ensure U.S. armed forces have unquestioned logistics access anywhere in the world. The award of these three final Operating Agreements will ensure both the programs’ continued success and value to the United States.”

Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, Commander of U.S. Transportation Command, said these vessels play a crucial role in improving global readiness and protecting the nation’s supply chains.

“Both MSP and TSP underscore our steadfast commitment to national security and economic stability and exemplifies the indispensable partnership between MARAD and USTRANSCOM… Both programs help address the shortage of both U.S.-flag ships and U.S. Coast Guard-credentialed Mariners with unlimited licenses,” said Van Ovost.

The full enrollment of the TSP comes as the Department of Defense has started to defuel its largest bulk storage facility, the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF), located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii. The defueling and eventual closure of the WWII-era facility comes after a 2021 leak contaminated drinking water.

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