By Salvatore R. Mercogliano, Ph.D. - On Monday, September 16, 2019, the United States Transportation Command ordered the no-notice activation of 28 out of the 61 ships held in the reserve sealift fleet. This exercise aimed to determine the material readiness of the fleet and whether the commercial merchant marine - the operating companies assigned to manage the vessels and … [Read more...]
Ready or Not, Here Comes the Ready Reserve Force!
By Sal Mercogliano, Ph.D. - In a week punctuated by a drone missile strike on two oil production plants in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, the United States Transportation Command on Monday initiated a Large-Scale Sealift Readiness Exercise. As part of its Turbo Activation series which began in 1994, the joint command, located at Scott Air Force Base in southern Illinois, … [Read more...]
U.S. Orders Large-Scale Turbo Activation Exercise of Ready Reserve Force Ships
The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered a large-scale turbo activation of ships in the U.S. Maritime Administration's (MARAD) Ready Reserve Force fleet. The turbo activation is part of a large-scale activation exercise ordered by the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) on September 16. The activation calls for a total of 28 RRF fleet vessels to … [Read more...]
Fire Reported in Engine Room of MARAD Vessel MV Cape Henry
A small fire broke out in the engine room of the U.S. Maritime Administration vessel Cape Henry at its layberth in Alameda, California. The San Francisco Fire Department was alerted to the fire at about 3:30 a.m. Monday morning. The fire was reported in the engine room and resulted in one crew member being taken to a local hospital for observation. The fire was … [Read more...]
MARAD Designates New Marine Highway Projects
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced the designation of nine Marine Highway Projects and a Marine Highway Route, helping shift the transportation of cargo and people from the highways to the nation's waterways. MARAD said the new designations will benefit Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, … [Read more...]