Maritime Administration secures long-term management of 51 Ready Reserve Force vessels for rapid military and emergency deployments.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has finalized 20 contracts totaling $6.2 billion to manage the Ready Reserve Force (RRF), a fleet of 51 government-owned ships maintained for the rapid deployment of military equipment and personnel. The contracts span 10 years and cover maintenance, crewing, logistics, and operations to ensure the vessels remain in a state of readiness.
These ships, including roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, crane vessels, and aviation support ships, serve as a critical link in national defense by enabling fast response in times of war, humanitarian crisis, or natural disaster.
“The Ready Reserve Force supports our military men and women and strengthens our supply chains,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “When our military is called to respond, the RRF delivers the tanks, the trucks, and the supplies. These ships don’t just support the mission—they are the linchpin that makes the mission possible. National security depends on strategic sealift, and strategic sealift depends on the RRF.”
Operated by seven ship management firms under the Maritime Administration (MARAD), the RRF can mobilize within five days and provides nearly all of the federal government’s surge sealift capacity. The fleet, part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF), is docked at strategically selected U.S. ports and undergoes routine activation exercises to ensure readiness for global deployment when needed.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Duffy as he coordinates the Ready Reserve Force with the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
- For Deputy Administrator Sang Yi as he oversees the Maritime Administration.
Sources: Reuters, Gov Con Wire
