The U.S. Maritime Security Program (MSP) fleet continued its recent upgrade last month as SIU members crewed up two newly reflagged containerships for Waterman Steamship.Seafarers also recently crewed up a sixth containership for Maersk Line, Limited that transferred into the MSP.
All eight of the newly reflagged Seafarers-crewed ships are replacement vessels, giving the MSP fleet a more modern element that bodes well for U.S. national and economic security.
The two Waterman ships are the P&O Nedlloyd Veracruz and the Buenos Aires. They are expected to run between the Gulf Coast and the Middle East. Both ships are equipped with cranes.
Maersk’s new additions are the Sealand Charger, Sealand Meteor, Maersk Alabama, Sealand Intrepid, Sealand Comet and Sealand Lightning.
As previously reported, the U.S. Maritime Administration describes the Maritime Security Program as “a fundamental element of the U. S. maritime transportation system, providing an active, privately owned, U.S.-flag, and U.S.-crewed liner fleet in international trade that is available to support Department of Defense sustainment in a contingency.”
The MSP was established by the Maritime Security Act of 1996 and provides annual funding for up to 47 vessels to partially offset the higher operating costs of keeping these vessels under U.S.-flag registry. MSP payments represent approximately 13 percent of the cost of operating U.S.-flag vessels.
In December 2003, President Bush signed a 10-year extension of the MSP, set to begin later this year when the current program expires. The updated MSP increases the number of participants from 47 ships to 60 ships and provides financial assistance to construct five newly built tankers in the United States that are capable of carrying military petroleum products during a war.
The MSP helps maintain a pool of well-trained American seafarers who are available to crew the U.S. government-owned strategic sealift fleet as well as the U.S. commercial fleet, both in peace and war.
###
Printer Friendly Page