U.S. to build efficient, environmentally-friendly cargo vessels
The Department of the Navy signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), on behalf of the Department of Transportation.
The purpose of the MOA is to further objectives relating to the American Marine Highway (AMH) Program, particularly the development, design, construction and operation of U.S.-built and U.S.-crewed dual-use vessels (DUVs), which can serve in peacetime for coastwise trade under the Jones Act as well as provide sealift capability in time of national emergency.
A desired outcome of a DUV, consistent with the mission of MARAD, is to have the benefits of the AMH – reduced transportation congestion, improved domestic shipbuilding industrial base, reduced green house gas emissions in the nation’s transportation systems, creation of new jobs, etc. – and provide military sealift capability efficiently by leveraging the commercial industrial base.
The usage of these vessels in the AMH could present a win-win opportunity for government, industry, labor, shipyards, and the traveling public. These vessels would provide state-of-the-art, U.S.-built ships with the increased capability to supplement the carriage of military equipment if called upon for response to a national emergency by leveraging the commercial industry. This has already been demonstrated with U.S.-flagged, internationally trading ships in MARAD’s Maritime Security Program.
“We are looking forward to continuing to work with MARAD on optimizing our research and development into finding ship designs that meet both the requirements of the maritime industry and provide military sealift capability,” said Jonathan D. Kaskin, director of Strategic Mobility and Combat Logistics for the office of the chief of naval operations.
“This partnership represents the potential for the U.S. to build efficient, environmentally-friendly cargo vessels that can relieve congestion on the nation’s highways,” said MARAD Administrator David Matsuda. “We look forward to working with the Navy to pursue these opportunities to strengthen the U.S. shipbuilding industry.”
Source: Navy
