Maritime Administration Announces the Successful
Removal of High Priority Ships from the James River
Ten `High-Priority’ Ships Safely Removed In Less Than
10 Months
MARAD 07-05
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Contact: Wes Irvin
Tel.: (202) 366-5807
Acting Maritime Administrator John Jamian today announced that the
U.S. Maritime Administration delivered on its promise to remove all
ten `high-priority’ ships from the James River Reserve Fleet.
`In less than 10 months we followed through on our commitment to
getting these ships out of here,’ said Acting Administrator John
Jamian. `With the safe removal of these ships, we will now turn our
attention to a new group of aging vessels as we work to dispose of
these ships as quickly and safely as possible.’
The recent departures of the Lauderdale and the Mormacmoon to the
North American Ship Recycling facility at Sparrows Point, Maryland
follows through on the promise of the Administration to move the worst
ships in the aging fleet out of the river and on to qualified
shipyards to be dismantled. Additionally, since 2001 this
Administration has successfully removed 35 ships from the James River
Reserve fleet, Jamian said.
There are three remaining `high-priority’ ships that were not
available for disposal as they are on congressional hold or undergoing
a historical review process. These ships are the Saugatuck, Hoist and
Sphinx.
The James River Reserve Fleet is one of three National Defense Reserve
Fleet anchorage sites. The NDRF is maintained by MARAD for the
maintenance of readiness assets, including vessels owned or acquired
by the United States Government that are determined to be of value for
national defense purposes. When vessels are no longer considered
militarily useful, MARAD arranges for their responsible disposal or
disposition.
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