2010-11_ANNUAL_REPORTS_-_FINAL_VERSION_(3)

Haiti on January 12, 2010. MARAD began monitoring conditions and events that day in support of
Operation Unified Response. On April 29, 2010, MARAD again activated the MCC to support the
response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Personnel from MARAD monitored events continuously
through September 6, 2010, providing daily situation reports to senior leadership.
On March 11, 2011, MCC watchstanders monitored the situation when the 9.0-magnitude earthquake
struck off Japan. All available vessels were put on stand-by, ready to assist. In August 2011, Hurricane
Irene struck the East Coast of the United States creating devastation moving north. The MCC acted as a
bridge for data inputs and issued situational briefs that were used by senior leadership and the White
House. Five watch members received the Secretary of Transportation’s Outstanding Achievement Gold
Medal award for assistance during Hurricane Irene.
Missile Defense Agency Ships
Two converted RRF ships, Pacific Collector and Pacific Tracker, are funded by the DOD Missile
Defense Agency (MDA) via interagency agreement. In fiscal year 2011, they were activated four
times to track missile and high altitude aircraft flights. The vessels remained on-station with no
difficulties. While the vessels are owned by DOT/MARAD as part of the NDRF, all costs for
maintenance, repair, operation, and management oversight are reimbursed by the Missile Defense
Agency.
The director of MDA’s Test Resources Directorate, David W. Furtwengler, particularly commended the
Pacific Collector crew, and reminded them that without their “efforts the data that is vital in the
development of an effective missile defense system could not have been collected. The high standards
of seamanship demonstrated while maneuvering your vessel and in navigating the Pacific Collector
during this important mission have contributed to the Nation's security and MDA's ability to make
missile defense a reality.”
National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) Anchorages
Ship Disposal
The Maritime Administration is committed to disposing of obsolete vessels in its National Defense
Reserve Fleet (NDRF) anchorages. In 2010, the inventory of ships shrank from 196 to 185 vessels, with
the fleet anchorage inventory reduced from 129 to 123 ships, 7 due primarily to SBRF disposal
departures. At year’s end, 31 vessels were maintained in a retention status for emergency sealift, interim
hold, fleet support, and logistic support because the ships were needed for those purposes. The Fleet
anchorages also maintained 26 vessels in a custody status for other government organizations such as
the Army, Navy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG). The disposal actions, combined with appropriate ship maintenance practices, have helped
reduce the number of vessels considered to be in poor condition from 23 to 13, and have increased the
average vessel condition (3.66 to 3.82 on a 5-point scale).
During 2011, the inventory of ships further shrank to 163 vessels, with the fleet anchorage inventory
reduced to 101 ships, again due primarily to vessel disposals. At year’s end, 35 vessels were maintained
in a retention status for emergency sealift, interim hold, fleet support, and logistic support. The Fleet
anchorages also maintain 21 vessels in a custody status for other government organizations such as the
7 The NDRF inventory includes all MARAD-owned vessels: retention/non-retention vessels at anchor in NDRF
anchorages, RRF vessels berthed at various ports, and school ships on loan to the State Maritime Academies. The
fleet anchorage inventory includes only NDRF ships at the anchorages, plus vessels belonging to other government
organizations, but maintained at NDRF anchorages.
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