The Beaumont Reserve Fleet, was established by act of Congress in 1946, as a component of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF). The fleet is located in Beaumont, Texas. [1]
The Beaumont Reserve Fleet, was established by act of Congress in 1946, as a component of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF). The fleet is located in Beaumont, Texas. [1]
In 1946, the US Government excavated 24 million cubic yards of soil from the Neches River, southeast of Beaumont, to create the McFadden Bend Cutoff. This is the location of the fleet. The Neches River connects to Sabine Lake and then the Gulf of Mexico. [2]
The Beaumont Reserve Fleet is one of only three remaining National Defense Reserve Fleets, of the original eight NDRFs, and the only anchorage on the Gulf Coast. The fleet is maintained by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), an agency of the Department of Transportation (DOT). [3] [4]
The other Reserve Fleets are the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet inland from San Francisco Bay and the James River Reserve Fleet in Virginia.
As of 30 April 2024 [update] :
| Name | Division | Hull No. | Year Built | Design | Home Port | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RRF - Roll-On/Roll-Off | ||||||
| Cape Taylor | Gulf | AKR 113 | 1977 | Dsl/Japan | Port of Beaumont, TX | RRF |
| Cape Texas | Gulf | AKR 112 | 1977 | Dsl/Germany | Port of Beaumont, TX | RRF |
| Cape Trinity | Gulf | AKR 9711 | 1977 | Dsl/Germany | Port of Beaumont, TX | RRF |
| Cape Victory | Gulf | AKR 9701 | 1984 | Dsl/Italy | BRF East Dock, Beaumont, TX | RRF |
| Cape Vincent | Gulf | AKR 9666 | 1984 | Dsl/Italy | BRF East Dock, Beaumont, TX | RRF |
| Pollux | Gulf | T-AKR 290 | 1973 | Navy Cargo | BRF East Dock, Beaumont, TX | RRF |
| Regulus | Gulf | T-AKR 292 | 1972 | Navy Cargo | BRF East Dock, Beaumont, TX | RRF |
| Retention - Barge Ship | ||||||
| Cape May | Gulf | AKR 5063 | 1973 | C8-S-82a | BRF, Beaumont, TX | Militarily Useful |
| Cape Mohican | Gulf | AKR 5065 | 1973 | C8-S-82a | BRF, Beaumont, TX | Militarily Useful |
| Retention - Public Nautical School Ship | ||||||
| General Rudder | Atlantic | T-AGOS 2 | 1984 | AGOS-1 | BRF, Beaumont, TX | School Ship |
| Non-retention - Crane Ship | ||||||
| Diamond State | Gulf | T-ACS 7 | 1960 | C6-S-MA1xb | BRF, Beaumont, TX | Disposal |
| Non-retention - Roll-On/Roll-Off | ||||||
| Shughart | Gulf | T-AKR 295 | 1996 | LMSR | BRF, Beaumont, TX | Disposal |
| Yano | Gulf | T-AKR 297 | 1996 | LMSR | BRF, Beaumont, TX | Disposal |
The United States Merchant Marine is an organization composed of United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, and engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine primarily transports domestic and international cargo and passengers during peacetime, and operate and maintain deep-sea merchant ships, tugboats, towboats, ferries, dredges, excursion vessels, charter boats and other waterborne craft on the oceans, the Great Lakes, rivers, canals, harbors, and other waterways. In times of war, the Merchant Marine can be an auxiliary to the United States Navy, and can be called upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military.
The United States Navy maintains a number of its ships as part of a reserve fleet, often called the "Mothball Fleet". While the details of the maintenance activity have changed several times, the basics are constant: keep the ships afloat and sufficiently working as to be reactivated quickly in an emergency.
The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) consists of ships of the United States, mostly merchant vessels, that have been mothballed but can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping during national military emergencies, or non-military emergencies such as commercial shipping crises.
The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. MARAD administers financial programs to develop, promote, and operate the U.S. Maritime Service and the U.S. Merchant Marine. In addition, it conducts research and development activities in the maritime field; regulates the transfer of U.S. documented vessels to foreign registries; maintains equipment, shipyard facilities, and reserve fleets of Government-owned ships essential for national defense. MARAD also maintains the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) as a ready source of ships for use during national emergencies and logistically supporting the military when needed.
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed; they are partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed". In earlier times, especially in British usage, the ships were said to be "laid up in ordinary".
SS Maritime Victory, hull number 821, VC2-S-AP2/WSAT, renamed USAT Pvt. Frederick C. Murphy, was an American Army troop transport which saw duty just after World War II.
SS Mission Santa Ynez was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission Santa Ynez (AO-134). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Santa Ynez (T-AO-134). A Mission Buenaventura-class oiler, she was named for Mission Santa Inés located in Solvang, California.
SS Mission San Jose was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission San Jose. Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Jose. She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San José, located in Fremont, California.
USS Mindanao (ARG-3) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1947. She was sunk as an artificial reef in 1980.
USS Gordonia (AF-43) was an Adria-class stores ship in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.
USNS Sgt. Joseph E. Muller was a C1-M-AV1 cargo ship completed 9 June 1945 and delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) as Check Knot. After operation by WSA's agent Waterman Steamship Company June 1945 – November 1946 and being placed in reserve the ship was transferred to the U.S. Army and renamed USAT Sgt. Joseph E. Muller. She was transferred to the United States Navy in 1950 after the establishment of the Military Sea Transportation Service under Navy and assigned to Korean War supply and transport operations. She was again place back in service in 1962 as one of the civilian crewed, Auxiliary General (AG), technical research ships working on National Security Agency/Naval Security Group missions, based out of Florida. She was finally declared surplus to needs in 1969 and struck.
The fifth USNS Potomac (T-AO-181) was a United States Navy oiler in non-commissioned service with the Military Sea Transportation Service, later Military Sealift Command, from 1976 to 1983.
USNS Private Leonard C. Brostrom (T-AK–255) was a cargo ship for the United States Navy that was converted into a heavy lift cargo ship in the early 1950s. She was built in 1943 for the United States Maritime Commission as SS Marine Eagle, a Type C4-S-B1 tank carrier, by Sun Shipbuilding during World War II. In 1948, she was transferred to the United States Army as USAT Private Leonard C. Brostrom after Leonard C. Brostrom, a recipient of the Medal of Honor. In 1950, the ship was transferred to the Military Sea Transport Service of the U.S. Navy as a United States Naval Ship staffed by a civilian crew. After ending her naval service, she entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet in October 1980 and was sold for scrapping in June 1982.
SS Equality State (T-ACS-8) was a crane ship of the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Wyoming, which is also known as the Equality State. She was scrapped in June 2019.
MV Cape Victory (T-AKR-9701) was built in 1984 as MV Marzario Britainna by Cant Nav. Italiani. After launching, it was delivered to CMB T. Italy for commercial operation. She was acquired. 2 April 1993, by the United States Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration and renamed MV Cape Victory on 2 April 1994 and assigned to the Maritime Administration's Ready Reserve Force, 19 August 1994. When activated Cape Victory is one of the Maritime Administration's 31 Roll-on/Roll-off Reserve Force Ships assigned to the US Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) Sealift Program Office. Cape Victory is nested at the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Beaumont, Texas, in ROS-5 status, with a 10-man maintenance crew on board.
MV Cape Vincent (T-AKR-9666) was built as MV Marzario Italia in 1984 at Italcantieri, Italy. After launch, it was delivered to CMB Italy after which it was briefly renamed Taabo Italia. She was acquired on 13 May 1993 by the US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration and renamed Cape Vincent, on 1 February 1994, assigned to the Maritime Administration's Ready Reserve Force ships. Cape Vincent is operated by Patriot Contract Services. When activated, Cape Vincent is one of the Maritime Administration's 31 roll-on/roll-off Reserve Force ships assigned to the US Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) Sealift Program Office. Cape Vincent is nested at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas, in ROS-5 status, with a 10-man maintenance crew on board.
The Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet colloquially known as the mothball fleet, is located on the northwest side of Suisun Bay in Benicia, California. The fleet is within a regulated navigation area that is about 4+1⁄2 miles long and 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) wide. It begins just north of the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge and runs northeast, parallel to the shoreline. Water depths range from about 46 feet at Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) at the foot of the anchorage, to about 26 feet (8 m) MLLW at the shallowest berths towards the northern end of the anchorage. As of February 2024, seven ships remain in the fleet.
SS Henry W. Grady was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Henry W. Grady, a journalist.
SS Dwight L. Moody was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Dwight L. Moody, evangelist, publisher, the founder of the Moody Church, Northfield School and Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts, now Northfield Mount Hermon School, the Moody Bible Institute, and Moody Publishers.
The James River Reserve Fleet (JRRF) is located on the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia at near Fort Eustis. James River Reserve Fleet, a "ghost fleet", is part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. The Reserve Fleet ships in storage, called "mothballed", that can be ready for use if needed. Many are awaiting scrapping due to the age or condition of the ship. Some ships are used for target practice or as artificial reefs. A few ships became museum ships and other sold to private companies. Ships can be readied for use in 20 to 120 days during national emergencies or natural disaster. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) provides oversight of the James River Reserve Fleet. For the United States Navy ships the United States Navy reserve fleets stored these ships and submarines.
"National Defense Reserve Fleet Archive (month-to-month NDRF vessel list)". U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024.