Seapower/Maritime

Sea Power, Jan 2002

Spring-Summer: Turbo Containerization Ammunition Distribution System 01/Joint Logistics Over the Shore 01 (Turbo CADS01/JLOTS 01): Turbo CADS 01/JLOTS 01 is a joint exercise which tested the ability of U.S. forces to work with the Republic of Korea to efficiently deploy military unit equipment. SS Cape Mohican, SS Flicker-- tail State, and SS Chesapeake supported this operation.

Chesapeake successfully completed the JLOTS exercise objectives by pumping 3,500,000 gallons of simulated cargo (fresh water) to the beach. Upon completion of the exercise, Chesapeake assumed Afloat Prepositioning Force (APF) duty in Diego Garcia, relieving the SS Potomac.

April: A Sealift Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (SEDRE), Dragon Team 01: Cape Douglas was loaded out in Savannah, Ga., to support this exercise.

May 25: Eight RRF vessels received no-notice activations for Turbo Act 03: SS Equality State (ROS-4), SS Cape Blanco (ROS-5), SS Cape Gibson (ROS-5), SS Chattahoochee (RRF-- 10), SS Alatna (RRF-10), SS Cape Trinity (ROS-4), SS Cape Victory (ROS 4), and SS Cape May (ROS-5).

SS Potomac returned to the Beaumont Reserve Fleet, after concluding a historic 10-year deployment and service to the Afloat Prepositioning Force (APF). A ceremony honoring the ship and its exemplary record of service occurred 26 June 2001 in Galveston, Texas, at the Texas Maritime Academy. The vessel was activated for Operation Desert Shield in 1990 and was on station overseas for over 10 years participating in sorties, exercises, and training evolutions. SS Potomac assisted in the humanitarian Rwandan food relief effort, bringing both food and potable water to an area devastated by famine. After assisting again in Bosnia, the Potomac earned the U.S. Navy's "E" for excellence ship award during convoy exercises in the Indian Ocean.

War Risk Insurance

MARAD administers the standby emergency War Risk Insurance Program in accordance with the statutory authority of Title XII of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as amended. The program encourages the continued flow of U.S. foreign commerce during periods when commercial insurance cannot be obtained on reasonable terms and conditions. It protects vessel operators and seafarers against losses resulting from war or warlike actions. The program was activated in 1990 for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, during which war-risk insurance policies were written on 388 military contracted vessels; the Navy estimated that the program saved the government over $436 million in premium costs. The program also was successfully activated during operations in Somalia and Haiti.

The U.S. Port System

U.S. ports play a major role in economic development and national security. U.S. ports are a vital link in that economic chain. The national economic benefits associated with the movement of foreign and domestic waterborne commerce are significant. Throughout the economy, this activity creates 13.1 million jobs, contributes $743 billion to the gross domestic product, and provides almost $200 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. U.S. ports handle more than two billion tons of foreign and domestic trade, and serve as critical interchange points within the nation's intermodal transportation system.