Following the initial strong public reaction from President Biden, who vowed that the federal government would do whatever it took to resolve the situation, the administration responded to early signs that the response to the Baltimore bridge collapse was failing. It shows.
Questions abound, including exactly how many ships are stuck at the port, but the government has failed to provide immediate or forthcoming answers.
Breitbart News asked the Department of Transportation for answers about the National Defense Reserve Fleet, a fleet of ships that can be used to support the military in times of war or emergencies, but the agency did not respond.
according to another Inventory list managed by DOTAs of January 31, 2024, there are 90 ships belonging to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, of which 53 belong to the Ready Reserve Force (RRF). RRF vessels are Maritime Administration vessels assigned to RRF to support the Department of Defense’s surge maritime lift requirements.
Six of these RRF vessels, all roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, are assigned to Baltimore, according to the list. These include SS Antares, MV Cape Washington, MV Cape Wrath, MV Charles L. Gilliland, SS Denebola, and MV Gary I. Gordon.
Breitbart News asked the Department of Defense to confirm the number of NDRF and/or RRF vessels stranded in Baltimore, but the agency did not respond.
Coast Guard Deputy Commander Peter Gauthier said at a White House press briefing on Wednesday that there were “approximately a dozen ships” remaining in port, most of them foreign-flagged, unable to leave. However, he added, “There are also a number of Maritime Bureau vessels.” bloomberg There were reportedly at least 21 ships in the port.
John Conrad, G-Captain’s CEO and maritime journalist, said four RRF ships were stuck in port: Antares, Cape Washington, Gary I. Gordon and Denebola. It is said that there is.
He said the four ships being stranded “would be a big problem in the event of a war.” [but] If the next few months are peaceful, there won’t be much of a problem. ”
“The big problem is that two of the stranded ships are SL-7 rapid response vessels,” he said, referring to Antares and Denebora. “SL-7 will be the first to leave if the balloon rises because the other cargo ships don’t have the speed they do,” he said.
According to 2020 MARAD post According to Facebook, Antares and Denebora are about the length of an aircraft carrier, can sail from the East Coast to Europe in six days, and are the world’s fastest cargo ships. “When you put it all together, [Fast Sealift Ships] “It can carry almost all the equipment needed to equip a complete Army mechanized division.”
The Navy is currently participating in operations in the Mediterranean Sea amid the Israel-Hamas war, in the Red Sea defending shipping lanes amid attacks on commercial ships by Yemen’s Houthis, and recently building a temporary floating pier to transport supplies. I am tasked with doing that. In addition to its regular activities around the world, it will also provide aid to Gaza.
If a new conflict involving the United States emerges in the Indo-Pacific region, additional maritime transport could be needed quickly.
And it’s not just the military that needs NDRF ships. MARAD was launched in 2017 3 NDRF ships Participated in a FEMA mission to the Gulf of Mexico to support relief efforts after Hurricane Harvey.
Mike Stevens, CEO of the United States Naval Federation and 13th Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, said: I have written inside new york daily news In May 2023, he said that America’s maritime industry’s “most important role is to provide maritime transport capabilities and a merchant marine force capable of supporting the military.”
“Unlike countries that subsidize domestic shipping, our military relies not only on civilian shipbuilding capabilities but also on the U.S. fleet of commercial vessels and crews that can move equipment and personnel to the battlefield.” he wrote.
With the Port of Baltimore closed while recovery and cleanup is underway, Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday gave an estimate of when the port will reopen, whether it will take weeks, months or even years. could not be shown. .
“It’s too early to make any drastic estimates. Most of the port is inside that bridge, which means most of the port is not operational. However, there is a facility called Sparrows Point that can handle some traffic. , nothing comes close to all of Baltimore,” Buttigieg said.
A reporter asked Buttigieg to “coordinate” his timing “a little bit,” to which Buttigieg replied, “You can imagine me asking the same question to the team, but I don’t want to announce anything yet. ” he answered.
Before White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre moved on to another reporter, a reporter approached her and asked, “Give me something in there.”
Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Posted X said it expected it would take “several months” to reopen the route.
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