Seven Companies Split USD 1.9bn in DOT Managament Contracts

MARAD The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded contracts with a total award value of USD 1.96 billion over eight years to seven U.S. maritime firms to manage, maintain and operate 48 National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) vessels through January 2024. The companies in question include Jacksonville-based Crowley Technical Management, which will be managing four vessels under a contract worth USD 149.7 million, Keystone Shipping Services that will be in charge of 11 vessels under a USD 411.5 million contract, Matson Navigation for three vessels (USD 174.6 million), Ocean Duchess (8 vessels- USD 342.2 million); Pacific-Gulf Marine (6 vessels- USD 194.2 million), Patriot Contract Services (7 vessels-USD 227 million) and finally Tote Services, which will be in charge of 9 vessels under a USD 461.1 million. “Since 1946, National Defense Reserve Fleet vessels have facilitated U.S. strategic sealift, natural disaster response, and humanitarian operations all around the world,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. The eighteen contracts awarded to seven U.S. maritime firms total USD 953.5 million for the 4-year base contract which runs through January 2020. The contracts also include two, 2-year options bringing the total award value to USD 1.96 billion. Forty-six of the vessels are part of the Department of Transportation’s Ready Reserve Force, a fleet managed by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) that provides rapid mass movement of Department of Defense equipment and supplies to support the US Armed Forces. Additionally, two vessels are used to support Missile Defense Agency operations.