Maersk Re-flags Nine MSP Ships

Source: JOC

Line swaps older container ships for more efficient vessels
Maersk Line is swapping nine of its 19 container ships in the Maritime Security Program for newer and more efficient vessels, the Maritime Administration announced Friday.

Maersk Line, a U.S. subsidiary of Maersk Inc., will re-flag the vessels in compliance with MSP requirements.

MSP is a program that Marad administers for the Department of Defense. Carriers put militarily useful vessels under contract with Marad to provide an on-call fleet to transport military goods during a war.

Under the MSP program that runs through 2015, Congress authorizes up to 47 vessels in the program, and provides an annual subsidy of up to $2.1 million per ship to offset the cost of operating a U.S.-flag and foreign flag vessel.

The new ships in the MSP are the Sea-Land Champion, Maersk Utah, Sea-Land Eagle, Sea-Land Mercury, Maersk Wisconsin, Maersk Wyoming, Sea-Land Racer, Maersk Kentucky, and the Maersk Idaho.

Vessels being replaced are the Sea-Land Pride, Sea-Land Motivator, Sea-Land Commitment, Sea-Land Florida, Sea-Land Atlantic, Sea-Land Achiever, Sea-Land Performance, Sea-Land Quality, and the Maersk Arizona.