National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay

 draw only border, United States Navy, military reserve force

One of the three National Defense Reserve Fleets in the United States, NDRF Suisun Bay began operations in 1946 as a storage point for the large number of vessels built during World War Two that were no longer needed in service for the peacetime US Navy and US Government.

Continuing this role to this day, the Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay works in tandem with its counterparts at Fort Eustis, Virginia and Beaumont, Texas to provide vessels with military utility or logistic value dehumidification of the internal spaces, cathodic protection and general maintenance designed to keep them in the same condition as when they enter the fleet. As a general rule, external painting and other cosmetic-appearance work is deferred since it is not detrimental to the ability to activate and operate the vessel, resulting in most of the vessels appearing to be in far worse shape than they actually are. Ships maintained in the Reserve Fleet are usually held until they are needed for reactivation, are eclipsed in their logistical or military capabilities or sold to foreign navies.

Due to pressure from environmental agencies, MARAD announced in March 2010 that the entire Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet would be dissolved by 2017 through scrapping, use as targets or foreign sale. While the majority of the ships presently held will likely meet their end in Texas scrapyards, several vessels with historic or military utility will likely be moved to different layberths around the US.

The present satellite image shows the Suisun Bay fleet around early 2017.

For a current listing of ships held in the entire National Defense Reserve Fleet, please see:
www.marad.dot.gov/ships_shipping_landing_page/national_...