Ready Reserve Force Ships

The Ready Reserve Force (RRF) is the Maritime Administration program which provides sealift of supplies for the U.S. military throughout the world. The RRF supplements the Maritime Prepositioning Program which has strategically located ships pre-loaded with Army or Marine Corps equipment.

The former commercial vessels of RRF sit empty while they await call-up. Under the program, the ships must be ready for loading and sailing within 4, 5, 10, or 20 days. Those assigned 4 and 5 day readiness have a permanent skeleton crew of 9 or 10 mariners. Private shipping companies under contract to MARAD provide maintenance, activation, manning, and vessel operation.

The Department of Defense periodically tests readiness of the RRF by initiating no-notice activations, and by routine activations for military cargo operations and exercises. RRF ships are also used for cargo handling training by Navy and Army Reserve units. When activated, control of the RRF ships transfers from the the Maritime Administration to the Military Sealift Command, a part of the Navy.

List of Ready Reserve Force Ships

*activated for Prepositioning Program
**dedicated to Prepositioning for US Marine Corps

  Ship Type Designation

Length
(feet)

Beam
(feet)

Draft
(feet
)

Displacement
(tons)

Speed
(knots)

Homeport
or Location
MV Alatna Gasoline Tanker T-AOT 81

287

61

22.5

7,300

10.4

Tsuneishi Japan
SS Beaver State Crane Ship T-ACS 10

669

76

31.5

11,720

20.4

Bremerton WA
GTS Adm Wm. M. Callaghan Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 1001

694

92

29

26,537

21.3

San Francisco CA
MV Cape Decision Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5054

681

97

32

34,790

16.2

Charleston SC
MV Cape Diamond Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5055

681

97

32

34,790

16.2

Charleston SC
MV Cape Domingo Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5053

681

97

32

34,790

16.2

Charleston SC
MV Cape Douglas Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5052

681

97

32

34,790

16.2

Charleston SC
MV Cape Ducato Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5051

681

97

32

34,790

16.2

Charleston SC
MV Cape Edmont Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5069

652

94

31

 32,543

15.7

Charleston SC
SS Cape Farewell Lighter Aboard Ship T-AK 5073

893

100

38

32,543

18.7

Beaumont, TX
SS Cape Fear Lighter Aboard Ship T-AK 5061

820

100

35

44,250

18.7

Benecia, CA
SS Cape Flattery Lighter Aboard Ship T-AK 5070

893

100

38

57,082

18.7

Beaumont TX
SS Cape Florida Lighter Aboard Ship T-AK 5071

893

100

44

44.606

18.7

Beaumont TX
SS Cape Gibson* Modular Cargo Delivery System T-AK 5051

605 

82

35

31,995

17.9

Alameda CA
SS Cape Girardeau Modular Cargo Delivery System T-AK 2039

605 

82

35

31,995

17.9

Alameda CA
MV Cape Henry Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5067

749 

105

35

51,007

17.4

San Francisco CA
MV Cape Horn Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5068

749 

105

35

51,007

17.4

San Francisco CA
MV Cape Hudson Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5066

749 

105

35

51,007

17.4

San Francisco CA
SS Cape Inscription Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5076

684 

102

32

33,900

18.7

Long Beach CA
SS Cape Intrepid Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 11

685 

102

34

33,900

18.7

Tacoma WA
SS Cape Isabel Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5062

684 

102

32

36.355

18.7

Long Beach CA
SS Cape Island Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 10

685 

102

34

33,900

18.7

Tacoma WA
SS Cape Jacob* Modular Cargo Delivery System T-AK 5029

565 

76

31

22,929

17.0

Diego Garcia
SS Cape John* Modular Cargo Delivery System T-AK 5022

565 

76

31.5

22,929

17.0

Orange TX
SS Cape Johnson* Modular Cargo Delivery System T-AK 5075

565 

76

31

22,629

17.0

Wilmington NC
SS Cape Juby Modular Cargo Delivery System T-AK 5077

565 

76

31

22,629

17.0

Wilmington NC
MV Cape Kennedy Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5083

695 

105

35

29.218

16.6

New Orleans LA
MV Cape Knox Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5082

695 

105

35

29.218

16.6

New Orleans LA
MV Cape Lambert Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5077

682 

75

30

30,359

16.2

James River VA
MV Cape Lobos Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5078

682 

75

30

30,359

16.2

James River VA
SS Cape May Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5063

873 

105

39

57,290

16.2

Baltimore MD
SS Cape Mendocino Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 5064

873 

105

39

57,290

16.2

James River VA
SS Cape Mohican Heavy Lift Ship T-AKR 5065

873 

105

39

57,290

16.2

Alameda CA
SS Cape Nome Ready Reserve Force Ship T-AK 1014

602 

90

34

27,580

18.7

James River VA
MV Cape Orlando Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 2044

635 

91

30

32,799

16.2

San Francisco CA
MV Cape Race Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9960

647 

105

32

32,054

16.6

Portsmouth VA
MV Cape Ray Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9679

647 

105

32

32,054

16.6

Portsmouth VA
MV Cape Rise Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9678

647 

105

32

32,054

16.6

Portsmouth VA
MV Cape Taylor Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 113

634 

88.5

28

24,551

15.7

Houston TX
MV Cape Texas Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 112

634 

88.5

28

24,551

15.7

Houston TX
MV Cape Trinity Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9711

634 

88.5

28

24,551

15.7

Houston TX
MV Cape Victory Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9701

631 

87

28

28,215

14.0

Beaumont TX
MV Cape Vincent Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9666

632 

87

28

28,215

14.0

Beaumont TX
MV Cape Washington Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9961

697 

106

38

53,652

14.9

Baltimore MD
MV Cape Wrath Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9962

697 

106

38

53,652

14.9

Baltimore MD
MV Chattahoochee Gasoline Tanker T-AOG 82

287 

61

22.5

7,300

10.4

Tsuneishi, Japan
SS Chesapeake* Tanker T-AOT 5084

736 

102

39

14,977

14.0

Diego Garcia
SS Comet Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 7

467 

78

27

18.286

15.3

Suisun Bay CA
SS Cornhusker State Crane Ship T-ACS 6

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

17.0

Newport News VA
SS Curtiss** Aviation Maintenance Logistics T-AVB 4

602 

90

33

23,800

18.7

San Diego CA
SS Diamond State Crane Ship T-ACS 7

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

17.9

Houston TX
SS Empire State Troopship - SUNY training ship T-AP 1001

565 

76

32

22,629

17.0

Fort Schuyler NY
SS Equality State Crane Ship T-ACS 8

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

17.9

Houston TX
SS Flickertail State Crane Ship T-ACS 5

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

17.0

Newport News VA
SS Gem State Crane Ship T-ACS 2

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

17.0

Alameda CA
SS Golden Bear Troopship - Cal Maritime training ship

---

499 

72

25

15,000

20.0

Vallejo CA
SS Gopher State* Crane Ship T-ACS 4

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

17.0

Guam
SS Grand Canyon State Crane Ship T-ACS 3

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

17.0

Alameda CA
SS Green Mountain State Crane Ship T-ACS 9

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

20.4

Bremerton WA
SS Keystone State Crane Ship T-ACS 2

668.5 

76

33.5

31,500

17.0

Alameda CA
SS Meteor Roll-on/Roll-off Ship T-AKR 9

540 

83

29

21,480

17.9

Benecia CA
SS Mission Buenaventura Tanker T-AOT 1012

660 

90

38

45,243

14.0

Beaumont TX
MV Mission Capistrano Tanker T-AOT 5005

672 

89

36

45,877

14.0

Beaumont TX
SS Mount Washington Tanker T-AOT 5076

736 

102

40

65,800

15.3

Orange TX
MV Nodaway Gasoline Tanker T-AOG 78

325 

48

19

5,984

8.5

Tsuneishi Japan
SS Petersburg* Tanker T-AOT 9101

736 

102

36

48,993

14.5

Guam
SS Potomac Tanker T-AOT 181

614.5 

83.5

34

35,330

15.7

Beaumont TX
SS Wright** Aviation Maintenance Logistics T-AVB 3

602 

90

30

23,800

18.7

Baltimore MD


SS Cape Farewell - Lighter Aboard Ship
SS Cape Farewell - Lighter Aboard Ship

SS Cape Fear -- Lighter Aboard Ship - showing lifting of "lighter"
SS Cape Fear -- Lighter Aboard Ship - showing lifting of "lighter"

SS Cape Juby - Modular Cargo Delivery System
SS Cape Juby - Modular Cargo Delivery System

SS Equality State - Crane Ship
SS Equality State - Crane Ship

SS Cape Henry - Roll-on/Roll-off
SS Cape Henry - Roll-on/Roll-off
SS Cape Horn - Roll-on/Roll-off
SS Cape Horn - Roll-on/Roll-off

SS Mount Washington -Tanker
SS Mount Washington -Tanker

SS Mission Capistrano Tanker
SS Mission Capistrano Tanker

SS Empire State - Troopship - Training ship at Maritime Academy State University of New York
SS Empire State - Troopship - Training ship at Maritime Academy State University of New York


Past Activations of RRF Ships

In 1998, four RRF ships were activated to carry military construction equipment and supplies to Central America following the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch.

RRF ships were called into action in 1995 and 1996 to support United Nations and NATO actions in Bosnia.

RRF ships were activated in 1994 to support camps at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and for Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.

In 1992, several RRF ships operated in support of humanitarian efforts in Somalia.

79 RRF ships, or about 75 percent of the RRF, were activated in support of the Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s.

RRF Ships Activated for "Operation Iraqi Freedom" (Fall 2002 - Spring 2003)

Admiral Callaghan
Cape Decision
Cape Diamond
Cape Domingo
Cape Douglas
Cape Ducato
Cape Edmont
Cape Gibson
Cape Henry
Cape Horn
Cape Hudson
Cape Inscription
Cape Intrepid
Cape Isabel
Cape Island
Cape Jacob
Cape John
Cape Johnson
Cape Kennedy
Cape Knox
Cape Lambert
Cape Lobos
Cape Orlando
Cornhusker State
Cape Race
Cape Ray
Cape Rise
Cape Taylor
Cape Texas
Cape Trinity
Cape Victory
Cape Vincent
Cape Washington
Cape Wrath
Chesapeake
Comet
Curtiss
Gopher State
Petersburg
Wright

Sources:
Official Inventory of US Naval ships and Service Craft http://www.nvr.navy.mil
Inventory of Military Sealift Command ships http://www.msc.navy.mil
Military Sealift Command Fact sheet http://www.msc.navy.mil/factsheet/rrf.htm
US Transportation Command http://public.transcom.mil/missions/rrf.html
Marad Press Release http://www.marad.dot.gov/Offices/Ship/PRESS-GM2.htm
Maritime College State University of New York http://www.sunymaritime.edu

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05/15/03