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Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet

The Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet (SBRF), located in Benicia, California, is part of the Maritime Administration’s larger National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF). The NDRF serves as a reserve of ships that can be activated to meet shipping requirements during national emergencies and consists primarily of cargo ships, tankers, and military auxiliaries. In 1976, the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) program was initiated as a subset of the NDRF to support the rapid worldwide deployment of U.S. military forces.

There are three categories of vessels at the SBRF that include: Retention (five ships); Non-retention (48 ships); and Custody (six ships). Custody ships are held on a reimbursable basis for other agencies, such as the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. Preservation activities are directed by a ship’s status and are both effective and cost efficient. Since 1946, nearly 1,000 ships have called Suisun Bay home. As of June 30, 2010, the SBRF consists of 59 ships, which are listed below. Several of the non-retention ships have been evaluated for their historical significance. For those ships, National Register Eligibility Assessments are provided.