Three Crowley-managed tankers have been selected by the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) to serve in its Tanker Security Program. The programme ensures a commercial fleet can readily transport liquid fuel supplies in times of need for the U.S. Department of Defense.
The medium-range tankers are part of a joint venture between Crowley and Stena Bulk USA awarded TSP participation. The vessels are Stena Immaculate, Stena Imperative and Stena Impeccable, and all will be reflagged as US registered vessels with US crews.
The tankers will continue international commercial operations but can be chartered on a short-term basis to serve the US government’s operations.
“Crowley appreciates the U.S. government and military’s continued trust in our capabilities to serve the nation’s needs. Crowley’s team with Stena Bulk offers government customers a deep, full suite of capabilities to maintain an efficient, dependable supply chain with management that adds value by being able to meet needs quickly and innovatively,” said Gavin Hughes, vice president, Crowley Government Solutions, the company’s business unit for government services.
A federal law requires the US Department of Transportation, which includes MARAD, work with the Defense Department to establish a fleet of active, commercially viable, militarily useful, and privately-owned product tank vessels to meet national defense and other security requirements.
The initial fleet size is ten, and companies receive a stipend for each ship enrolled in support of the nation’s defence forces.
Crowley and Stena Bulk partnered before to serve the energy needs of the government and military.
For example, Crowley won the Military Sealift Command charter contract in 2022 to run the Stena Polaris, an Ice Class tanker serving bulk fuel needs of the U.S. Department of Defense in the Arctic and Antarctic regions as well as transporting fuel in the Mediterranean Sea region.
