Shipping Command

The command consists of auxiliary courts, subordinate to the government, and manned by civilian personnel. In some cases, it is supplemented by military personnel from the Navy or other departments. For 2012, the command is led by Rear Admiral , administratively subordinate to the fleet, and planning to use the ships through his headquarters in Norfolk , Virginia .

The composition of the command is organized according to the tasks performed, within the framework of several programs:

• Combat Logistics Force - supports a fleet of 32 government support vessels navigated by the government: ammunition transports, universal supply vessels , bulk carriers , military tankers , etc.
• Sea transportation ( Sealift ) - provides all ocean transportation in the interests of the Ministry of Defense on chartered merchant ships ( skaters , container ships , bulk carriers , lighter carriers , tackers, etc.) as well as on vessels of the closest reserve subordinate to the National Maritime Administration.
• Positioning ( Eng. Prepositioning ) - supports a group of ship-warehouses in areas of potential conflict, which are preloaded with heavy weapons and equipment of units that are constantly based on the continental territory of the United States. Consolidated into 4 zones: Atlantic (Norfolk), Pacific ( San Diego ), Indian Ocean ( Diego Garcia ) and the Persian Gulf ( Bahrain ).
• Special Mission ( eng. Special Mission ) - consists of 24 contract vessels, such as vessels of the measuring complex, oceanographic, pilot, ocean observation vessels, vessels providing underwater and special operations.
• Support ( Eng. Service Support ) - has 4 former Special Purpose ships (2 submarine shipboats , 1 headquarters ship , 1 cable ship) and 10 former NFAF ( hospital ships , ocean tugs , search and rescue vessels). All state subordination.

State vessels of the ILC have before the name the prefix USNS , contracted and chartered SS or MV , for steamboats and motor ships, respectively. Board numbers correspond to the general classification of the US Navy .

Until 2012, the combat support program was called the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (NFAF ), and the support program was the Maritime Support Command.

Shipping Support Command

The Marine Sealift Fleet Support Command (MSFSC ) is a subordinate command within the ILC, which has been responsible for the recruitment and training of personnel since 2012, as well as for the supply and maintenance of ILC vessels.

During World War II, US shipping was controlled by four different government agencies. In 1949, control passed into the single hands of a new agency called the Military Sea Transportation Service , which has since provided all sea freight and passenger transportation for the needs of the US Department of Defense . The baptism of fire organization passed 9 months after its creation and 11 days after the outbreak of the Korean War on July 6, 1950 , successfully transferring the personnel of the 24th US Army Infantry Division from Japan to Busan .

During the Vietnam War, the command received its modern name. In total, approximately 54 million tons of cargo and 8 million tons of fuel were transported during the conflict. The transfer of army units was also carried out by sea, but after Vietnam, the shipping command was no longer part of the key responsibilities. For example, during the Persian Gulf war, the department was mainly engaged in cargo transportation, delivering about 12 million tons of various cargoes, and its fleet included more than 230 own and chartered ships.

After the events of September 11, 2001, the organization again took a key role in providing the army. So, as of 2008, the command of the naval transportations delivered 16 billion gallons of fuel and more than 110 million square feet of other cargo to Iraq and Afghanistan ^[1] .