DOD seeks waiver to buy foreign cargo ships needed for surge sealift

摘要

The Defense Department is asking Congress to temporarily lift a statutory ban on buying used foreign ships in fiscal year 2022 to jumpstart reserve sealift fleet modernization plans, allowing DOD to execute a four-year, $1.4 billion plan to buy 16 roll-on/roll-off commercial vessels. On June 24, the Pentagon transmitted to Congress a third package of legislative proposals, which includes a request to allow the defense secretary to buy used foreign sealift ships without the requirement to buy 10 new sealift vessels built in U.S. shipyards. Additionally, the proposals seeks the waiver of a requirement for a new-construction sealift vessel to be delivered by 2028.