[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 62 (Friday, March 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16413-16414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4725]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration


Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA)/Joint Planning 
Advisory Group (JPAG)

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Synopsis of March 9, 2006, Meeting with VISA Participants.

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    The VISA program requires that a notice of the time, place, and 
nature of each JPAG meeting be published in the Federal Register. The 
program also requires that a list of VISA participants be periodically 
published in the Federal Register. The full text of the VISA program, 
including these requirements, is published in 70 FR 55947-55955, dated 
September 23, 2005.
    On March 9, 2006, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the U.S. 
Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) co-hosted a meeting of the VISA 
JPAG at the Military Sealift Command in Washington, DC. Meeting 
attendance was by invitation only, due to the nature of the information 
discussed and the need for a government-issued security clearance. Of 
the 52 U.S.-flag carrier corporate participants enrolled in the VISA 
program only the 13 companies whose vessels were modeled in the 
Department of Defense's Mobility Capabilities Study (MCS) were invited 
to the JPAG meeting. A representative for maritime labor also 
participated in the meeting. In addition, representatives from MARAD 
and the Department of Defense attended the meeting.
    James Caponiti, Associate Administrator for National Security for 
MARAD and Margaret Leclaire, Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans, Policy 
and Programs for USTRANSCOM welcomed the participants. Both Mr. 
Caponiti and Ms. Leclaire noted that they expected the meeting would 
provide sealift planners with a better appreciation of how industry 
could provide additional commercial sealift resources to meet 
Department of Defense (DOD) requirements.
    The meeting was a follow-on meeting to the December 5, 2005, JPAG 
meeting which focused on the overall structure and findings of DOD's 
Mobility Capabilities Study (MCS). The purpose of the meeting was to 
address questions raised by DOD related to the MCS at the December 
meeting. The discussion of questions and responses was led by Mr. 
Caponiti. Industry representatives expressed that DOD needed to provide 
more clarification on possible scenarios where commercial sealift might 
be used to meet DOD requirements. It was noted that if industry had a 
clear indication of the types of cargo to be moved, timelines, and the 
various locations of cargo origin and destination, they could provide 
DOD information on how requirements could be satisfied in the most 
effective manner by commercial carriers. As a result of the discussion, 
industry and government officials agreed that a future JPAG table top 
exercise would be the best method to address industry capabilities to 
meet DOD requirements.
    As of March 9, 2006, the following commercial U.S.-flag vessel 
operators were enrolled in the VISA program with MARAD: AAA Shipping 
No. 1 L.L.C.; A Way to Move, Inc.; America Cargo Transport, Inc.; 
American Automar, Inc.; American President Lines, Ltd.; American Roll-
On Roll-Off Carrier, LLC; American Shipping Group; APL Marine Services, 
Ltd.; Beyel Brothers Inc.; Canal Barge Company, Inc.; Central Gulf 
Lines, Inc.; Cherokee Nation

[[Page 16414]]

Distributors; Coastal Transportation, Inc.; Columbia Coastal Transport, 
LLC; CP Ships USA, LLC; CRC Marine Services, Inc.; Crowley Liner 
Services, Inc.; Crowley Marine Services, Inc.; Farrell Lines 
Incorporated; Fidelio Limited Partnership; Foss Maritime Company; 
Horizon Lines, LLC; Laborde Marine Lifts, Inc.; Laborde Marine, L.L.C.; 
Liberty Global Logistics, LLC; Liberty Shipping Group Limited 
Partnership; Lockwood Brothers, Inc.; Lynden Incorporated; Maersk Line, 
Limited; Marine Transport Management; Matson Navigation Company, Inc.; 
Maybank Navigation Company, LLC; McAllister Towing and Transportation 
Co., Inc.; Northland Services, Inc.; OSG Car Carriers, Inc.; Pasha 
Hawaii Transport Lines LLC; Patriot Shipping, L.L.C.; Patriot Titan 
LLC; Red River Holdings LLC; Resolve Towing & Salvage, Inc.; Samson Tug 
& Barge Company, Inc.; SeaTac Marine Services, LLC; Sealift Inc.; 
Signet Maritime Corporation; Smith Maritime; Stevens Towing Co., Inc.; 
Strong Vessel Operators LLC; Superior Marine Services, Inc.; Trailer 
Bridge, Inc.; TransAtlantic Lines LLC; Troika International, Ltd.; and 
Waterman Steamship Corporation.
    Contact Person for Additional Information: Mr. Taylor E. Jones II, 
Director, Office of Sealift Support, (202) 366-2323.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.

    Dated: March 28, 2006.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-4725 Filed 3-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P