[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 66 (Monday, April 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19171-19172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07671]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

Docket Number MARAD-2014-0051]


Ex-USNS COMET Available for Donation

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice: Vessel Available for Donation.

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SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration (MARAD) plans to dispose of an 
obsolete vessel, the ex-USNS COMET (T-AK-269), which is currently 
located at its Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in Benicia, California. MARAD, 
in consultation with the California State Historic Preservation Office, 
determined that the vessel is eligible for listing on the National 
Register of Historic Places under Criterion c. The ex-USNS COMET is 
considered to be the first purpose-built oceangoing ``roll-on/roll-
off'' vessel. Roll-on/roll-off, or Ro/Ro, describes how wheeled-
vehicular cargo is loaded and unloaded.
    MARAD is authorized to provide qualified public and non-profit 
organizations the opportunity to obtain, via donation, obsolete ships 
from the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) for use as memorials 
and/or in other non-commercial enterprises. Accordingly, MARAD is 
issuing this notice to provide the public and non-profit organizations 
such an opportunity. For donation application

[[Page 19172]]

information, please see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT below.

DATES: Completed donation applications must be received on or before 
July 7, 2014. MARAD will not consider completed donation applications 
filed after this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit completed donation applications identified as 
the ex-USNS COMET by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected] or (202) 366-5787. Include 
the ex-USNS COMET in the subject line of the message.
     Overnight Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Maritime Administration, Office of Ship Disposal Program (MAR-640), 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, Attention: Shawn 
Ireland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please visit the MARAD Ship Donation 
Program at http://www.marad.dot.gov/ships_shipping_landing_page/ship_disposal_program/ship_donation_program/Ship_Donation_Program.htm or contact Shawn Ireland, Office of Ship Disposal, Maritime 
Administration, at (202) 366-5787.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The ex-USNS COMET is considered to be the first purpose-built 
oceangoing ``roll-on/roll-off'' vessel. Roll-on/roll-off, or Ro/Ro, 
describes how wheeled-vehicular cargo is loaded and unloaded. This 
method was first developed during WWII for amphibious assault 
operations using short range landing craft. In the postwar period, the 
concept was refined and expanded beyond the assault class to include 
the rapid delivery by ship of vehicles carrying military supplies and 
equipment that could be immediately driven into forward staging areas. 
This eventually led to the development of the commercial Ro/Ro trade, 
particularly for cars and light trucks. The ex-USNS COMET has been 
nicknamed the ``Mother of All Ro/Ros'' in honor of its pioneering 
design.
    The ex-USNS COMET operated as part of the common user fleet of the 
Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), later the Military Sealift 
Command (MSC). The vessel was designed by the naval architectural firm 
founded in 1920 by George G. Sharp. Sharp was a chief surveyor of the 
American Bureau of Shipping, and later designed many notable vessels, 
including the first nuclear-powered cargo-passenger vessel and National 
Historic Landmark N/S SAVANNAH. COMET influenced the design of future 
generations of roll- on/roll-off vessels, particularly USNS METEOR, 
which is a larger version of the ex-USNS COMET. It is the lone ship of 
its class.

(Authority: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2004, Sec.  3512 of Pub. L. 108-136.)

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Julie P. Agarwal,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-07671 Filed 4-4-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P