U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report, 13 March to 10 April 2024

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U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) for 14 May - 10 June 2020 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/SOUTHEAST ASIA Weekly Piracy Update for 4 - 10 June 2020

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Haiti Logistics: What the DLA Did

An under-reported story behind the U.S. military aid to Haiti concerning the Defense Logistics Agency as told by the - DLA's Sara Moore:

Immediately after the quake hit, DLA began coordinating with USSOUTHCOM, which had partnered with the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development to assess the need for humanitarian support. In the following weeks, DLA deployed a support team to Joint Task Force Haiti, and the Agency’s field activities worked around the clock, filling hundreds of thousands of requests for ready-to-eat meals, bottles of water, medical supplies, health and comfort items, fuel, maps, repair parts for military equipment and construction materials.

The Agency established two DLA support teams to assist relief workers on the ground. Twelve logisticians forming DLA Support Team – Haiti were deployed to Haiti, and two members of the separate seven-member DLA Support Team – Migrant Ops were at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, doing preliminary work in case Haitian refugees were sent there.

Additional DLA representatives were aboard the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort, and others worked with USSOUTHCOM in Miami, including members of DLA’s Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office who helped establish a contracting office and evaluate contracting approaches.

As of March 12, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia had filled more than 9,000 requisitions valued at $76.5 million, including Meals, Ready-to-Eat, group rations, bottled water, ice, produce, commercial pre-packaged meals, tents, uniforms and construction supplies. Notably, DSCP provided 2.7 million ready-to-eat meals in support of the World Food Program, coordinating its effort with the U.S. Agency for International Development. The meals were allocated by USAID to support the World Food Program’s plans for 15 distribution sites, including orphanages and hospitals.

DLA also coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to replenish FEMA stocks of 1 million ready-to-eat meals FEMA sent to Haiti.

In addition to providing food, DLA sourced construction material in support of Port-au-Prince pier reconstruction. DLA also provided hundreds of tents and cots to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which was used as a hub for humanitarian supplies headed to Haiti.

Employees are DLA’s field activities have spent countless hours supporting the Haiti relief efforts.

The Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service provided more than $74 million in supplies like sleeping bags, generators and medical supplies, while the Defense Energy Support Center provided more than 500 drums of diesel fuel and 250 drums of motor gasoline.

Defense Supply Center Richmond, Va., provided more than 68,000 maps and charts for U.S. forces operating in and around Haiti, and additional tie-down straps that were used to secure loads on aircraft and helicopters as they flew supplies into Haiti.

The Defense Distribution Center’s Supply Chain Transportation Division ran an around-the-clock operation to support disaster-relief efforts in Haiti. DDC SCT is responsible for coordinating transportation requirements for the DDC’s vendor base, including providing carriers, documentation and guidance as freight moves to its destination.

Photo:

BIREY, Haiti (Jan. 30, 2010) Sailors assigned to the amphibious dock-landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) unload a truck bed of meals-ready-to-eat (MREs) at a Birey, Haiti school. Carter Hall is conducting humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Monique Hilley/Released)

Haiti Sealift: Lummus and JLOTS

U.S. Military Sealift Command article: Sealift -- Lummus and JLOTS lift hearts in Haiti:

***
The situation in Haiti reinforced the importance of Lummus' amphibious capabilities, including Navy lighterage loaded on the ship's weather decks, which consisted of powered and non-powered causeway sections that were placed alongside the ship when it arrived in theater, and then used to ferry equipment from ship to shore. This multi-vessel process of off-loading cargo at sea is called Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS. Aerial photo Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Meranda Keller

Amphibious operations depend on Navy Support Element professionals - personnel with specialized training and experience in deploying, operating and repairing watercraft in the most austere conditions. Thanks to the dedication of sailors from Beach Group Two, Amphibious Construction Battalion Two, Assault Craft Units Two and Four and Cargo Handling Battalion One, all of Lummus' cargo was successfully discharged at sea aboard the lighterage and transported ashore via JLOTS.

"It was impressive to see Lummus working around the clock to get supplies ashore," said Stephan Jean-Bart, part of MSC's assessment team on assignment in Port-au-Prince. Jean-Bart normally works in the strategic planning office at MSC headquarters and has a personal stake in the relief efforts since his wife's family lives in Port-au-Prince. He added, "I am personally grateful for what MSC, and Lummus in particular, have done to help."
***

More here:

The port infrastructure in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was devastated. Because most humanitarian aid bound for Haiti goes by ship, relief supplies required another way to get ashore.

The solution was joint logistics over-the-shore, or JLOTS - offloading cargo from ships at sea and then transporting that cargo ashore via landing craft and specially designed motorized and non-motorized barges called lighterage.

Ten MSC-operated vessels supported JLOTS, including two Maritime Prepositioning Ships, both owned by MSC; two ships that were activated from the Maritime Administration's Ready Reserve Force and under MSC operational control; one MARAD high-speed ferry; and five chartered vessels.

By mid-February, more than 1,000 20-foot containers of vital cargo and more than 170 military vehicles, all of which had arrived aboard ships, had been ferried ashore on lighterage delivered by MSC. Supplies included baby formula, medical supplies, USAID relief supplies, fuel trucks and dump trucks.
***
"The crews provided outstanding support," said Tim Pickering, MSC cargo project officer. "As a result, lives are being saved, and pain is being eased. There's great satisfaction in knowing that."

Map is from here.

Lower photos from U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Justin E. Stumberg, except last photo from MSC.

Update: Should also note the role of the forces that keep the U.S. ships supplied with fuel and food, as well as delivering vital aid to Haitians, as set out in
Unrep ships critical platforms for Haitian disaster relief.

Hat tip to Lee.

Haiti: Port and Air Update

From Situation Report (Consolidated) - 01 March 2010 — Humanitarian Logistics Information:

Air Operations
Port au Prince Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport

* The management of PAP airport has been handed back to the Haitian authorities and commercial handlers, and all offload of international humanitarian cargo is now being done by commercial entities.
* The Logistics Cluster has compiled a list of forwarding agents available at: http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a.

Air Operations PAP

* More than 3,600 passengers from over 250 UN agencies, NGOs, governments and media institutions have used the UNHAS passenger service between Santo Domingo and Port au Prince.
***
Sea Transport

Port au Prince

* Management of the port has been handed back to the APN (Autorite Portuaire Nationale) and all handling is being done by commercial handlers. Requests for berthing slots must now be submitted to APN with 72 hours notice.
* The US will continue support at the port in a coordination and management role for the coming month.
* The majority of the assets currently available at the port have been provided by the US Military, and are likely to be redeployed over the course of the month, including the two floating docks currently serving as the principal point of unloading. While the repairs to the south pier are expected to be complete by the second week or April, full repairs will take some time, and available equipment may not be sufficient to meet the current increase in demand.
* All incoming vessels must be self-sufficient in terms of equipment and to have their own cranes.

Hat tip: Lee and Charles


Photo info:

HAITI (March 1, 2010) Rear Adm. Samuel Perez shows Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) the Honorable Ray Mabus earthquake damage to the port facilities in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sailors and Marines are conducting humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake caused severe damage in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kevin S. O'Brien/Released)

Operation Unified Response

From the U.S. Navy Operation Unified Response February 5, 2010:

Haiti: Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) in operation

Missed this earlier, but the U.S. Maritime Administration announced in an advisory - ACTIVATION OF US NAVAL COOPERATION AND GUIDANCE FOR SHIPPING

Date Issued: Feb 02 2010
To: MARINERS
Subject: HAITI: ACTIVATION OF US NAVAL COOPERATION AND GUIDANCE FOR SHIPPING

1. THIS MARAD ADVISORY PROVIDES GUIDANCE FOR TRANSITTING TO OR FROM HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
2. IN PERIODS OF CRISIS, CONFLICT, NATIONAL EMERGENCY OR WAR, NAVAL AUTHORITIES MAY DIRECT THE MOVEMENT OF MERCHANT SHIPS (INCLUDING ROUTING AND DIVERSION) SO THAT THEY MAY BE BETTER PROTECTED FROM CRISIS CONDITIONS AND HOSTILIITES AND NOT INTERFERE WITH POSSIBLE ACTIVE NAVAL, JOINT OR COMBINED MILITARY OPERATIONS OR BE BETTER PREPARED TO ASSIST WITH HUMANITARIAN RELIEF EFFORTS. THE NCAGS ORGANIZATION IS THE PRINCIPAL US RESOURCE TO CARRY OUT THIS FUNCTION.
3. NCAGS PROVIDES NEAR REAL TIME INFORMATION OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING PICTURE TO OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS. THIS HELPS ENSURE THE SAFE PASSAGE OF MERCHANT SHIPPING AND THE SAFETY OF NAVAL VESSELS.
4. SHIPPING COMPANIES ENGAGED IN DISASTER RELIEF TO OR FROM HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC OR ENGAGE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADING WITH THESE COUNTRIES ARE REQUESTED TO HAVE VESSEL MASTERS PROVIDE A REPORT TO THE SHIPPING COORDINATION CENTER, NAVAL OCEAN PROCESING FACILITY DAM NECK, VA PRIOR TO ENTERING THE REPORTING AREA.
THE REPORTING CENTER CAN BE CONTACTED 24/7 BY PHONE (US)
***
REQUEST ALL MERCHANT VESSELS MAINTAIN THEIR AIS TRANSMITTERS IN TRANSMIT MODE (I.E., LEAVE TURNED ON) IN THE VICINITY OF HAITI IN ORDER TO ENSURE VESSEL SAFETY AND TRAFFIC SEPARATION.
SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. NAVAL COORDINATION WITH MERCHANT SHIPPING IS ADVISORY ONLY. MERCHANT SHIP PARTICIPATION IS VOLUNTARY.
5. COMMUNICATIONS REPORTING GATES (CRG) HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO COINCIDE WITH THE OPERATIONS AREA BOUNDED BY: 018N TO 020N, 072W TO 075W. FOR THIS VOLUNTARY 96 HOUR NOTIFICATION, REPORTING VESSELS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSMIT DATA IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:
SECTION A – SHIP DATA:
(1) SHIP'S NAME.
(2) INTERNATIONAL CALL SIGN.
(3) TYPE OF VESSEL.
(4) FLAG OF REGISTRY.
(5) IMO NUMBER.
(6) PORT OF REGISTRY.
(7) LENGTH OVERALL.
(8) VESSEL'S WIDTH.
(9) MAXIMUM DRAFT FOR PRESENT VOYAGE.
(10) VESSEL’S GROSS TONNAGE.
(11) SPEED:
(a) SERVICE SPEED.
(b) MAXIMUM SPEED.
(c) MINIMUM SPEED.
(12) SIGNIFICANT APPEARANCE OF VESSEL FOR OPTICAL RECOGNITION.
(13) MMSI (MARITIME MOBILE SERVICES IDENTITY) NUMBER.
(14) NAME OF COMMUNICATION STATION BEING COPIED.
(15) INMARSAT TELEPHONE NUMBERS.
(16) INMARSAT FAX NUMBERS.
(17) INMARSAT TELEX NUMBERS.
(18) INMARSAT DATA NUMBERS.
(19) OTHER COMMUNICATION MEANS INCLUDING E-MAIL ADDRESSES.
SECTION B- VOYAGE DATA
(20) INTENDED MOVEMENT – DESCRIPTION OF PASSAGE
(21 LAST PORT/COUNTY OF CALL INCLUDING ACTUAL DATE AND TIME OF DEPARTURE FROM LAST PORT.
(22) NEXT PORT OF CALL INCLUDING ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL (ETA) AT NEXT PORT OF CALL.
(23) CURRENT POSITION.
(24) DATE/TIME AND POSITION ENTERING THE REGION.
(A-X)) WAYPOINTS OF INTENDED TRACK THROUGH AREA OF OPERATIONS (DATE/TIME-LATITUDES/LONGITUDES).
(25) POSITION AND DATE/TIME OF DEPARTING THE REGION.
SECTION C – OPERATOR DATA:
(26) NAME OF SHIP OWNER/OPERATOR INCLUDING ADDRESS OF SHIP OWNER, NAME OF CHARTER (IF ANY) AND ADDRESS OF OPERATOR/CHARTERER.
(27) EMAIL ADDRESS OF THE ABOVE.
(28) TELEPHONE NUMBER OF ABOVE.
(29) FAX NUMBER OF ABOVE.
SECTION D – CARGO DATA
(30) QUANTITY AND NATURE OF MAIN/RELEVANT CARGO.
(31) SHIPPERS OF MAIN/RELEVANT CARGO(NAME AND ADDRESS).
(32) ORIGIN OF MAIN/RELEVANT CARGO.
(33) CONSIGNEE OF MAIN RELEVANT CARGO.
(34) FINAL DESTINATION OF MAIN/RELEVANT CARGO.
(35) [RESERVED].
6. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE VOLUNTARY 96 HOUR NOTIFICATION, MASTERS OF VESSELS BOUND FOR HAITIAN PORTS ARE REMINDED TO COMPLY WITH HAITI PORT AUTHORITY (APN) 72 HOUR ADVANCE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. THE FORM AND INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE FOUND AT THE APN WEBSITE AT: HTTP://WWW.APN.GOUV.HT/IMAGES/TELECHARGEMENTS/NOTIFICATIONDARRIVEE.DOC.

7. NATO HAS RELEASED A NON-CLASSIFIED PUBLICATION “ATP – 2 (B) VOL II – NAVAL CO-OPERATION AND GUIDANCE FOR SHIPPING MANUAL (NCAGS)- GUIDE TO OWNERS, OPERATORS, MASTERS AND OFFICERS.” THE VOLUME IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL MARINERS TO DOWNLOAD AT: HTTP://WWW.SHIPPING.NATO.INT/.
8. REQUEST ANY HAITI HUMANITARIAN CARGO BE SHIPPED WITHIN STANDARD 20-FOOT TEU CONTAINERS TO FACILITATE OFF-LOADING AND TRANSPORTATION. REPORT ANY SPECIAL OFF-LOADING NEEDS OR REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS REQUIRING USE OF CRANES PRIOR TO ARRIVAL.
9. FOREIGN VESSELS INBOUND TO HAITI ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO USE AGENTS LISTED ON THE AUTORITE PORTUAIRE NATIONALE (APN) WEBSITE (WWW.APN.GOUV.HT).***

For those of you unfamiliar with NCAGS, see here for some background.

NCAGS has been known by a couple of different names since it began - including Naval Control of Shipping (NCS) and was part of the system established to set up convoys to resupply forces abroad. The goal in more recent times has been to help deconflict commercial and military shipping in regions where operations might cause interface issues. A good description (now found at the link above):

Co-operation between the military and civilian sectors, rather than control, is the way ahead. NCS has now developed into new project known as Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (a mouthful which is also known by its more user friendly acronym ‘NCAGS’). NCAGS is dedicated to providing advice, guidance and assistance to enhance the safety of merchant ships and support military operations – on a global scale. It is an ambitious, but realistic, project.(from a speech by Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, 24 Oct 2002)

The U.S. and many allied navies maintain officers (generally reservists) trained in NCAGS operations.

Why invoke NCAGS? Take a look at the image above which shows the roadstead at Port-au-Prince. The red arrow points to the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) and the 3 circles (more or less) indicate other ships, both U.S.Navy and USNS involved in the recovery operations. As you might see, those 4 ships take up a good deal of space and the arrival of other ships, unless carefully planned might create some sea space conflicts.

Why 20 foot containers? (TEU means 20 foot equivalent units, by the way)
Because they fit on the U.S.Navy barges:

Haiti: Improved Navy Lighterage System Arrival

DVIDS Daily News Update: Navy Causeway Ferries in Haiti





Great increase to cargo throughput.

Hat tip to : Lee and Charles.

UPDATE: Why it matters (one of the damage Haitian container cranes in the background):

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Feb. 4, 2010) Haitians watch as members of Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 2 deliver humanitarian aid in the main seaport of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. ACB-2 is conducting construction, humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Chris Lussier/Released)

Haiti: Doesn't matter who gets the credit - does it?

First, a news report from here:

Relief organizations are finding ways around the bottlenecks.

At the port, the American Red Cross created a "boat bridge" to unload supplies from a Colombian Red Cross ship offshore, said David Meltzer, the group's senior vice president for international services.

Now, some pictures with captions:




As seen here:

KILLICK, Haiti (Jan. 30, 2010) Sailors aboard the Colombian navy logistics ship ARC Cartagena De Indias (BM 161) transfer humanitarian aid donated by the Colombian Red Cross to Landing Craft, Mechanized (LCM) 14. The landing craft is assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 2 and embarked aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44). Cartagena De Indias and Gunston Hall are conducting humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Martine Cuaron/Released)

And

KILLICK, Haiti (Jan. 30, 2010) A Colombian navy sailor directs a crane operator while transferring humanitarian aid from the Colombian navy logistics ship ARC Cartagena De Indias (BM 161) to Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) 14. The landing craft is assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 2 and embarked aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44). Cartagena De Indias and Gunston Hall are conducting humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Martine Cuaron/Released)

Now, I'm sure that either we are talking about another "boat bridge" or my understanding of "created" is not the same as Mr. Meltzer's, 'cause I don't believe asking the US Navy for help is part of a "creative process."

Thank goodness the supplies were moved - however it happened.

I would like to see the photos of the Red Cross "boat bridge," though.

I do like the Red Cross.

Haiti: Logistics Over the Shore

From Fleet Forces Command, some video (at the bottom) from Admiral Harvey here:

Right now, we have 28 US ships on station, underway, or preparing to get underway in support of OPERATION UNIFIED RESPONSE. As you can see from the Force Laydown slide, we are joined by ships from many other nations. The importance of building partnerships and executing our maritime strategy has paid great dividends in developing this multinational response.

The slide he refers to is below (click to enlarge):

Haiti: Coast Guard Port Security Units

From USCG HQ: Coast Guard Port Security Units assist the people of Haiti:

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Members from Port Security Unit 307 load a 17-year-old male onto a small boat for transport to a medical station at Killick Point, Haiti. The man was brought into the port seeking medical attention and the PSU's Physician Assistant responded. USCG photo by PA1 Adam Eggers





PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Petty Officer 2nd Class William Poertner carries a 5-year-old girl to a small boat for transfer to a medical station at Killick Point, Haiti. Poertner, a firefighter and paramedic with the city of Tampa, Florida, is a reservist assigned to Port Security Unit 307. The mother and little girl arrived at the port seeking medical attention and Poertner and PSU 307's Physician Assistant responded to the call for help. USCG photo by PA1 Adam Eggers


PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Petty Officer 2nd Class William Poertner carries a 5-year-old girl to a small boat for transfer to a medical station at Killick Point, Haiti. Poertner, a firefighter and paramedic with the city of Tampa, Florida, is a reservist assigned to Port Security Unit 307. The mother and little girl arrived at the port seeking medical attention and Poertner and PSU 307's Physician Assistant responded to the call for help. USCG photo by PA1 Adam Eggers




PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Members from Port Security Unit 307 carry a Haitian man with multiple gunshot wounds to a small boat for transport to a medical station. Members from PSU's 305, 308, 311 and 313 have combined with PSU 307 to port security in and around the port as relief efforts continue. USCG photo by PA1 Adam Eggers

Good work, PSU 307!

Haiti: Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS) in use

As seen here:

Haiti (Jan. 31, 2010) Seabees assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 2 off-load an Improved Navy Lighterage System causeway at a beach in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. ACB-2 is supporting Operation Unified Response following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that caused severe damage in Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kimberly Williams/Released)

Haiti: Psst! Want to get into the disaster relief shipping business?

Hey, buddy! Want to get into the disaster relief shipping business?

Got a few thousand lying around?

An opportunity exists here to acquire a landing craft type vessel suitable for toting deck loads of containers to various beaches...

LOA: 170' (51.8 m)
Year: Mfg-1999 Model-1999
Mfg. Length: Mfg: MARINER MARINE
Model: Landing Craft
Draft: Max 7' (2.1 m)
Speed: / 11 knots
2xCaterpillar 3412 671 HP
Tonnage: 422
Fuel Cap: 40000 g (151400 l)
Water Cap: 15000 g (56775 l)
Sleeps: 9
Holding Tank: 2000 g (7570 l ) Heads: 2
Flag: St. Kitts

Asking price is $1,900,000 US...

And, you know, Haiti and many islands in the Caribbean are in seismic hot spots...

In the meantime, Crowley Marine has been moving cargo to the shore, as noted here:

Crowley Maritime Corporation, working under contract with the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), successfully discharged 12 20-foot containers of relief supplies across a beach in Port-au-Prince, Haiti today in an experimental lightering operation. The success of this operation, which involved lifting the containers from a Crowley container ship anchored in the harbor to a smaller, shallow-draft landing vessel for transport and discharge over the beach, paves the way for container shipments directly into Port-au-Prince next week.

"Today's operation was an important milestone in reestablishing direct container shipments into the heavily damaged port," said John Hourihan, Crowley's senior vice president and general manager of Latin America services. "The port survey conducted Monday by a team from our TITAN Salvage subsidiary was spot on in terms of identifying a suitable location in the port where we could safely discharge the cargo."

"USTRANSCOM values the innovative solutions that our contractors are implementing to rapidly facilitate humanitarian assistance in support of the Haitian people," said Army Brig. Gen. Michael Lally, director of operations for the command.

The Crowley container ship Marcajama, which offloaded the containers today, is scheduled to return to Port Everglades, Fla. over the weekend and load more relief cargo under contract with USTRANSCOM. The ship will then return to Port-au-Prince in the middle of next week and discharge containers via the proven lightering method utilizing two shuttle vessels.

Future cargo operations in the port should improve substantially in the coming weeks. Crowley is mobilizing two 400-foot-long, 100-foot-wide flat deck barges, along with two Manitowoc 230-ton crawler cranes in the United States for USTRANSCOM that will be brought into Port-au-Prince to serve as a makeshift dock for future cargo operations. The first barge and crane in Orange, Texas should arrive in Haiti on or about Feb. 4. The second deck barge is being outfitted in Lake Charles, La. and will arrive by mid-Feb.

"The diverse resources of the Crowley organization are being brought to the table in response to this emergency," Hourihan said. "We are working closely with USTRANSCOM, USAID, FEMA and other organizations to provide the assets, services and technical expertise they need to accomplish their missions."

Relief cargoes are being consolidated and stuffed into containers at Crowley's Miami warehouse and distribution center. Containers delivered by Crowley in Rio Haina, Dominican Republic this week are being trucked over the border into Haiti. And more shipments - 179 20-foot containers and 11 40-foot containers for USTRANSCOM - are due in Rio Haina Sunday morning.

"The combination of direct shipments into Port-au-Prince and shipments into Rio Haina that are then trucked over the border is now resulting in a steady flow of aid," said Hourihan.

Other material is flowing through military channels, including the US Army and Navy working as a team:

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (Jan. 29, 2010) U.S. Navy Seabees assigned to Navy Cargo Battalion (NCHB) 1 and U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 97th Transportation Company load pallets of water aboard U.S. Army landing ship Aldie (LCU 2004). Aldie is delivering relief supplies to Haiti from the ferry landing at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Naval Station is a logistical hub providing support for Operation Unified Response, a joint operation providing humanitarian assistance following a 7.0 Magnitude earthquake that devastated the country Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John K. Hamilton/Released)

100129-N-7918H-053 GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (Jan. 29, 2010) A Navy Seabee assigned to Navy Cargo Battalion (NCHB) 1 steps out of the U.S. Army landing ship Aldie (LCU 2004), assigned to the U.S. Army 97th Transportation Company. The Seabees and Soldiers are loading pallets of water for transportation to Haiti to support Operation Unified Response, a joint operation providing humanitarian assistance following a 7.0 Magnitude earthquake that devastated the country Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John K. Hamilton/Released)

CARIBBEAN SEA (Jan. 28, 2010) Sailors aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) transfer pallets of food rations from Carter Hall to U.S. Army Landing Craft Unit 2001. Carter Hall is conducting humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage near Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Hendrick Dickson/Released)

And some JLOTS equipment in action:

Equipment operators assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) Seven offload equipment from Naval vessels anchored near Port-au-Prince, Haiti. NMCB Seven is conducting humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage near Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Nicholas Lingo/Released)

Whatever works.

Special ACB2 UPDATE:

Sailors assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 2 bring cargo into the port of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Causeway Ferry 116. The cargo was offloaded from the Military Sealift Command maritime prepositioning unit USNS 1st. Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011) and is supporting Operation Unified Response, a humanitarian assistance effort to Haiti in the aftermath of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010. (U.S. Navy photo by Logistics Support Specialist 1st Class Kelly Chastain/Released)

BAIE DE GRAND GROVE, Haiti (Jan. 28, 2010) A Seabee assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 2, embarked aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), removes rubble from a collapsed church in Baie De Grand Grove, Haiti. Carter Hall is conducting humanitarian and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Monique Hilley/Released)

A Haitian boy watches as Seabees assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 2 offload pallets of meals-ready-to-eat from Landing Craft Unit (LCU) 1663. The multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) is on station in Haiti along with the amphibious dock landing ships USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), and USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) as the Bataan Amphibious Relief Mission supporting Operation Unified Response, a joint operation providing military support capabilities to civil authorities to help stabilize and improve the situation in Haiti following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated the island nation on Jan. 12, 2010. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Hendrick Dickson/Released)

Coast Guard HIFR* Off Haiti

CARIBBEAN SEA- Crew members aboard Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton, a 378-foot based in San Diego, Calif., work together to hold a fuel hose steady for a Jayhawk rescue helicopter aircrew while they refuel and hover above the ship's flight deck, Monday, Jan. 25, 2010. Both crews are working in support of Haitian relief operations to provide aid and support to the people of Haiti following an earthquake that left many injured and homeless. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Etta Smith)

HIFR is an acronym (what? an acronym in the military?) for helicopter in-flight refueling. It allow for a "quick sip" by a busy helicopter.

Haiti: Some JLOTS Components in Use

U.S. Navy sailors, Marines and soldiers are working hard to find a means to improve the flow of disaster relief supplies into Haiti. Following are some Navy photographs of the effort to use tools in the military system to put needed materials on the beach.

Photo caption first two photos:

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan. 24, 2010) Sailors assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 2, from Little Creek, Va., depart the Military Sealift Command maritime prepositioning ship USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011) after onloading equipment and supplies off the coast of Port-au-Prince. Jack Lummus and ACB-2 are supporting Operation Unified Response in the aftermath of an earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Justin E. Stumberg/Released)


The above photos show a powered component of the JLOTS/INLS system carrying equipment from USNS Lummus and then improvised system to marry a warping tug with a pontoon for delivery of a container. The heavy duty machine getting ready to move the container is a some form of a Rough Terrain Cargo Handler (RTCH) (generally pronounced "wretch").

It appear full JLOTS implementation is pending arrival of several other recently activated MSC/MARAD ships carrying additional components and cranes.

The port workaround is necessary because the main port for Haiti is broken, as the following pictures demonstrate:

The port in Port-au-Prince is left in shambles by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010. The U.S. military is working to restore the port to working order. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Daniel C. Pearson/Released)

(Jan. 25, 2010) Service members working with U.S. Marine Corps 8th Engineer Support Battalion use a bulldozer to remove submerged container boxes. Military engineers are conducting salvage and repair operations in the main seaport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti during Operation Unified Response. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Lussier/Released)

Below, sailors are trying to find another place that may work for supply efforts:

PETIT TROU DE NIPPES, Haiti (Jan. 23, 2010) Sailors assigned to the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) assess the feasibility of docking supply ships in a bay near the village of Petit Trou De Nippes, Haiti. Normandy is participating in Operation Unified Response, a multi-national humanitarian and disaster relief operation following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Barker/Released)

Haiti: Seaboard Marine to Resume Limited Shipping

Press release from Seaboard Marine:

Seaboard Marine is resuming vessel calls to Haiti and will have the first liner vessel to call in the Port-au-Prince area since the massive earthquake of January 12. The M/V Seaboard Sun, a RoRo vessel with a deadweight capacity of 7,748 tons, will call on the Port of Lafiteau on January 27, 2010. Lafiteau is less than ten miles from Port-au-Prince and has clear roads to the main part of the city. Our local personnel are currently repairing and securing the dock and facilities at Lafiteau.

Although the Seaboard Sun can carry all types of rolling cargoes, initial efforts will be solely restricted to humanitarian goods and infrastructure relief projects routed through major international relief entities and U.S. government agencies. The Seaboard Sun will initially utilize a specialized ramp to discharge cargoes. In order to maximize its vessel calls into Lafiteau, the ship will shuttle back and forth between Kingston, Jamaica and Lafiteau. Seaboard Marine has two vessel calls per week from Miami to Kingston and also weekly calls to Kingston from Brooklyn and Fernandina Beach. Cargoes will be relayed over Kingston on to the Seaboard Sun which will provide an all-water service to Port-au-Prince. The Seaboard Sun will call again on Lafiteau on January 30.

We are working closely with government partners and relief agencies. The logistical challenges are immense. As a result, cargo bookings are limited to those groups with consignees that have proven, secure and effective distribution networks in Haiti. Seaboard is committed to moving relief aid in the most efficient manner possible and it is critical that discharged containers be moved quickly to the distribution points and emptied immediately. We apologize for initially not being able to take bookings from all customers but we expect that such restrictions can be eased as the situation stabilizes.

Ro Ro vessel explained here. Vessel picture from Seaboard Marine.

UPDATE: Red arrow points to where I believe Port of Lafiteau, red blob is PaP airport.


With a hat tip to Leesea!

Haiti: Just Say "No" to Clinton?

Interesting problem in deciding who ought to help Haiti through recovery, if true, at Mary Anastasia O'Grady: Clinton for Haiti Czar? from the Wall Street Journal.

It's enough to make you cynical.

Fearless Naval Bloggers Take to the Air (Again): Haiti and the Suede Boot Navy

Sunday at 5 pm, the fearless naval bloggers will again assault your ears, and again bring guests to cover up our ignorance.

This time it's "Yeoman in the 'Stan" AKA "Battle Yeoman" calling in from Bagram, Afghanistan; and CDR Charlie Malone, former Commanding Officer of Navy Provisional Detainee Battalion FIVE, Camp Bucca, Iraq.


We'll start our second-guessing with Haiti - which actually is a big time suede boot thing.

Join us at 5pm Eastern (2200 GMT).

We start taking calls at the bottom of the hour, so call in at Call-in Number: (347) 308-8397 or feed us questions during the show via chat at the show page.

Listen to Midrats on Blog Talk Radio

Haiti: Send Former FEMA travel trailers?

Ship unused post Katrina trailers to Haiti?

I suggested it here, the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association suggests it here:

The use of travel trailers turned out be be a PR disaster for the Bush Administration when, less than a year later, unusually high levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, were found in a small number of trailers. A clutch of class-action lawsuits were filed subsequent to this revelation which may deter the current administration from shipping these trailers to Haiti. Richard Coon, President of the RVIA, was interviewed recently by RVBusiness.com and said, ”there are units..that the Haitians could use for housing and so could the people who are going down there to help...I’m sure the Haitians would love to have an RV or a (FEMA) temporary housing unit.”

See also here.

Formaldehyde fears are raised here by a US representative who rejects the shipment of the trailers to Haiti:

The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee has revived concerns over unhealthy levels of formaldehyde in trailers used by victims of Hurricane Katrina as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) explores using the trailers to house victims of Haiti’s earthquake, according to the website Homeland Security Today.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, wrote to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Friday (Jan. 15) to voice his concerns over the idea of sending the trailers to Haiti to deploy them as temporary housing units for victims of the 7.0 earthquake that struck the nation on Jan. 12.

“As you know, I have expressed great concern for the safety of these units due to the presence of formaldehyde. While I continue to believe that these units should not be used for human habitation, I do believe that they could be of some benefit on a short-term, limited basis if the appropriate safeguards are provided,” Thompson wrote in the letter.
***
But despite good intentions, the decision by FEMA to auction more than 100,000 of the trailers through the General Services Administration could pose a threat to public health, the congressman protested.

“The mass disposal of these trailers through public auction is troubling. Although marked with legal disclaimers, it is no secret that these trailers may contain mold, formaldehyde and other potentially hazardous substances. A legal disclaimer will not prevent harm to a child who inhales formaldehyde or mold,” he stated.

Thompson requested that FEMA suspend the auction and sell only small numbers of trailers to government or non-profit organizations that could rehabilitate the trailers to make them safe for long-term habitation.

FEMA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study on Feb. 14, 2008, that determined the temporary housing units contained unhealthy levels of formaldehyde. The CDC concluded that a random sampling of the trailers revealed average levels of formaldehyde of about 77 parts per billion (ppb) in each unit. Exposure to such levels of formaldehyde, intended to keep the trailers clean and preserved, could increase risks of cancer and respiratory sicknesses, CDC warned.
(RVBUSINESS.com editors’ note: Only six of 519 travel trailers tested by the CDC were found to have formaldehyde levels in excess of those established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for manufactured homes.)

Given the hype of trial lawyers suing the trailer manufacturers, it it difficult to determine how much of a threat is posed by the trailers. However, see here.

A good summation here:

Berkeley researchers said they found "exceptionally large emissions of formaldehyde" in units tested and traced the chemical's presence to extensive use of cheap, light plywood and particleboard for walls, flooring and cabinet surfaces. At the same time, trailers "are not outfitted for adequate ventilation and are tighter than would be desired for housing with such small volume," they said.

Perhaps there are better solutions for the long term.