AMO Currents - Obama administration seeks full MSP funding in 2010 budget proposal

AMO Currents - Posted: May 12, 2009

Obama administration seeks full MSP funding in 2010 budget proposal

In its fiscal year 2010 budget proposal, the Obama administration included full funding for the Maritime Security Program as part of the appropriations requested for the Maritime Administration.

The administration’s budget proposal seeks $174 million for the MSP in fiscal year 2010, full funding for the program and the fleet of 60 U.S.-flagged ships it supports. Ships in the MSP fleet are managed by private-sector ship managers in international commercial trades. The ships and their corresponding shoreside intermodal infrastructure are made available to the Department of Defense for sealift operations in times of war or crisis.

Other items in the 2010 budget proposal for the Maritime Administration include approximately $153 million for operations and training, an increase of more than $27 million over the previous fiscal year, and $15 million for the Ship Disposal Program. Only about $3.6 million was requested for the Title XI shipbuilding loan guarantee program in fiscal year 2010, which would cover the program’s administrative costs for managing its existing portfolio but would not fund new loan guarantees.