Aircraft carriers stored at the NISMF in Bremerton, 2012. From left to right: Independence, Kitty Hawk, Constellation and Ranger.

A Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF) is a facility owned by the United States Navy as a holding facility for decommissioned naval vessels, pending determination of their final fate. All ships in these facilities are inactive, but some are still on the Naval Vessel Register (NVR), while others have been struck from the register.

The ships that have been stricken from the NVR are disposed of by one of several means, including foreign military sales transfer, ship donation as a museum or memorial, domestic dismantling and recycling, artificial reefing, or use as a target vessel. Others are retention assets for possible future reactivation, which have been laid up for long-term preservation and are maintained with minimal maintenance (humidity control, corrosion control, flood/fire watch) should they need to be recalled to active duty.

The Navy has been reducing the number of inactive ships, which numbered as many as 195 in 1997, but was down to 49 by the end of 2014.[1]

The Naval Sea Systems Command's Inactive Ships Management Office (INACTSHIPOFF) is based in Portsmouth, Virginia.[2]

There are three NISMFs:

In addition, parts of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, South Gate Annex Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard are designated for the storage of inactive nuclear powered vessels.[3][4]

Inactive ship facilities in Suisun Bay, James River and Beaumont, Texas are owned and operated by the Maritime Administration under the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Vessels moored at NISMFs

Following is a list of vessels currently being stored at the facilities as of 28 November 2023.[5]

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia NISMF in 1955
Philadelphia NISMF in 1995
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), Philadelphia, 2018
Ship Class Type Status
USS Anzio (CG-68) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USNS Apache (T-ATF-172) Powhatan Fleet Ocean Tug Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Canon (PG-90) Asheville Gunboat Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Carr (FFG-52) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Charleston (LKA-113) Charleston Amphibious Cargo Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS De Wert (FFG-45) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Elrod (FFG-55) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) Whidbey Island Dock Landing Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.
USNS Grapple (T-ARS-53) Safeguard Salvage Ship Out of service, in reserve.
USS Halyburton (FFG-40) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, final disposition pending. (possibly on hold for donation[6])
USS Hué City (CG-66) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) John F. Kennedy Aircraft Carrier Stricken, to be disposed of via scrapping.
USS Kauffman (FFG-59) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Klakring (FFG-42) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Monterey (CG-61) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS San Jacinto (CG-56) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Shamal (PC-13) Cyclone Patrol Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Simpson (FFG-56) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Tornado (PC-14) Cyclone Patrol Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) Whidbey Island Dock Landing Ship Out of commission, in reserve.
USS Zephyr (PC-8) Cyclone Patrol Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.

Bremerton, Washington

The mothball fleet at Bremerton, Washington, in 1974
Ship Class Type Status
USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10) Supply Fast Combat Support Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Coronado (LCS-4) Independence Littoral Combat Ship Out of commission, in reserve.
USS Dubuque (LPD-8) Austin Amphibious Transport Dock Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Freedom (LCS-1) Freedom Littoral Combat Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Independence (LCS-2) Independence Littoral Combat Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Long Beach (CGN-9) Long Beach Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USNS Rainier (T-AOE-7) Supply Fast Combat Support Ship Stricken, final disposition pending.

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

View of the ships in the Middle Loch, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 2016
Ship Class Type Status
USS Cleveland (LPD-7) Austin Amphibious Transport Dock Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Juneau (LPD-10) Austin Amphibious Transport Dock Stricken, final disposition pending.
USNS Navajo (T-ATF-169) Powhatan Fleet Ocean Tug Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Peleliu (LHA-5) Tarawa Amphibious Assault Ship Out of commission, in reserve.
USS Port Royal (CG-73) Ticonderoga Cruiser Stricken, final disposition pending.
USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) Safeguard Salvage Ship Out of service, in reserve.
USNS Sioux (T-ATF-171) Powhatan Fleet Ocean Tug Stricken, final disposition pending.
USS Tarawa (LHA-1) Tarawa Amphibious Assault Ship Inactive, out of commission, in reserve.

Past Facilities

See also

References

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.

  1. "Document: Navy's 30-Year Shipbuilding Plan to Congress for Fiscal Year 2016". USNI News. April 3, 2015.
  2. "NAVSEA Field Activities". United States Navy. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
  3. NISMF Portsmouth, Virginia
  4. globalsecurity.org Norfolk Naval Shipyard
  5. https://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/SHIP_STATUS_SUMMARY.HTML
  6. https://www.goerie.com/story/news/local/2021/11/22/oliver-hazard-perry-class-frigate-erie-pa-presque-isle-bay-project-joe-pfadt-mike-kelly-navy/8638296002/
  7. NISMF Bayonne, New Jersey
  8. NISMF San Diego, California
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