Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility

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.

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

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 per the NAVSEA Inactive Ship Inventory dated September 26, 2017 (with exceptions as referenced separately):[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 Inactive, out of service, in reserve.
USNS Apache (T-ATF-172) Powhatan Fleet ocean tug Stricken, to be disposed of.
USS Canon (PG-90) Asheville Gunboat Stricken, to be disposed of.
USS Carr (FFG-52) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, possible foreign sale.
USS Charleston (LKA-113) Charleston Amphibious Cargo Ship Stricken, to be disposed of.
USS De Wert (FFG-45) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, possible foreign sale.
USS El Paso (LKA-117) Charleston Amphibious Cargo Ship Stricken, to be disposed of.
USS Elrod (FFG-55) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, possible foreign sale.
USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) Whidbey Island Dock Landing Ship Inactive, out of service, in reserve.
USNS Grapple (T-ARS-53) Safeguard Salvage Ship Inactive, out of service, in reserve.
USS Halyburton (FFG-40) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, possible foreign sale.
USS Hué City (CG-66) Ticonderoga Cruiser Inactive, out of service, in reserve.
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, possible foreign sale.
USS Klakring (FFG-42) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, possible foreign sale.
USS Mobile (LKA-115) Charleston Amphibious Cargo Ship Stricken, to be disposed of.
USS Monterey (CG-61) Ticonderoga Cruiser Inactive, out of service, in reserve.
USS Shamal (PC-13) Cyclone Patrol Ship Stricken, to be disposed of.
USS Simpson (FFG-56) Oliver Hazard Perry Frigate Stricken, possible foreign sale.
USS Tornado (PC-14) Cyclone Patrol Ship Stricken, possible foreign sale.
USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) Ticonderoga Cruiser Inactive, out of service, in reserve.
USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) Whidbey Island Dock Landing Ship Inactive, out of service, in reserve, delivered August 23, 2022.[6]
USS Zephyr (PC-8) Cyclone Patrol Ship Stricken, to be disposed of.

Bremerton, Washington

The mothball fleet at Bremerton, Washington, in 1974
Ship Class Type Status
USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10) Supply fast combat support ships Inactive, out of service, in reserve.
USS Dubuque (LPD-8) Austin Amphibious Transport Dock Stricken, final disposition pending.
USNS Rainier (T-AOE-7) Supply fast combat support ships Inactive, out of service, in reserve.
USS Long Beach (CGN-9) Long Beach Cruiser Stricken, to be disposed of via scrapping.
USS Independence (LCS-2) Independence littoral combat ships Inactive, out of service, in reserve
USS Coronado (LCS-4) Independence littoral combat ships Inactive, out of service, in reserve
USS Freedom (LCS-1) Freedom littoral combat ships Inactive, out of service, in reserve
USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) Ticonderoga Cruiser Inactive, out of service, in reserve


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.
USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) Safeguard Salvage Ship Inactive, out of commission, in reserve.
USS Tarawa (LHA-1) Tarawa Amphibious Assault Ship Inactive, out of commission, in reserve.
USS Peleliu (LHA-5) Tarawa Amphibious Assault Ship Inactive, out of commission, in reserve.
USS Port Royal (CG-73) Ticonderoga Cruiser Inactive, out of service, 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.

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