The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) has added two ro-ro vessels and a product tanker to national security programmes to ensure US-flag merchant ships are available during armed conflict and national emergencies.

The new additions to the subsidy programmes also revealed the buyer of a tanker sold by Pyxis Tankers in September.

MARAD has chosen Liberty Global Logistics’ US-flag, 6,350-lane-metre ro-ro Liberty Power (built 2011) and the Malta-flag, 7,934-ceu large car/truck carrier Tulane (built 2012), which is controlled by American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC) for the Maritime Security Program.