This database includes information on more than 12,000 vessels that have been or still are part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet , and other vessels that were at one time owned, operated, or in the custody of the Maritime Administration and/or its predecessor agencies. Each vessel entry includes one or more images of vessel status cards – paper index cards that tell the story of the ship’s career in government service. The following information is also presented, where available:

• Vessel Characteristics, such as year built, builder, former names, and vessel dimensions
• Milestones in the vessel’s government service, such as acquisition and withdrawal dates
• Histories of select vessels
• Vessel Images
• Vessel Cards, index cards which provide information on vessel ownership, operation, fleet lay-up, and sales
• Other Associated Documents, such as National Register Eligibility Assessments, Memoranda of Agreement, awards, citations, or other reports