National Defense Reserve Fleet, Naval reserve fleet in Suisun Bay, California, US

The National Defense Reserve Fleet is a group of mothballed U.S. government ships, mostly merchant vessels, moored in parallel rows in Suisun Bay. The ships have grey hulls, white superstructures and dark funnels; masts, cranes and small deckhouses line their tops. A long, thin pier extends from the left shore to a small structure in the water.

The fleet was established in 1946 following the Merchant Ship Sales Act, when the United States sought to build a reserve of merchant vessels for future conflicts. By 1950 it reached its peak with 2,277 ships, before numbers declined through scrapping and transfer to other nations.

The fleet takes its name from the mission to keep ships ready for emergencies, with many cargo vessels and tankers built in different eras. Visitors passing by can see long rows of laid-up ships from shore, waiting in the bay for their next call to service.

The ships lie in Suisun Bay northeast of San Francisco and can be seen from several shore points, especially along the waterfront near Benicia. Visitors can view the fleet from land, as boarding the vessels is not permitted.

51 decommissioned vessels from this fleet have been sunk as artificial reefs along different United States coastlines. These reefs now provide habitat for fish and other marine life, and serve as dive sites for underwater exploration.