Vital Role in Navy Prepositioning
Located along the St. Johns River, Blount Island Command’s Navy Point anchors the readiness and reliability of Navy equipment worldwide. With more than 26 acres dedicated to support operations, the Navy prepositioning department is a vital component of global logistics and maintenance. Its workforce meets the highest standards of readiness through strict production schedules, enabling the Marine Corps’ maritime prepositioning force to respond quickly and effectively in any clime and place.
The department oversees nearly $1 billion in assets, including 230 pieces of watercraft, 400 prime movers, more than 1,500 containers, and a warehouse spanning 300,000 square feet with 8,400 line items supporting Navy watercraft and civil engineer equipment.
Management functions
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Business Operations Branch — Manages contracts, budgets and scheduling to ensure assets and operations remain aligned with mission demands.
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Equipment & Sustainment Branch — Maintains and services Navy civil engineer equipment, containers and assemblies to meet operational standards.
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Watercraft Branch — Sustains 230 pieces of watercraft and associated systems, guaranteeing their availability for rapid employment.
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Afloat Branch — Coordinates embarked assets with maritime task force operations, enabling efficient offload, backload and integration with Marine Air-Ground Task Forces.
Integrated naval support
The Navy prepositioning department team enables global response readiness by coordinating with maritime and integrated task force operations. A Navy support element—comprising a naval beach group and a Navy cargo handling battalion—employs watercraft, equipment, and supplies to offload and backload prepositioning ships both in-stream and pier-side.
The naval construction element integrates embarked civil engineer support equipment and containerized assemblies with a Marine Air-Ground Task Force. By synchronizing ground, air, logistics, and cyberspace assets, the Navy department provides flexible response options for crises and contingencies, reinforcing the Marine Corps’ ability to project confidence and readiness worldwide.