Evaluating the Applicability of Sea Basing to Support the Preparation for, and Response to, Rapid Onset Disasters

Using four case studies of the response of the international community to major rapid onset natural disasters, this paper analyzes the advantages and challenges inherent in the provision of logistics support through the use of a floating warehouse; otherwise known as “sea basing.” Through a comparison of the costs and benefits of the use of alternative sea-basing models with the actual cost of air transport incurred, this paper demonstrates that the use of sea basing would offer responding agencies significant cost and flexibility benefits, and that the concept has the potential to be extended significantly through the use of a bespoke vessel rather than a standard commercial container ship.