MV Shughart

Last updated

USNS Shughart.jpg
USNS Shughart
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameMV Shughart
Namesake Randall D. Shughart
Owner United States Maritime Administration
Launched9 July 1980
Sponsored byMrs. Stephanie Shughart
Commissioned8 February 1997
In service7 May 1996
Stricken21 March 2023
Homeport Baltimore
Identification
StatusStricken, Ready Reserve in Beaumont, Texas
General characteristics
Class and type Shughart-class cargo ship
Displacement54,450 tons full load
Length907 ft (276 m)
Beam105.6 ft (32.2 m)
Draft34.8 ft (10.6 m)
Propulsion1 Burmeister & Wain 12L90 GFCA diesel; 1 shaft; bow and stern thrusters
Speed24 knots (44 km/h)
Range12,200 nautical miles (22,590 km) at 24 knots (44 km/h)
Capacity312,461 sq ft (29,029 m2).
Complement26 civilian crew
Armamentnone
Aircraft carriedOne helicopter landing pad

MV Shughart (T-AKR-295) is the lead ship of her class of cargo ships operated by the United States Navy. She is a 'roll-on roll-off' non-combat vessel designated as a "Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off" (LMSR) ship.

Contents

History

USNS Shughart unloading Stryker armored vehicles USNS Shughart gangplank.jpg
USNS Shughart unloading Stryker armored vehicles

She was originally the Laura Maersk, constructed in 1980 in Denmark by Lindøværftet for A. P. Moller-Maersk Group (Maersk). She was lengthened in 1987 and again in the early 1990s by Hyundai.

On 7 May 1996 Laura Maersk was delivered to Military Sealift Command [1] and was outfitted at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company's docks in San Diego, California. Operated by Bay Ship Management, the newly renovated ship was renamed USNS Shughart, in honor of Medal of Honor recipient US Army Sergeant First Class Randall D. Shughart. Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska was the ceremony's principal speaker and serving as the ship's sponsor was Mrs. Stephanie Shughart, Sergeant Shughart's widow. The Shughart remains under the charter of the US Navy Military Sealift Command and is operated by US Merchant Mariners.

Shughart, along with others in her class, is capable of carrying 58 tanks, 48 other track vehicles, plus more than 900 trucks and other wheeled vehicles. To manipulate the cargo capacity, Shughart utilizes two 110-ton cranes, port and starboard ramps, and a stern ramp. [2]

The ship was transferred to the United States Maritime Administration in March 2022 and became part of the Beaumont Reserve Fleet in Ready Reserve Force as MV Shughart (T-AKR-295), losing her USNS designation. [3] and the ship was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 21 March 2023. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military Sealift Command</span> United States Navy command for logistics

Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US military services as well as for other government agencies. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's ocean transport needs. The MSTS was renamed the Military Sealift Command in 1970.

<i>Algol</i>-class vehicle cargo ship

The Algol-class vehicle cargo ships, also known as Fast Sealift Ships (FSS) or SL-7s, are currently the fastest cargo ships in the world, capable of speeds in excess of 33 knots (61 km/h). Originally built in 1972 and 1973 as high-speed container ships known as SL-7s for SeaLand, the ships' high operating costs limited their profitability. All eight ships were acquired by the United States Navy in 1981 and 1982, with the last ship converted, delivered to and placed in service with Military Sealift Command in 1986. The conversion entailed the installation of four cranes, addition of roll on/roll off capability and a redesign of the cargo hold to better facilitate storage of vehicles. Due largely to their high cost of operation, all fast sealift ships are kept in Reduced Operating Status, but can be activated and ready to sail in 96 hours. All ships are named after bright stars in the night sky.

USNS <i>Sea Lift</i>

USNS Sea Lift (T-LSV-9) was a roll on/roll off (Ro/Ro) cargo ship built for the United States Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), currently the Military Sealift Command (MSC). She became the first ship of Ro/Ro-type to deliver cargo to Vietnam during the war in Indochina.

USNS <i>GySgt. Fred W. Stockham</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS GySgt Fred W. Stockham (T-AK-3017) is a Shughart-class container & roll-on roll-off support vessel in the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC). The vessel is the second Navy ship named after Marine Gunnery Sergeant Fred W. Stockham (1881–1918), who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor during World War I.

USNS <i>Red Cloud</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Red Cloud is one of Military Sealift Command's nineteen Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) Ships and is one of the 49 ships in the prepositioning program. She is a Watson-class vehicle cargo ship named for Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr., a Medal of Honor recipient, after whom Camp Red Cloud in Korea is also named.

USNS <i>Soderman</i> (T-AKR-317) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Soderman (T-AKR-317) is a Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off Ship (LMSR) and is part of the Military Sealift Command. The USNS Soderman is in the Preposition Program which stations ships across the world with military equipment. The Soderman is Watson-class vehicle cargo ship built by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. The ship was launched on April 26, 2002 and put into service on the 24 of September 2002. The ship was named after Private First Class William A. Soderman, a Medal of Honor Recipient for World War II.

SS <i>Bellatrix</i>

SS Bellatrix is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force (RRF). She was built as a high-speed container ship by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke, Emden, West Germany, hull no. 430, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Trade, USCG ON 545201, IMO 7236153. Due to her high operating cost, Sea-Land Trade was sold to the United States Navy in October 1981 as USNS Bellatrix (T-AK-288).

SS <i>Denebola</i> (T-AKR-289)

SS Denebola is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force (RRF). She was built as a high speed container ship by Rotterdamsche D.D.Mij N.V. in Rotterdam, Netherlands, hull no. 332, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Resource, USCG ON 550723, IMO 7325253. Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy in October 1981 as USNS Denebola (T-AK-289).

USNS <i>Pollux</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Pollux (T-AK-290), later T-AKR-290, the fourth United States Navy ship of the name, is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) as SS Pollux (T-AKR-290).

SS <i>Regulus</i> (T-AKR-292)

SS Regulus is an Algol class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force (RRF). She was built as a high speed container ship by A.G. Weser in Bremen, West Germany, hull no. 1383, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Commerce, USCG 545200, IMO 7302897. Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy on 27 October 1981 as USNS Regulus (T-AK-292).

SS <i>Antares</i>

SS Antares is an Algol class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force (RRF). She was built as a high speed container ship by A.G. Weser in Bremen, West Germany, hull no. 1382, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. Baptized in Bremerhaven by Helga Wedekind, the ship was named SS Sea-Land Galloway, USCG ON 542200, IMO 7226897. Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy on 16 April 1982 as USNS Antares (T-AK-294).

Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) refers to several classes of Military Sealift Command (MSC) roll-on/roll-off type cargo ships. Some are purpose-built for military cargo, while others were converted.

References

  1. 1 2 "SHUGHART (AKR 295)". Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  2. "T-AKR 295 Shughart, Large, Medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 12 March 2007.
  3. "MSC Charters Tugboat for Dead Ship Tow to Texas". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Military Sealift Command. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.