An Auxiliary Crane Ship is a vessel of the United States Military Sealift Command designed to operate where port facilities are limited or damaged to transfer cargo between themselves, other vessels, and piers.
The Charleston metropolitan area is an urban area centered around Charleston, South Carolina. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget designates the area as the Charleston–North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area used for statistical purposes only by the United States Census Bureau and other federal agencies. The OMB defines the area as comprising Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties, an area with 799,636 residents in the 2020 census. Principal cities include Charleston, North Charleston, and Summerville. The area is commonly referred to as the Tri-County Area or the Lowcountry, though the latter term has historically referred to South Carolina's southern coast in general.
SS Algol 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. She was built as a high speed container ship by Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij N.V. in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, hull no. 331, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Exchange, USCG ON 546383, IMO 7303205. Due to her high operating cost, Sea-Land Exchange was sold to the United States Navy in October 1981 as USNS Algol (T-AK-287).
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 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 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 Altair 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 in Emden, West Germany, hull no. 431, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Finance, USCG ON 550722, IMO 7315571. Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy on 5 January 1982 as USNS Altair (T-AK-291).
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 Capella 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. 330, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land McLean, USCG ON 540413, IMO 7223508, after Sea-Land's founder Malcom McLean. Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy on 16 April 1982 as USNS Capella (T-AK-293).
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).
SS Cape Flattery (AK-5070) was laid down on 10 February 1972, as SS Delta Norte a Maritime Administration type (C9-S-81d) hull under Maritime Administration contract at Avondale Industries Corp., New Orleans, LA. She was launched, 19 May 1973 and delivered to the Maritime Administration, 12 September 1973, for operation by Delta Line. She was reacquired by the Maritime Administration for assignment to the ready reserve fleet (RRF), 14 May 1987 and berthed at Beaumont, TX as part of the Maritime Administration Ready Reserve Fleet. When activated Cape Flattery is assigned to Military Sealift Command (MSC) as one of the Military Sealift Command's four LASH Ready Reserve Force Ships. Cape Flattery can be activated in 10 days
SS Cape Florida (AK-5071) was laid down 29 December 1969, as SS LASH Turkiye, a United States Maritime Administration type (C8-S-81b) hull under Maritime Administration contract at Avondale Industries Corp., New Orleans. She was launched, 10 October 1970 and delivered to the Maritime Administration, 12 September 1973, for operation by Prudential Grace Line. She was acquired by Delta Line and renamed SS Delta Caribe and SS American Caribe respectively. She was reacquired by the Maritime Administration for assignment to the Ready Reserve Fleet (RRF) on 17 February 1987 where she was berthed at Beaumont, Texas. When activated Cape Florida was assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as one of the Military Sealift Command's four LASH Ready Reserve Force Ships and could be activated in 10 days. She was removed from MSC control, withdrawn from the RRF by reassignment to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, 28 July 2006.
SS Cape Island (AKR-10) was originally laid down for commercial service in 1976 as Illinois, a Type C7 ship for the States Lines. It was launched and then needed to be used for military service transferred into the Naval Vessel Register (NVR) as the USNS Mercury, as transport ship for vehicles, and other goods. The ship was returned to Crowley Liner Services of Jacksonville, Florida. In 1993 the ship was permanently transferred to the navy's roll as a ready reserve ship, and renamed Cape Island (T-AKR-10). The Cape Island remains laid up in a ready reserve state so that it may be activated in five days, if called upon. The ship is currently moored in Tacoma, Washington.
SS Cape Intrepid was originally laid down in 1975 as SS Arizona a Type C7 ship intended for both commercial or military use. The ship was launched in 1975 and turned over to the Maritime Administration for commercial use and acquired by the Lykes Brothers and named the SS Lipscomb Lykes. On June 8th 1976 she was removed from commercial duty and reacquired by the United States Navy and renamed USNS Jupiter to serve alongside USNS Mercury. On 8 June 1976 she was transferred to Military Sealift Command, and renamed the SS Cape Intrepid. Since then the ship has been active in transport roles including a long term attachment to the 833rd transport regiment. She is currently in reserve status and can be activated if called upon in 5 days as part of the ready reserve fleet. The ship is currently moored in Tacoma, Washington.
The SS Cape Isabel (AKR-5062) was originally launched in 1976 as the SS Nevada, a Type C7 commercial ship. The States SS company took the first contract in 1976 and it operated until it was transferred to Lykes Brothers steamship company and renamed the SS Charles Lykes. Later the ship was reacquired from its commercial roles and brought back under military control via the Maritime Administration and renamed the Cape Isabel. Since then it has been kept in ready reserve status and used occasionally for heavy lifting operations to European theaters to have equipment air-lifted to active engagements. It has heavily participated in Operation Enduring Freedom ferrying goods across the Atlantic to staging points in Europe. As of August 2021, the ship is undergoing recommissioning at Vigor Shipyards in Portland, Oregon.
SS Cape Gibson (AK-5051) was a Cape G Class Break bulk cargo ship of the United States Maritime Administration, last used as a training ship at Texas A&M University at Galveston before being scrapped in 2020.
SS Cape Girardeau is a Modular Cargo Delivery System (MCDS) ship in the National Defense Reserve Fleet. The ship is named for Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
United States