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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

MV Cape Lambert (AKR-5077)

Cape L Class Roll-on/Roll-off ship:
  • Built in 1973 as MV Avon Forest, at Port Weller Dry Docks Ltd., St. Catharines, Canada
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Delivered and placed in service, 31 August 1973, as SS Avon Forest, to Burnett Steamship Co. Ltd.
  • Sold by Burnett Steamship Co., Ltd., to Piute Energy & Transportation, Co., Cleveland, OH., 10 April 1985, rename MV Federal Lake, reflagged US
  • Purchased by the US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, from Piute Energy & Transportation Co., 2 November 1987, renamed MV Cape Lambert, assigned to the Maritime Administration's Ready Reserve Force, James River Group
  • When activated MV Cape Lambert (AKR-5077) was assigned to the US Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC)
  • MV Cape Lambert (AKR-5077) was one of the Maritime Administrations 31 Roll-on/Roll-off Reserve Force Ships assigned to MSC
  • MV Cape Lambert was assigned to the MSC Strategic Sealift Force in FOS-10 status and was berthed at Wilmington, N.C.
  • Removed from MSC control, withdrawn from the RRF by reassignment to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, 28 July 2006
  • Assigned to lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet Beaumont, TX., date unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 12,000 t.(lt) 33,360 t.(fl)
    Length 683'
    Beam 75'
    Draft 29' 6" (max)
    Speed 16.2 kts.
    Cargo Capacity, 1,250,000 cubic feet
    Automobile Capacity 2,250 cars
    Complement 30
    Armament none
    Propulsion two 9000 BHP 18 PC2V Pielstick Engines manufactured by Crossley Premier Engines Ltd., Manchester, England, twin shafts
    Bow Thrust Propeller, 1000 BHP
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Merchant Service United Kingdom Burnett SS Co. Ltd.
    Cape Lambert 64k MV Avon Forest (British flag), at Rotterdam , Netherlands in June 1980. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    MV Cape Lambert (AKR-5077) - MARAD RRF
    Cape Lambert 74k MV Cape Lambert (AKR 5077) with a fuel barge alongside, date and location unknown. Maritime Administration
    Cape Nome 25k MV Cape Lambert (AKR 5077), right, and MV Cape Nome (AK-1014), left, moored in the James River Reserve Fleet, Fort Eustis, VA., date unknown. Maritime Administration
    Algol
    0954028715    		 183k Left to right: USNS Algol (AKR-287), SS California (AK-5029) and MV Cape Lambert (T-AKR-5077) moored at Alabama Maritime Corporation Shipyard, Mobile AL.1 February 1992.
    U.S. Navy Photo by OS2 John Bouvia    		 Robert Hurst
    MV Cape Lambert (AKR-5077) - MARAD
    Cape Lambert 278k MV Cape Lambert (AKR 5077) (right) and ST Chesapeake (AOT-5084) (left) moored in their berths at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX. The ship in the middle is unidentified. Photo by Chris Holley
    Sumner 255k MV Cape Lambert (AKR-5077) moored forward of ex-USNS Sumner (T-AGS-61) and ex-USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23) in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX., 2 November 2014. Photo by Chris Holley
    There is no DANFS history for MV Cape Lambert (AKR-5077) at NavSource
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    National Register Eligibility Assessment
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Vehicle Cargo Ship / Roll-on/Roll-off Ship (AKR) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 27 October 2023