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MSC's Sealift Program provides ocean transportation for the Department of Defense and other U.S. government agencies. The program is divided into three project offices: Tankers, Dry Cargo, and Surge.

MSC works closely with the Defense Fuel Supply Center to transport petroleum products to DOD storage and distribution facilities around the world, as well as to deliver fuel to MSC oilers and other U.S. Navy fleet oilers at sea. MSC operates zero long-term-chartered tankers to provide 90 percent of all fuel needed by DOD

DOD's dry cargo is shipped via U.S.-flagged commercial ships. Approximately 80 percent of this cargo is transported aboard regularly scheduled U.S. commercial ocean liners; the other 20 percent is carried cargo ships under charter to MSC.

Surge shipping is critical to the nation's combat readiness. Surge sealift includes three key resources which are kept in reduced operating status until they are needed in a crisis. These include: Fast Sealift Ships (FSS) , Surge LMSRs and Ready Reserve Force (RRF) Ships.

The FSS are the fastest cargo ships in the world--traveling at speeds up to 30 knots. Together, these huge roll-on/roll-off ships can carry nearly all the equipment needed to outfit a full Army mechanized division.

MSC's Surge LMSRs, while not quite as fast, can carry up to 380,000 square feet of cargo, the equivalent of eight football fields, at speeds up to 24 knots. The Surge LMSRs can be ready to sail in 96 hours, like the Fast Sealift Ships.

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Fast Sealift Ships

SS Algol (AKR-287) ex T-AKR-287 ex T-AK-287

SS Bellatrix (AKR-288) ex T-AKR-288 ex T-AK-288

SS Denebola (AKR-289) ex T-AKR-289ex T-AK-289

SS Pollux (AKR-290) ex T-AKR-290 ex T-AK-290

SS Altair (AKR-291) ex T-AKR-291 ex T-AK-291

SS Regulus (AKR-292) ex T-AKR-292 ex T-AK-292

SS Capella (AKR-293) ex T-AKR-293 ex T-AK-293

SS Antares (AKR-294) ex T-AKR-294 ex T-AK-294

Large, Medium-Speed, Roll-on/Roll-off Ships

USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR-300)

USNS Fisher (T-AKR-301)

USNS Seay (T-AKR-302)

USNS Mendonca (T-AKR-303)

USNS Pililaau (T-AKR-304)

USNS Brittin (T-AKR-305)

USNS Benavidez (T-AKR-306)

USNS Shugart (T-AKR-295)

USNS Gordon (T-AKR-296)

USNS Yano (T-AKR-297)

USNS Gilliland (T-AKR-298)

Long-term Chartered Tankers

MT Empire State (AOT-5193)

MT Evergreen State

MT Maersk Peary (AOT-5246)

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo