32°51′02″N 79°56′23″W / 32.8505002°N 79.9397773°W / 32.8505002; -79.9397773

MV Cape Edmont
History
United States
NameCape Edmont
NamesakeCape Edmont
Owner
OperatorMilitary Sealift Command
BuilderEriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstad
Laid down1971
Launched1971
AcquiredJanuary 1971
RenamedParalla (1971–1987)
Identification
StatusLaid up in Charleston, in ROS-5 status
General characteristics
Class and typeCape E-class roll-on/roll-off
Displacement
  • 12,000 t (11,810 long tons), light
  • 32,543 t (32,029 long tons), full
Length682 ft 0 in (207.87 m)
Beam94 ft (29 m)
Draft31 ft 0 in (9.45 m)
Installed power1 × propeller
Propulsion1 × diesel engine
Speed15.7 knots (29.1 km/h; 18.1 mph)
Complement
  • 9 reserve
  • 27 operational
Time to activateWithin 5 days

MV Cape Edmont (T-AKR-5069), (former MV Paralla), was a Cape E-class roll-on/roll-off built in 1971.[1]

MV Cape Edmont in 2023

Construction and commissioning

edit

The ship was built in 1971 by Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstad, Eriksberg, Gothenburg. She was delivered to be used by Rederi AB TransAtlantic as MV Paralla in January of the same year.[2]

On 7 July 1986, Automar IV Corporation purchased the ship and was renamed MV Cape Edmont. She was then sold to the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration for their Ready Reserve Force on 20 April 1987 and re-designated T-AKR-5069. She would be operated by the Military Sealift Command if activated.[2]

An internal fire broke out which resulted in the breaking down of Cape Edmont occurred during the 1991 Gulf War. She required towing back to port for repairs.[3] During the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, she was part of the four Ready Reserve Fleet provided disaster relief to Central America.[2]

On 8 January 2004, the ship would be reactivated for the transport of rotating troops of June 2004 during the Iraq War.[4] She unloaded M196A1s, M870A1s and UH-60s for the 108th Aviation Brigade in Colón, Panama during New Horizons 2005.[5][6]

On 29 February 2020, Cape Edmont with 7,000 tons of military cargo arrived at the Port of Agadir, Morocco in preparation for African Lion 20.[7]

She currently sits at the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Charleston a National Defense Reserve Fleet in Charleston, South Carolina in ROS-5 status.[8][9]

References

edit
  1. ^ "CAPE EDMONT (AKR 5069)". Naval Vessel Register. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Vehicle Cargo Ship Photo Index". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  3. ^ U.S. Navy Salvage Report: Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm (PDF). Vol. 1. Naval Sea Systems Command. July 1992. pp. 1–6.
  4. ^ Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute. Vol. 131. United States Naval Institute. 2005. p. 166.
  5. ^ "A U.S. Army M916A1 truck tractor, pulling an M870A1 low bed semi-trailer, drives off the Military Sealift Command's Roll-on/Roll-off Ships MV CAPE EDMONT (T-AKR-5069) in Colon, Panama, on Feb. 17, 2005, during New Horizons 2005. (U.S. Army photo by Miguel A. Negron) (Released)". The U.S. National Archives. 17 February 2005. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  6. ^ "A U.S. Army M4K forklift, 1ST Battalion, 108th Aviation Brigade, Kansas Army National Guard (KSANG), tows a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from the Military Sealift Command's Roll-on/Roll-off Ships MV CAPE EDMONT (T-AKR-5069) toward the assembly area in Colon, Panama, on Feb. 17, 2005, during New Horizons 2005. (U.S. Army photo by Miguel A. Negron) (Released)". The U.S. National Archives. 17 February 2005. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  7. ^ "The Cape Edmont Ready Reserve Force vessel arrives". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Ready Reserve Force (RRF)". www.usmm.org. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  9. ^ Larter, David (21 September 2019). "Here's every ship activated for TRANSCOM's massive sealift surge, and what they do". Defense News. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
edit