MV Cape Vincent (T-AKR-9666)
Cape Vincent (T-AKR-9666)
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 United States
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| Name: | MV Cape Vincent (T-AKR-9666) |
| Builder: | Fincantieri, Genoa, Italy |
| Launched: | 1984 |
| Acquired: | 1993 |
| In service: | 2 April 1993 |
| Homeport: | Beaumont, TX |
| Identification: |
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| Status: | In ready reserve since 1994. Four days needed to activate. |
| Notes: | Built as the MV Marzario Italia |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Cape V Class Roll-on/Roll-off ship |
| Displacement: | 30,644 tons |
| Length: | 631 ft 0 in (192.33 m) |
| Beam: | 87 ft 0 in (26.52 m) |
| Draft: | 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m) |
| Propulsion: | one slow speed diesel engine, 9,184 hp, one propeller |
| Speed: | 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 26,690 sq. ft. vehicle space or 1,306 standard containers |
| Complement: | Full Operational Status: 25 civilian mariners |
| Armament: | 12 Man Force Protection Team |
| Aviation facilities: | In an emergency Helicopters can land on the vessels Spar Deck |
MV Cape Vincent (T-AKR-9666) was built as MV Marzario Italia in 1984 at Italcantieri S.P. A., Italy. After launch, it was delivered to CMB Italy after which it was briefly renamed MV Taabo Italia. She was acquired on 13 May 1993, by the US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration and renamed MV Cape Vincent, 1 February 1994, assigned to the Maritime Administration's Ready Reserve Force. Cape Vincent is operated by Keystone Shipping Company Inc. When activated Cape Vincent is one of the Maritime Administration's 31 Roll-on/Roll-off Reserve Force Ships assigned to the US Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) Sealift Program Office. Cape Vincent is nested at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX. in ROS-5 status, with a 10-man maintenance crew on board.
Upon the conclusion of its reflagging, Cape Vincent entered the RRF in Reduced Operating Status – 4 (ROS-4) on 19 August 1994. The vessel is required to be ready for tender to COMSC within 96 hours of an activation notice. The ten (10) person ROS crew performs continuous maintenance in order to maintain the vessel in class with the American Bureau of Shipping and fully certificated by the USCG. As an ROS-4 vessel, Cape Vincent conducts an annual maintenance activation. This at-sea operational period enhances the material condition of her plant. Cape Vincent is currently in ROS-5 status.
From June through November 1998, Cape Vincent and her sister vessel Cape Victory were modified by the addition of a new spar deck. This increased the overall militarily useful sq. ft capacity of each vessel The two CAPE V class ships function the same in their ability to load wheeled and tracked vehicles via the stern ramp. MV Cape Vincent's most notable feature is its total deck capacity consisting of 156,524 square feet (14,541.6 m2) of which 126,084 is militarily useful. MV Cape Vincent has 126,084 sq ft of heavy deck strength (over 525 psf with 13 f. clearances) and 30,440 sq ft of light deck. In addition Cape Victory has 100 450-volt reefer outlets.
Within one month of entering the RRF, on 9 September 1994, the MV Cape Vincent loaded cargo at Wilmington, North Carolina, and departed for Port-au-Prince, Haiti. MV Cape Vincent supported Operation Uphold Democracy, a peace-keeping mission, for 104 days before returning to Beaumont, Texas. Following her return from UPHOLD DEMOCRACY she returned to her layberth and was next activated on 25 December 1994, for FUERTAS DEFENSAS 95, providing 45 days of transport for outsized unit equipment to Guatemala in support of military training. This was part of a larger exercise which included the Army's Battlefield Visualization initiative in Panama. On 4 September 1996, MV Cape Vincent underwent a test of her activation readiness capability and successfully activated in 1.9 days. Cape Vincent surpassed this record, activating in 1.8 days for a humanitarian relief effort to Central America in response to the damaged caused by Hurricane Mitch. Cape Vincent transported construction equipment and relief supplies for 108 days. On 30 March 1999 Cape Vincent received the Maritime Administrator's Professional Ship Award in recognition of her service.
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