Printer Friendly Page

Seafarers Continue to Sail
In Operation to Rebuild Iraq

April 2004

At this time last year, more than 2,000 Seafarers were sailing aboard military support ships providing aid for allied troops involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). They crewed more than 100 vessels used to deliver the troops, tanks, fuel and other materiel needed by coalition forces to achieve victory in removing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime. One year later, SIU members are mobilized for the next phase, OIF2, which is now in full swing as more than 240,000 U.S. military personnel rotate into and out of the Middle East. Pentagon planners anticipate delivering fresh divisions, with all the necessary equipment, to Iraq, while bringing home those divisions that have been there since the start of the military operation. According to the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC), the cargo moving into the area aboard ship includes less armored equipment than last year but more combat service support gear for forces trying to stabilize and reconstruct the war-torn nation. Approximately 24 million square feet of cargo belonging to nine units in the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army and National Guard are being moved by ship. As the Seafarers LOG went to press, 60 SIU-contracted ships already had been activated for OIF2. They include vessels operated by Amsea: the Cape Jacob, USNS Algol, USNS Altair, USNS Antares, USNS Bellatrix, USNS Capella, USNS Pollux, USNS Regulus and USNS Stockham. Crowley-operated ships include the Cape Inscription, Cape Intrepid, Cape Isabel, Cape Island, Cape Washington and Cape Wrath. Those vessels operated by IUM are the Cape May, Flickertail State, USNS Chesapeake, USNS Mt. Washington, USNS Petersburg, Northern Lights and Westward Venture. From Keystone Shipping are the Cape Race, Cape Knox, Cape Kennedy, Cape Orlando, Cape Victory and Cape Vincent. Maersk Lines is operating the USNS Charlton, USNS Dahl, USNS Pomeroy, USNS Red Cloud, USNS Sisler, USNS Soderman, USNS Watkins and USNS Watson. Additionally, Seafarers are serving aboard activated ships operated by Mormac: the Cape Decision, Cape Diamond, Cape Domingo, Cape Douglas, Cape Ducato, Cape Edmont, Cape Henry, Cape Horn and Cape Hudson. From MTL is the Cape Trinity. PGM has activated the Cape Farewell, Independence and Resolve. And Patriot contract-operated vessels include the USNS Brittan, USNS Benevidez, USNS Bob Hope, USNS Gilliland, USNS Gordon, USNS Fisher, USNS Mendonca, USNS Pillilau, USNS Seay, USNS Shugart and USNS Yano.