USNS Courier (T-AK-5019)

"USNS Courier" (MARAD hull AK-5019) was a cargo ship of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. The cargo ship was built by Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock, Chester, PA, at the request of the US Maritime Administration (MARAD hull 124) in 1962. The ship is 470 ft in length and has a breath of 73 and weighs 11420 tons, empty. The ship was originally administered by American Export Lines under the civilian name "SS Export Courier" and eventually became part of the James River Reserve Fleet. The company ran into financial trouble in 1977. [ [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/135019.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - T-AK-5019 Courier] NavSource] Before 1981, Farrell lines, which took over parts of the dissolved American Export Lines, transferred administration of the "Courier" to the Military Sealift Command, which renamed the ship "USNS Courier". [ [http://www.pmars.imsg.com/NewCards/1118_10183CF.jpgCustody Card, Courier] Property Management and Archive Record System, US Maritime Administration, Division of reserve fleet] The ship was officially accepted as part of the Maritime Administration in February of 1983. From 1981 it was stationed with the Beaumont Reserve Fleet or docked at Port Neches, Beaumont Texas. Service records indicate repairs after Operation Desert Storm. [ [http://www.pmars.imsg.com/NewCards/1118_10183AF.jpgService Card for Courier] Property Management and Archive Record System, US Maritime Administration, Division of reserve fleet] In 2001 the ship was transferred to the National Defense Reserve Fleet and remained in this status until July 2008 when it was sold to Southern Scrap Metal Corporation of New Orleans' Louisiana and subsequently transferred to New Orleans' Industrial Canal on August 13th, a little more than two weeks before hurricane Gustav reached Louisiana's southeastern Coast. [ [http://www.pmars.imsg.com/detail.asp?ship=1118 Basic Ship data - 1118] Property Management and Archive Record System, US Maritime Administration, Division of reserve fleet] [USGovernment|sourceURL= [http://marad.dot.gov/Headlines/2008/News%20Releases/marad%2016-08%202%20to%20southern%20scrap.pdf Two Ships from Beaumont Fleet Sell for $1.6 Million] |U.S. Maritime Adminisration ]

Adrift and grounding during Gustav

During the night of August 31, 2008 or early morning of September 1, 2008, as a weak category-3 hurricane Gustav approached the coast of Louisiana, at least two clusters of ships were dislodged from their moorings and broke free. The "Courier" was shown in video coverage to be one of three vessel grounded on an embankment approaching the L & N railroad bridge near the I-10 'high' bridge. [http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2008/09/two_groups_of_ships_broke_loos.html Two groups of ships broke loose in Industrial Canal] by Shelia Grissett and Laura Maggi, The Times-Picayune - Nola.com] On September 3, 2008, Joel Dupree of Southern Scrap Metal Corp. claimed the "Courier" has been removed from its position in front of the Almonaster Avenue Bridge and remoored at the scrap metal yard. [http://video.yahoo.com/network/100000055?v=3432690&l=3443196 Joel Dupre from Southern Scrap updates on the barges and ship that ran aground in the Industrial] New Orleans - Update on barges in Industrial Canal - Yahoo-local news] [http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2008/09/towing_company_is_moving_vesse.html Towing company is moving vessels from waterway] by Jaquetta White, The Times-Picayune Wednesday September 03, 2008, 4:48 PM - Hurricane Gustav News and Storm Tracking - Nola.com] Dupree claims the Core of Engineers were testing locks on the Industrial canal at the Mississippi river that prevented moving the ships prior to Gustav, and that the "Courier" was properly anchored during the storm, however the level of the surge and winds were sufficient to break their moorings. The USCG however said that it had recommended that ships double-up mooring lines prior to the storm. Other recommendations such as sinking the bow of the ship and setting anchor close to ships and barges were recommended as possible preventive measures. So far it is not clear on what the US Coast Guard instructed dock managers to do, or what action company officials took.

In addition to the risk to the rail bridge, the two accompanying barges apparently hit and damaged a warehouse along the western side of the Industrial canal near the bridge. Two other naval ships, the American Explorer and USS Hunley (AS-31) were involved in separate incidences at the Florida Avenue Bridge and pump station. As a consequence of these events "all vessels to be removed from the Industrial Canal in advance of gale-force wind conditions", and Southern Scrap Metal Corperation was told to remove all floating vessels for the duration of the
2008 season. [ [http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/industrial_canal_would_have_be.html Ships and barges ordered from Industrial Canal for rest of 2008 Atlantic hurricane season] "Industrial Canal would have been safe if Ike had approached, Coast Guard commander says" by Sheila Grissett, The Times-PicayuneThursday September 18, 2008, 5:57 PM Nola.com]

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