MV Capt Steven L. Bennett (T-AK-4296)

The MV "Capt Steven L. Bennett" (T-AK-4296) is the lead ship of the "Bennett"-class container ships.cite web | title = Fact Sheet, Container Ships - T-AK | url = http://www.msc.navy.mil/factsheet/t-ak-container.htm | work = msc.navy.mil | accessdate=March 3 | accessyear=2007] Originally named the TNT "Express", it was built at Samsung Heavy Industries in Koje, South Korea in 1984. MV "Bennett" is named after United States Air Force Medal of Honor recipient Captain Steven Logan Bennett. The ship is a Logistics Prepositioning Ship sponsored by the US Air Force.cite web | title = Sealift | url = http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/sealift.htm | work = fas.org | accessdate=March 3 | accessyear=2007]

Previous owners

"Bennett" was built in 1984 as "TNT Express" and operated as such under charter by ABC Containerline N.V. of Antwerp, Belgium for the London-based company TNT N.V. until 1991. In 1991, ABC Containerline bought the ship and renamed it "Martha II." On February 14, 1996, the ship was detained in Melbourne, Australia when ABC went into receivership. [cite web | title = Martha II at NZ Maritime Index | url =http://www.nzmaritimeindex.org.nz/ixvessel.asp?ID=50040400&name=SEAPRIDE&gsn=&owner=&num=&typ=&tid=0&tix=0&pix=0&SourceID=&refid=&hit=3 | work = nzmaritimeindex.org.nz | accessdate=March 3 | accessyear=2007] Den norske Bank of Norway bought the ship later in 1996 and renamed it "Sea Pride." In 1997, the ship was bought by Sealift Incorporated of the United States and on November 20, 1997 given its current name MV "Capt Steven L. Bennett." In the first quarter of 1998, Bennett began her prepositioning service under MPS Squadron One in the Mediterranean and as such became MV "Capt Steven L. Bennett" (T-AK-4296).

Recent history

MV "Bennett" started its Air Force Prepositioning Program career in the Mediterranean Sea, with a mission to "support the prepositioning requirements of the Department of Defense by transporting U.S. Air Force ammunition."cite web | title = DefenseLink: Contracts for Friday, June 07, 2002 | url = http://www.defenselink.mil/Contracts/Contract.aspx?ContractID=2282 | work = defenselink.mil | accessdate=February 25 | accessyear=2007] The contract, awarded to owner and operator Sealift Incorporated, of Oyster Bay, New York was for $41,823,500 with "reimbursables that could bring the cumulative value of this contract to $47,400,000."

In 1999 [cite web | title = Military Sealift Command praises AMO ships, officers | url = http://www.amo-union.org/newspaper/Morgue/4-2002/Sections/News/msc.htm | work = American Maritime Officer magazine | accessdate=March 7 | accessyear=2007] , "Bennett" was involved in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, where she "off-loaded more than two-thirds of her cargo of U.S. Air Force ammunition containers in Nordenham, Germany, which was distributed to the United Kingdom, Italy and other locations within Germany -- quickly replenishing the Air Force's stockpile in theater." [cite web | title = NATO Recognizes MSC Europe Staff for Service to Kosovo | url = http://calbears.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pnav/is_200203/ai_3112804032 | work = U.S. Navy Press Release | accessdate=March 7 | accessyear=2007]

When the original contract expired in fiscal year 2002, MV "Bennett" "competed for and won a new five-year contract and redeployed to the Mediterranean in October."cite web | title = Military Sealift Command: 2002 in Review | url = http://www.msc.navy.mil/annualreport/2002/pm3.htm | work = msc.navy.mil | accessdate=February 25 | accessyear=2007] MV "Bennett", as a ship carrying Air Force cargo, was used extensively during fiscal year 2002 to support Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the global war on terrorism.

, awarded the officers and crewmembers of the "Bennett" the Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal. [cite web | title = AMO members serve in military operations, exercises | url = http://www.amo-union.org/newspaper/Morgue/9-2003/Sections/News/medal.htm | work = American Maritime Officer magazine | accessdate=March 7 | accessyear=2007]

"Bennett" spends much of its time at anchor in the lagoon of Diego Garcia. [cite web | title = Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Two | url = http://www.msc.navy.mil/mpstwo/ | work = | accessdate=March 7 | accessyear=2007] , and was spotted [cite web | title = VOS Cooperative Ship Report: January through February 2005 | url = http://www.vos.noaa.gov/MWL/april_05/vos_ship_report_2005.shtml
work = vos.noaa.gov | accessdate=March 7 | accessyear=2007] in New Orleans, Louisiana in early 2005.

hip specifics

"Bennett's" side number, T-AK-4296, gives some information about it. The letter T indicates that it is "assigned to Commander, Military Sealift Command as a type commander."cite web | title = SECNAV Instruction 5030.1L, dated 22 Jan 1993 | url = http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/inventory.asp?var=hull | work = msc.navy.mil | accessdate=March 3 | accessyear=2007] The letters "AK" are reserved for cargo ships. In fact, "Bennett" is actually a , a flexible design allowing it to carry both containerized and bulk cargo. [cite web | title = Shipspotting Brussel | url = http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=320731 | work = shipspotting.com | accessdate=March 3 | accessyear=2007] [cite web | title = Metallurgy and Shipbuilding | url = http://users.skynet.be/p.woinin/ssteel.htm | work = skynet.be | accessdate=March 3 | accessyear=2007] Fully loaded, it can carry 1,922 containers.cite web | title = T-AK 4296 Capt. Steven L. Bennett | url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/tak-4296.htm | work = globalsecurity.org| accessdate=February 25 | accessyear=2007]

The "Bennett", like all MSC container ships, is self-sustaining, meaning that it has cranes which allow it to move cargo without depending on shore-based equipment. This allows "Bennett" to fulfill its mission even in primitive, undeveloped or battle-damaged harbors.

Environmental control

As "Bennett" carries sensitive electronic cargoes in harsh environments for potentially years at a time, it requires advanced environmental controls. The most obvious is the cocoon, or white fabric shell that covers the ship from holds number nine to three. All ships in the "Bennett" class "feature climate-controlled cocoons on their weather decks that allow them to carry approximately 50 percent more cargo, while protecting the additional cargo from the marine environment."

In addition to the cocoon, "Bennett" uses Tidal Engineering Corporation's Control and Monitoring System (TECMS) which monitors and controls the cargo refrigeration and dehumidification controls, as well as providing administrative reports. [cite web|url=http://www.tidaleng.com/tecms.htm|title=TECMS|publisher=Tidal Engineering]

ee also

* List of Military Sealift Command ships
* List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

References

External links

*Psix_name|465459
* [http://www.sealiftinc.com/ Sealift Incorporated]
* [http://group.tnt.com/newsroom/historyofourcompany/index.asp TNT Company History]
* [http://www.mlaanz.org/docs/99journal3.html The Arrest of Martha II]
* [http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=13&type=ContainerShip Info Sheet] at Military Sealift Command
* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/docs/n19971113_971432.htm AFN Article] on Naming Ceremony