MV Baffin Strait (T-AK-W9519)

MV "Baffin Strait" (T-AK W9519) is a U.S.-flagged container ship owned and operated by TransAtlantic Lines LLC and on long-term charter to Military Sealift Command (MSC). Originally built in 1997 as the MV "Steamers Future" for Singapore's Keppel Corporation, she has had three owners, been registered under three flags, and been renamed nine times.

Since 2004, the ship, often called the "DGAR shuttle," has been tasked to deliver 250 containers every month from Singapore to Diego Garcia. [http://www.msc.navy.mil/N00p/pressrel/press07/press51.htm Change at the helm for MSC's Diego Garcia office] ] The "Baffin Strait" carries everything from fresh food to building supplies to aircraft parts, delivering more than 200,000 tons of cargo to the island each year.

The "Baffin Strait" is one of MSC's seven container ships and is part of the 28 ships in the Sealift Program Office. [http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=8&type=ContainerShip MSC Baffin Strait Page] ]

Ownership

The ship is owned and operated by TransAtlantic Lines LLC, an American shipping company based in Greenwich, Connecticut.Dun and Bradstreet, 2007.] This limited liability company was founded in 1998 by vice-president Gudmundur Kjaernested and president Brandon C. Rose.United States Court of Appeals, 2000.] The company owns and operates 5 vessels, including one tug-and-barge combination. Four of these vessels are chartered by the Military Sealift Command, and perform duties such as delivering cargo to the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and oil products to bases in the Western Pacific. TransAtlantic Lines has no collective bargaining agreements with seagoing unions.cite web |url=http://www.amo-union.org/newspaper/Morgue/11-2004/Sections/News/sagamore.htm |title= Non-union operator wins charter held by Sagamore |accessdate=2007-09-26 |author=American Maritime Officers |coauthors= |date=2004-11 |work=AMO Currents |publisher=]

The ship was originally built as MV "Steamers Future" for the Steamers Maritime Holdings Company of Singapore in 1997. [cite web |url=http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/list?search_op=OR&IDNo=9148520 |title=Miramar Ship Index |accessdate=2008-03-18 |author=Miramar Ship Index |date= |work=Miramar Ship Index |publisher=] [ [http://keppeltt.com.sg/investorrelations/pdfs/KTTar2003.pdf Keppel T&T Report to Shareholders, 2003. p.43] ] Steamers was a reinvention of the venerable Straits Steamship Company, founded in 1890, [http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history/Ja-Lo/Keppel-Corporation-Ltd.html Keppel Corporation Ltd.] ] which been acquired in 1983 by Singapore's Keppel Corporation.

As early as 1997, Keppel had begun to exit the shipping industry, and Steamers had changed its name to Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation. In March of 2004, Keppel announced the sale of "the entire Steamers fleet of 10 ships to Interorient for $90.9m in order to concentrate on core activities."cite web |url=http://www.carstenrehder.de/newstexts/zeitung076.htm |title=Interorient Navigation keeps seven Keppel feeders |accessdate=2008-03-18 |author=Trade Winds |date=2004-03-05 |work=carstenrehder.de |publisher=Trade Winds] Interorient kept 7 of these ships for use in its Mediterranean-based United Feeder Services (UFS) operation, but sold MV "Steamers Future" along with two other ships to Hamburg-based owner Carsten Rehder.

Carsten Rehder affiliate company Rehder & Arkon bought MV "Steamers Future" in April 2004, and renamed her MV "Baffin Strait". Rehder & Arkon chartered her for 6 months to Mariana Express Lines, and sold her to TransAtlantic Lines in late October 2004.cite web |url=http://www.rehder-arkon.de/ra/News/News39.htm |title=Rehder & Arkon sold MV BAFFIN STRAIT |accessdate=2008-03-18 |author=Rehder & Arkon |date=October 2004 |work=www.rehder-arkon.de |publisher=Rehder & Arkon] TransAtlantic Lines bought her for US$6.3M. [cite web |url=http://www.shiplink.info/images/sale2004_10.htm |title=October 2004 Sales |accessdate=2008-03-18 |author= |date= |work= |publisher=shiplink.info] [cite web |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/maritime/Scheepvaartnieuws/Pdf/scheepvaartnieuws/2004/okt/216.pdf |title= Sales|accessdate=2008-03-18 |author=Scheepvaartnieuws |date=2004-10-26 |work=Daily Shipping Newsletter |publisher=Vlierodam Wire Ropes Ltd.]

ealift charter

. [http://www.msc.navy.mil/N00p/pressrel/press07/press51.htm Change at the helm for MSC's Diego Garcia office] ] The ship carries everything from fresh food to building supplies to aircraft parts, delivering more than 200,000 tons of cargo to the island each year." On the return trip back to Singapore, she carries recyclable metals. [cite web |url=http://deparc.xservices.com/pdfs/stories/Navy/FY06_SW_Success_Stories.pdf |title=2006 Pollution Provention and Solid Waste Success Stories |accessdate=2008-03-18 |author=Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) |date=2007 |work= |publisher=U.S. Department of the Navy]

The Sealift Program Office's mission is to provide high-quality, efficient and cost-effective ocean transportation for the Department of Defense and other U.S. government agencies.cite web |url=http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/inventory.asp?var=PM5 |title=Ship Inventory: Sealift Ships |accessdate=2008-03-18 |author=Military Sealift Command |date= |work=msc.navy.mil |publisher=United States Navy] The program is divided into three project offices: Tankers, Dry Cargo, and Surge. Dry cargo is shipped by U.S.-flagged commercial ships. Approximately 80 percent of this cargo is transported aboard regularly scheduled U.S. commercial ocean liners. The other 20 percent is carried by four cargo ships under charter to MSC.

In 2004, TransAtlantic Lines outbid Sealift Incorporated for the contract to haul cargo between Singapore and Diego Garcia. The route had previously been serviced by Sealift Inc.'s "MV Sagamore" which was manned by members of American Maritime Officers and Seafarer's International Union. TransAtlantic Lines reportedly won the contract by approximately 10 percent, representing a price difference of about $2.7 million.

As a result of winning this contract, the US Navy gave the "Baffin Strait" the hull classification symbol (T-AK W9519). The T-AK series symbol is given to the seven container ships chartered by MSC but owned and operated by contractors.cite web |url=http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=8&type=ContainerShip |title=MV Baffin Strait|accessdate=2007-09-26 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date=2006-10-24 |work=Military Sealift Command Ship Inventory |publisher=Military Sealift Command]

The "Baffin Strait"'s current charter runs from January 10, 2005 to September 30, 2008 on a daily rate of $12,550 under contract number N00033-05-C-5500. [http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:pI2a9N5YqxsJ:www.procurement.msc.navy.mil/procurement/AttachmentViewer%3FsectionType%3DCommonDocumentSection%26id%3D5000008%26fileId%3D60006952+site:*.mil+Transpacific&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=51&gl=us MSC Procurement Spreadsheet] ]

Notes

Externalimages
align=right

http://funekichimurase.lolipop.jp/kamotsusenn-15.htm "Steamers Future" in 2001]
In 2001, the ship was named MV "Steamers Future".

http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=554232&cid=134 "Baffin Strait" near Singapore in 2007.]
MV "Baffin Strait" approaching the Bani Terminal in Singapore in December 2007.

http://www.rehder-arkon.de/ra/News/News39.htm "Baffin Strait" circa 2004]
"Baffin Strait" near the time she was purchased by TransAtlantic Lines in October 2004.Reflist

References

*cite web |url=http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/Federal/judicial/dc/opinions/99opinions/99-5088a.pdf |title=Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia |accessdate=2007-09-26 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date=2000-01-11 |work= |publisher=
*DNV_name|25708|MV "Baffin Strait"|summary
*Psix name|857734|MV "Baffin Strait"

ee also

*List of Military Sealift Command ships

External links

* [https://exchange.dnv.com/exchange/main.aspx?extool=company&subview=vesselsoperated&companyid=130339 TransAtlantic Lines LLC Company Profile at Det Norske Veritas]
* [http://absapps.eagle.org/safenet/record/record_vesselsearch?REG_OWNER_NAME=TransAtlantic Ships owned record at American Bureau of Shipping]
* [http://www.sddc.army.mil/sddc/Content/Pub/37532/FY07%20Charter%20Cargo%20Per%20Diem%20Definitions.pdf Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command 2007 Charter Cargo Billing Rates]
* [http://www.vesselmanagementservices.com/clients.html Vessel Management Services] crews the "Baffin Strait".
* [http://www.usaspending.gov/fpds/fpds.php?reptype=r&database=fpds&record_id=11923644&detail=3&datype=T&sortby=i Contract N0003305C5500 at USAspending.gov]
* [http://www.carstenrehder.de/start.htm Carsten Rehder company web site]
* [http://www.rehder-arkon.de/ra/introduction.htm Rehder & Arkon company web site]
* [http://www.interorient.com/ Interorient Navigation company web site]
* [http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg/articles/SIP_1056_2008-01-05.html Straits Steamship Company History]
* [http://www.mariana-express.com/ Mariana Express Lines]