MV Ascension

MV "Ascension" is an American-flagged general cargo and container ship with a capacity of DWT|4,152|metric|first=yes. Built in 1993, the ship was originally a Russian timber carrier. She was bought by Sealift Incorporated in 1998 and has been providing a cargo liner service between Cape Canaveral, Florida and Ascension Island ever since.

History

The ship was built in Turkey as the MV "Chekov" and originally used by Russian operators to carry timber.

Sealift Incorporated bought the ship specifically for the Ascension Island liner service. The first American crew embarked November 25, 1998 and the ship started its maiden voyage under the U.S.-flag on December 2, 1998. Departing from Port Canaveral, Florida, the voyage took took 15 days at an average speed of 12.5 knots and covered 4426 nautical miles. The voyage ended when the ship dropped anchor in Clarence Bay, Ascension on December 17, 1998.Haff 1998, "M.V. Ascension".] The original contract was for a period of three years.

On December 7, 1999 the "Ascension" rendered assistance to the French sailboat "Seneca".American Maritime Officers 2000, "Ascension Assists Boaters In Distress ".] The sailboat was en route to Guadeloupe from France had been becalmed for three days. In addition to providing 300 liters of fuel, the "Ascension" topped off the sailboat's water tank and provided cigarettes and soft drinks.

hip's complement

The ship's complement is the captain and members of the deck, engine, and steward's departments. As of 1998, the deck department consisted of the chief mate, the second mate, four able seamen, and two ordinary seamen The engine department consisted of the chief engineer, a first assistant engineer, a second assistant engineer, and 3 oilers. The steward's department consisted solely of one chief steward.

Route and cargo

The ship travels a dedicated liner route between Cape Canaveral, Florida and Ascension Island so as to arrive at the island at 60-day intervals. Ascension Island lies in the South Atlantic Ocean, east from Brazil and around 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from the coast of Africa. It is a dependency of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, which is 800 miles (1,287 km) to the south east. The Island is named after the day of its recorded discovery, Ascension Day.

, "News from Ascension Auxiliary Airfield (AAF)".]

In addition to carrying cargo, the crew of the "Ascension" has assisted in green sea turtle research, delivering tagged animals about 200 miles off the coast.Martin December 23, 1999, "News from Ascension Auxiliary Airfield (AAF)".] Broderick "et al." 2002, p. 3.] Ascension is the most notable nesting ground for "Chelonia mydas" in the Southern Atlantic Ocean.cite web | title =Green Sea Turtle ("Chelonia mydas") | work =North Florida Field Office | publisher =United States Fish and Wildlife Service | date =2005-12-29 | url=http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/SeaTurtles/Turtle%20Factsheets/Green-Sea-Turtle.htm | accessdate = 2007-02-21] On Ascension, annual nesting occurs in the volume of around 6,000 to 13,000 individual turtle nests.cite book | last =Seminoff | first =Jeffrey A. | authorlink =Marine Turtle Specialist Group | coauthors =et al. | title =IUCN 2002 Red List Global Status Assessment: Green Turtle ("Chelonia mydas") | publisher = of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) | date =2002
location = | pages =93 | url =http://www.seaturtle.org/PDF/Seminoff_2002_IUCNList.pdf | doi = ] cite journal | last =Godley | first =Brendan J. | authorlink = | coauthors =Annette C. Broderick and Graeme C. Hays | title =Nesting of green turtles ("Chelonia mydas") at Ascension Island, South Atlantic | journal =Biological Conservation | volume =97 | issue=2 | pages =151-158 | date =February 2001 | url = | doi =doi:10.1016/S0006-3207(00)00107-5 | accessdate = ] cite conference | last =Broderick | first =Annette C. | authorlink = | coauthors =Brendan J. Godley and Graeme C. Hays | title =Monitoring and conservation of marine turtles of Ascension Island: a sustainable resource | booktitle =Interim Report to Foreign and Commonwealth Office Environment Fund for the Overseas Territories | pages =13 pp. | date =2001 | url = | doi = | accessdate = ]

ee also

*Sealift Incorporated
*List of Military Sealift Command ships
*Container ship
*Bulk carrier

Notes

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=
*ABS name |465459|MV "Ascension"| accessdate=2008-05-05 |year=2008
*cite web |url=http://www.amo-union.org/newspaper/morgue/2-2000/Sections/Feature/ascension.htm |title="Ascension" Assists Boaters In Distress |accessdate=2008-05-06 |author=American Maritime Officers |authorlink=American Maritime Officers |coauthors= |date= |year=2000 |month= |format= |work=American Maritime Officer |publisher=American Maritime Officers |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=
*cite paper
author = Broderick, Annette C.
authorlink =
coauthors = Glen, Fiona; Godley, Brendhan J.; and Hays, Graeme C.
title = A Management Plan for the Turles of Ascension Island
version =
pages = p. 3.
publisher = Marine Turtle Research Group
date = 2002
url = http://www.seaturtle.org/mtrg/projects/ascension/Cover.pdf
format = PDF
id =
accessdate = 2008-05-06
*Psix name|486260|MV "Ascension"
*cite journal | author =Haff, Capt. Dana | title =M.V. Ascension | url =http://www.the-islander.org.ac/oldsite/1414.htm | date =1998-12-17 | journal = The Islander | volume = | issue = 1414 | pages = | publisher = The Islander Newspaper | location = Ascension Island | accessdate = 2008-05-05
*cite journal | author =Martin, Major Larry. | title =News from Ascension Auxiliary Airfield (AAF) | url =http://www.the-islander.org.ac/oldsite/1450.htm | date =1999-09-19 | journal = The Islander | volume = | issue =1450 | pages = | publisher = The Islander Newspaper | location = Ascension Island | accessdate = 2008-05-05
*cite journal | author =Martin, Major Larry. | title =News from Ascension Auxiliary Airfield (AAF) | url =http://www.the-islander.org.ac/oldsite/1465.htm | date =1999-12-23 | journal = The Islander | volume = | issue =1465 | pages = | publisher = The Islander Newspaper | location = Ascension Island | accessdate = 2008-05-05
*cite journal | author =Huxley, R. C. | title =From the Administrator's desk | url =http://www.the-islander.org.ac/oldsite/1431.htm | date =1999-04-26 | journal = The Islander | volume = | issue =1431 | pages = | publisher = The Islander Newspaper | location = Ascension Island | accessdate = 2008-05-05

External links

Externalimages
align=right

http://www.sealiftinc.org/photo4_ascn.html MV "Ascension" photo at Sealift Inc.]

http://www.the-islander.org.ac/oldsite/141414.jpgPhoto of the MV "Ascension"]
* [http://www.sealiftinc.com/ Sealift Incorporated]
* [http://www.seaturtle.org/mtrg/projects/ascension/ Marine Turtle Research Group Homepage for Ascension Island Turtle Project]
* [http://www.kalkavanshipyard.com/ Sedef Shipyard]