The ''Algol''-class vehicle cargo ships, also known as Fast Sealift Ships (FSS) or SL-7s, are currently the fastest cargo ships in the world, capable of speeds in excess of . Originally built in 1972 and 1973 as high-speed
container ships
A container ship (also called boxship or spelled containership) is a cargo ship that carries all of its load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. Container ships are a common means of commercial intermoda ...
known as SL-7's for
Sea-Land Services, Inc., the ships' high operating costs limited their profitability. All eight ships were acquired by the
US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
in 1981 and 1982, with the last ship converted, delivered to and placed in service with
Military Sealift Command in 1986. The conversion entailed the installation of four cranes, addition of
roll on/roll off capability and a redesign of the cargo hold to better facilitate storage of vehicles. Due largely to their high cost of operation, all fast sealift ships are kept in Reduced Operating Status, but can be activated and ready to sail in 96 hours. All ships are named after bright stars in the night sky.
Service
All eight ships took part in Operations
Desert Shield and
Desert Storm
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
, delivering thirteen percent of all the cargo transported between the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
during and after the Persian Gulf War. Fast sealift ships have taken part in Operations
Restore Hope
The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative (code-named Operation Restore Hope), U ...
,
Joint Guardian
The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Its operations are gradually reducing until Kosovo's Security Force, established in 2009, becomes self sufficient.
KFOR entered Kosovo on 11 June 1999, two days ...
,
Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
and
Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق ( Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict and the War on terror
, image ...
in addition to humanitarian relief efforts across the globe.
On 1 October 2007, the
United States Maritime Administration
The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. MARAD administers financial programs to develop, promote, and operate the U.S. Maritime Service and the U.S. Merchant Marine. Det ...
began operating all eight FSS. All eight were transferred to the
Ready Reserve
The Ready Reserve is a U.S. Department of Defense program which maintains a pool of trained service members that may be recalled to active duty should the need arise. It is composed of service members that are contracted to serve in the Ready Rese ...
on 1 Oct. 2008. At this time their USNS designations were replaced with SS designations as they were no longer US Navy Ships.
Antares propulsion failure
From
GlobalSecurity.org
GlobalSecurity.org is an American nonpartisan, independent, nonprofit organization that serves as a think tank, and research and consultancy group. Focus
The site is focused on national and international security issues; military analysis, syste ...
:
:''Unfortunately, one FSS, the Antares, failed off the East coast of the United States with a considerable amount of the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) equipment and 100 soldiers aboard. The ship was towed to Rota, Spain by the ocean-going tugboat Apache. Some of the cargo was airlifted to Saudi Arabia but most had to be unloaded and reloaded by the soldiers and Seebees aboard the FSS USNS Altaire returning from her initial voyage. This cargo arrived about three weeks later than planned. (Before the war, the Antares had been scheduled for major overhaul, but this was delayed. Thus a degree of risk was accepted in the decision to use Antares to speed the deployment.)''
Fast Sealift Ships
*
SS ''Algol'' (T-AKR-287) (formerly SS ''Sea-Land Exchange'')
*
SS ''Bellatrix'' (T-AKR-288) (formerly SS ''Sea-Land Trade'')
*
SS ''Denebola'' (T-AKR-289) (formerly SS ''Sea-Land Resource'')
*
SS ''Pollux'' (T-AKR-290) (formerly SS ''Sea-Land Market'')
*
SS ''Altair'' (T-AKR-291) (formerly SS ''Sea-Land Finance'')
*
SS ''Regulus'' (T-AKR-292) (formerly SS ''Sea-Land Commerce'')
*
SS ''Capella'' (T-AKR-293) (formerly SS ''Sea-Land McLean'')
*
SS ''Antares'' (T-AKR-294) (formerly SS ''Sea-Land Galloway'')
References
External links
United States Navy Fact File: Fast Sealift Ships – T-AKR*
ttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/takr-287.htm Globalsecurity.orgbr>
Military Sealift Command fact sheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Algol Class Vehicle Cargo Ship
Auxiliary ship classes of the United States Navy
High speed vessels of the United States Navy
Auxiliary transport ship classes