SS ''Bellatrix'' (T-AKR 288) is an ''Algol''-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by 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 ...

as part of the Military Sealift Command's

Ready Reserve Force The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) consists of ships of the United States of America, mostly merchant vessels, that have been "mothballed" but can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping during national military emergencies ...

(RRF). She was built as a high-speed

container ship 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 intermodal ...

by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke, Emden, West Germany, hull no. 430, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS ''Sea-Land Trade'', USCG ON 545201, IMO 7236153.Cudahay 2006 p. 266 Due to her high operating cost, ''Sea-Land Trade'' was sold to the United States Navy in October 1981 as USNS ''Bellatrix'' (T-AK-288). In keeping with the pattern of the naming the ''Algol''-class ships after bright stars, the ''Bellatrix'' was named after Bellatrix, the third-brightest star in the constellation Orion.

Conversion

Conversion began on 22 October 1982 at National Steel and Shipbuilding in San Diego, California. Her cargo hold was redesigned into a series of decks connected by ramps so vehicles can be driven into and out of the cargo hold for fast loading and unloading. She was also fitted with two sets of two cranes; one set located at midship capable of lifting 35 tons, and another set located aft capable of lifting 50 tons. She was delivered to the Military Sealift Command in 1984 as USNS ''Bellatrix'' (T-AKR 288).

Service

When not active, ''Bellatrix'' is kept in reduced operating status due to her high operating cost. If needed, she can be activated and ready to sail in 96 hours. ''Bellatrix'' took part in the

Persian Gulf War 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: ...

in 1990. Along with the other seven ''Algol'' class cargo ships, she transported 14 percent of all cargo delivered 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 territorie ...

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 war. In early 2003, ''Bellatrix'' was activated to take part in

Operation Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

. On 1 October 2007, ''Bellatrix'' was transferred to the

. On 1 October 2008, she was transferred to the Ready Reserve Force, losing her USNS designation. If activated, SS ''Bellatrix'' will report to the Military Sealift Command. She is currently located in

Marrero, Louisiana Marrero is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. Marrero is on the south side (referred to as the "West Bank") of the Mississippi River, within the New Orleans– Metairie–Kenner metropolitan stat ...

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bellatrix Ships built in Rotterdam Cargo ships of the United States Navy Algol-class vehicle cargo ships 1973 ships Cold War auxiliary ships of the United States Gulf War ships of the United States