SS Denebola (T-AKR-289)
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SS ''Denebola'' (T-AKR 289) 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 Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US m ...
'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 Rotterdamsche D.D.Mij N.V. in
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
,
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, hull no. 332, for
Sea-Land Service, Inc. SeaLand, a division of the Maersk Group, is an American intra-regional container shipping company headquartered in Miramar, Florida with representation in 29 countries across the Americas. The company offers ocean and intermodal services using ...
and named SS ''Sea-Land Resource'', USCG ON 550723, IMO 7325253.Cudahay 206 p. 265 Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy in October 1981 as USNS ''Denebola'' (T-AK-289). In keeping with the pattern of the naming the ''Algol''-class ships after bright stars, the ''Denebola'' was named after
Denebola Denebola is the second-brightest star in the zodiac constellation of Leo.The two components of the γ Leonis double star, which are unresolved to the naked eye, have a combined magnitude brighter than it. It has the Bayer designation ...
, the third-brightest star in the constellation Leo.


Conversion

Conversion began on 22 November 1983 at Pennsylvania Shipbuilding in
Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester is ...
. 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 Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US m ...
on 10 October 1985 as USNS ''Denebola'' (T-AKR 289).


Service

When not active, ''Denebola'' 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. ''Denebola'' 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 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 1994, ''Denebola'', along with USNS ''Capella'' (T-AKR-293), worked with
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
forces on convoy exercises in the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
. On 1 October 2007, ''Denebola'' was transferred to 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 ...
. On 1 October 2008, she was transferred to the Ready Reserve Force, losing her USNS designation. If activated, ''Denebola'' will report to the
Military Sealift Command Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US m ...
and change her prefix designation from SS to
USNS United States Naval Ship (USNS) is the prefix designation given to non- commissioned ships that are property of the United States Navy (USN). Definition United States Naval Ships are unarmed auxiliary support vessels owned by the U.S. Navy ...
. Together with sistership SS Antares, ''Denebola'' resides in Baltimore harbor (June, 2022).


References

U.S. Coast Guard District 5 Local Notice to Mariners Week 49/20 8 DEC 20, at page 25 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Denebola Ships built in Rotterdam Algol-class vehicle cargo ships 1973 ships Cold War auxiliary ships of the United States Gulf War ships of the United States