The following article was released by the Department of Defense on March 21. Along with the USNS Roy P. Benavidez, the USNS Bobo and USNS Baldomero Lopez will also be traveling to the Gaza region to assist in the mission. All of these Military Sealift Command vessels are manned in licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
The Bob Hope-class M/V Roy P. Benavidez (T-AKR 306), a large, medium speed roll-on, roll-off ship, departed its pier in Newport News, Virginia, March 21, carrying heavy equipment and material needed to construct a temporary pier to support the flow of multinational humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The ship will anchor in the area to receive fuel prior to proceeding to the Mediterranean Sea.
M/V Roy P. Benavidez, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Ready Reserve Fleet, is transporting components for a floating modular pier system which will be delivered to the U.S. Army’s 7th Transportation Brigade who will construct the temporary pier in the Mediterranean.
This capability is known as Joint Logistics-Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS.
“JLOTS is a critical capability that allows ship-to-shore cargo distribution in the absence of a usable pier,” said Army Lt. Gen. John P. Sullivan, deputy commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM). “It can be used to augment an established port or to create a pier where one is needed and allows us to support areas where large populations are isolated from food, water, and other forms of humanitarian aid.”
JLOTS operations are part of USTRANSCOM’s strategic sealift mission.
Operated by Military Sealift Command for the current JLOTS mission, M/V Roy P. Benavidez is crewed by contracted merchant mariners and is a dry cargo surge sealift carrier capable of transporting up to 380,000 square feet of containerized cargo and rolling stock between developed ports.
“MARAD’s ability to activate the Ready Reserve Force vessel M/V Roy P. Benavidez is a hallmark of our strategic sealift capability,” said Maritime Administrator Ann C. Phillips. “Missions like this – supporting the Armed Forces, highlight the cornerstone capabilities MARAD delivers in support of interagency operations.”
American Maritime Officers members aboard the M/V USNS Roy P. Benavidez, here in New Port News, Va. in March, included (top row) Third Mate Dennis Hanley, Captain Brian Carroll, Cargo Mate Luis Correa, (bottom row) Chief Mate David Sturdevant, Electronics Officer Steven Barnett and Second Mate Philip Scott. Not seen in the photo is Third Mate Chenequa Moet.
The U.S. Army’s 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) loads vehicles onto M/V Roy Benavidez (T-AKR-306) March 15. The Navy and the Military Sealift Command will deploy Benavidez, a Bob Hope-class roll-on roll-off vehicle cargo ship to assist with logistics and humanitarian response mission tasking in support of the Army-led deployment of joint logistics over-the-shore (JLOTS).
The USNS Benavidez will transport parts that will be used to create a floating pier in Gaza to help deliver humanitarian aid to the war-torn region.
