Sealift Ship

National Steel and Shipbuilding Company has been awarded a $230 million contract to build its eighth Large Medium Speed Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) ship under the U.S. Navy's Strategic Sealift Program. The contract completes the 20-ship LMSR program, which NASSCO has shared with other American shipbuilders. NASSCO has now won contracts for eleven of the vessels, three conversions and eight new construction.

The new construction strategic sealift ships are assigned to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, carrying U.S. Army combat equipment, vehicles and supplies near potential areas of conflict around the world. The ships also provide surge sealift support of remote military actions. Their multi-use capabilities make these cargo ships among the most flexible ever built. The ships are 950 feet in length and contain 390,000 square feet of cargo carrying space.
The propulsion plant consists of two GE LM-2500 gas turbines with an output of 32,000 BHP each and two 24' controllable pitch propellers. The ships’ electrical power plant has 12,500 KW service generating capability and 2,000 KW emergency generating capacity.

Design speed is 24 knots (90% MCR at design draft) and the range is 13,800 miles at design speed and draft.