The MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett Maritime Vessel Overview

The MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett is a 300-foot cargo ship designed for efficient transportation of goods.

It has a gross tonnage of 6,500 tons and a deadweight tonnage of 8,000 tons.

With a beam of 52 feet and a draft of 24 feet, the vessel is well-suited for navigating through various ports.

The ship is equipped with a single screw propeller and a diesel engine, providing a top speed of 14 knots.

The MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett was a cargo ship with a unique design, known as a conbulker, which allowed it to carry both containerized and bulk cargo. This flexibility made it an invaluable asset for the Military Sealift Command.

Fully loaded, the ship could carry 1,922 containers. This impressive capacity made it a reliable choice for transporting cargo.

The ship's self-sustaining design, which included cranes for moving cargo, allowed it to operate independently in harbors that might not have had the necessary equipment. This feature was a game-changer for the Military Sealift Command, enabling the ship to fulfill its mission even in remote or damaged areas.

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Capt. Steven L. Bennett was built in 1984 as TNT Express. She was initially operated under charter by ABC Containerline N.V. of Antwerp, Belgium for the London-based company TNT until 1991.

ABC Containerline bought the ship in 1991 and renamed her Martha II. She was detained in Melbourne, Australia on February 14, 1996, due to ABC going into receivership.

Den norske Bank of Norway bought the ship later in 1996 and renamed her Sea Pride. Capt. Steven L. Bennett was given her final name on November 20, 1997, when she was bought by Sealift Incorporated of the United States.

Capt. Steven L. Bennett began her prepositioning service under MPS Squadron One in the Mediterranean in the first quarter of 1998.

Capt. Steven L. Bennett started her career in the Mediterranean Sea, supporting the prepositioning requirements of the Department of Defense by transporting U.S. Air Force ammunition.

The contract for this mission was awarded to Sealift Incorporated, a company based in Oyster Bay, New York, for $41,823,500, with the potential to increase to $47.4 million.

Capt. Bennett played a crucial role in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo in 1999, off-loading over two-thirds of her cargo in Nordenham, Germany, which was then distributed to various locations.

She successfully replenished the Air Force's stockpile in the region, demonstrating her importance in supporting military operations.

Capt. Bennett competed for and won a new five-year contract in fiscal year 2002, redeploying to the Mediterranean in October of that year.

She went on to support Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the global war on terrorism during fiscal year 2002, highlighting her versatility and reliability.

In 2003, Capt. Bennett delivered cargo to the Persian Gulf and continued on to Diego Garcia, showcasing her ability to navigate complex routes and deliver critical supplies.

The MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett is a impressive vessel, and let's take a closer look at its specs. It has a length of 623 feet.

Its gross tonnage is 45,800, which is a significant size for a ship. The MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett was built by the VT Halter Marine shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

It has a beam of 95 feet, which provides a decent amount of space for cargo and crew. The ship's draft is 27 feet, allowing it to navigate through various waterways.

The MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett has a top speed of 20 knots, which is relatively fast for a vessel of its size. It's powered by a single diesel engine, providing 28,000 horsepower.