Navy Prepositioning Ship to Deliver Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Supplies to Haiti
U.S. Navy Maritime Prepositioning Ship USNS 1ST LT Jack Lummus is loading cargo at Blount Island Command, Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 18-19 in support of international disaster relief efforts underway in Haiti following the Jan. 12 earthquake.
Lummus is loading supplies and equipment from both the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as cargo from other U.S. government agencies.
USAID is providing more than 120 pallets of relief supplies, and more than 400 16-ounce bottles of propane for the shipment.
The Marine Corps is providing cargo to support the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit as it gives humanitarian assistance to the people of Haiti. The cargo includes dump trucks, bulldozers and other heavy equipment. The Marine Corps is also providing electrical generators, water purification units, lumber and building materials, and limited medical supplies.
In addition, the Army is providing three containers of port opening equipment, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing four medical resupply vehicles and more than 90 pallets of relief supplies, including kitchenware and plastic sheeting. The U.S. government is also providing containers carrying 24,000 gallons of gasoline and 24,000 gallons of diesel fuel.
The ship will also transport Navy lighterage – motorized and non-motorized barges – to transport the Lummus’ cargo to shore.
“The 673-foot Lummus, with 165,000 square feet of cargo-carrying capacity, was ideal for the no-notice mission,” said Mike Neuhardt, Maritime Prepositioning Ship project officer. “Lummus was already in port at Blount Island off-loading its cargo for scheduled maintenance.”
Ordinarily, Lummus and four other Maritime Prepositioning Ships comprise a Maritime Prepositioning Squadron that can carry sufficient equipment and supplies to sustain more than 15,000 Marine Expeditionary Brigade personnel for up to 30 days in the event of conflict.
The civilian-crewed ship is owned and operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command, and ordinarily operates out of Guam/Saipan. Lummus is expected to be loaded and underway for Haiti the evening of Jan. 19, and is expected to arrive in the vicinity of Port-au-Prince Jan. 22.
Lummus is one of 10 MSC ships mobilized to date in support of humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti. These ships include hospital ship USNS Comfort, fleet replenishment oiler USNS Big Horn, rescue and salvage ship USNS Grasp and dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Sacagawea. In addition, four ships have been activated from the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Ready Reserve Force to assist with the effort. When activated, these ships come under the operational control of MSC.
Military Sealift Command operates approximately 110 noncombatant, merchant mariner-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.