US Adds Large Vehicle Carrier to Support Maritime Security Program
Florida-based American Roll-On/Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC Group) is highlighting its recent addition of a large vehicle carrier to its U.S.-flagged fleet. The ship, which moved from the Swedish flag, will support commercial and government customers while adding further capacity to the Maritime Administration’s Maritime Security Program.
Built in 2011 at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea, the vessel had been operating for Wallenius Marine as the Figaro. Data show her ownership was transferred to ARC Group in June, and she entered the American register. ARC, which is a subsidiary of Norway’s Wallenius Wilhelmsen Group, supports the U.S. Government with a fleet of 10 vessels.
The addition of the new vehicle carrier, which was renamed ARC Freedom, expands the company’s capacity and adds a large new carrier. The ship is 231 meters (757 feet) and 31,143 dwt with a capacity of nearly 8,000 units. It has 13 vehicle decks, including five hoistable decks that will provide flexibility for various sizes and configurations of cargo.
ARC’s president and CEO Eric Ebeling said the name ARC Freedom was a fitting name for a vessel carrying the U.S. flag as America marked its 250th anniversary.
Large stern ramp gives the vessel good flexibility for cargo including helicopters (ARC Group)
“Adding the ARC Freedom to the U.S.-flag fleet is a major win for America’s national security,” said Captain Stephen M. Carmel, Administrator of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) at the U.S. Department of Transportation. “As a member of the Maritime Security Program, this vessel will deliver the rapid response our military depends on to keep America safe.”
The Maritime Security Program (MSP) maintains a fleet of commercially viable, militarily useful merchant ships active in international trade. The MSP fleet is available to support U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) sealift requirements, with MARAD currently authorized to have a total of 60 vessels in the program. Its authorization currently runs through September 30, 2035.
AMO provides manning for all the licensed positions on the ARC fleet (ARC Group)
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ARC highlights that the ship features a 6.5-meter-high (21-foot) main deck/door and a stern ramp capable of handling rolling loads of up to 320 metric tons. It says the vessel has the capability to transport a broad range of cargo, from automobiles and commercial equipment to heavy industrial cargo and military equipment, including the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and the CH-47 helicopter.
The American Marine Officers union celebrated the addition of the vessel, highlighting the placement of the master, deck, and engine officers from the union. The ARC U.S. flag fleet is manned in all licensed positions by AMO, and the fleet is managed by Tote Services. ARC has two other large, nearly 8,000-unit vessels in service, as well as others in the 6,350 to 6,736 unit range.
