Posted:
November 4, 2008
The following article was provided by Capt. Kirk Rhoda, master of the USNS Able. The USNS Able is operated for Military Sealift Command by Maersk Line Limited and is manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
The USNS Able has made a courageous and sometimes challenging journey and is once again part of the active T-AGOS fleet, following a departure from the fleet and more than four years in lay up at the Naval Docks in Philadelphia.
Her journey began when she was towed from Philadelphia to Detyens Shipyard in Charleston, S.C., March 23, 2007. There were two major phases the Able encountered during her stay in Detyens Shipyard. Not only did she go through an extensive reactivation, but she also underwent a major conversion. The conversion involved cutting a large hole in the middle of the ship for installation of new operational equipment. The conversion also involved building an entirely new house on the deck over the new area of operation.
After 7 1-2 months in Charleston, the Able was towed to Norfolk, Va., where the final stages of the reactivation and conversion continued. On Jan. 25, 2008, under the guidance of Capt. Kirk Rhoda with Chief Engineer James Taralli and an enthusiastic crew, the USNS Able left Norfolk to travel through the Panama Canal and arrived in San Diego, Calif., March 5, 2008.
More conversion and reactivation work was performed in San Diego, Port Hueneme and, eventually, Hawaii. When in Hawaii, the USNS Able participated in a fleet exercise with outstanding results.
Chief Engineer Taralli was with the project starting April 1, 2007, in Charleston, overseeing the reactivation/conversion until his departure June 3, 2008, in Port Hueneme for a well-deserved vacation.
Once again, Capt. Rhoda and Chief Engineer Taralli teamed up with an enthusiastic crew and left Hawaii Sept. 5 and finally arrived in Japan Sept. 23. Presently, the USNS Able has joined her sister ships and is making her first official mission since 2002.
USNS Able returns to service following major conversion
The following article was provided by Capt. Kirk Rhoda, master of the USNS Able. The USNS Able is operated for Military Sealift Command by Maersk Line Limited and is manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
The USNS Able has made a courageous and sometimes challenging journey and is once again part of the active T-AGOS fleet, following a departure from the fleet and more than four years in lay up at the Naval Docks in Philadelphia.
Her journey began when she was towed from Philadelphia to Detyens Shipyard in Charleston, S.C., March 23, 2007. There were two major phases the Able encountered during her stay in Detyens Shipyard. Not only did she go through an extensive reactivation, but she also underwent a major conversion. The conversion involved cutting a large hole in the middle of the ship for installation of new operational equipment. The conversion also involved building an entirely new house on the deck over the new area of operation.
After 7 1-2 months in Charleston, the Able was towed to Norfolk, Va., where the final stages of the reactivation and conversion continued. On Jan. 25, 2008, under the guidance of Capt. Kirk Rhoda with Chief Engineer James Taralli and an enthusiastic crew, the USNS Able left Norfolk to travel through the Panama Canal and arrived in San Diego, Calif., March 5, 2008.
More conversion and reactivation work was performed in San Diego, Port Hueneme and, eventually, Hawaii. When in Hawaii, the USNS Able participated in a fleet exercise with outstanding results.
Chief Engineer Taralli was with the project starting April 1, 2007, in Charleston, overseeing the reactivation/conversion until his departure June 3, 2008, in Port Hueneme for a well-deserved vacation.
Once again, Capt. Rhoda and Chief Engineer Taralli teamed up with an enthusiastic crew and left Hawaii Sept. 5 and finally arrived in Japan Sept. 23. Presently, the USNS Able has joined her sister ships and is making her first official mission since 2002.