NASSCO T-AKEs ship order

has received a contract option from the U.S. Navy to build an additional ship under the T-AKE program, a new class of combat logistics force ships.

The $317 million contract brings the total number of T-AKE ships awarded to NASSCO to nine, and the total contract value to $2.8 billion. Options for three additional T-AKE ships remain available under the existing contract.

Fred Harris, president of NASSCO, said, "NASSCO has hired and trained hundreds of employees to build this class of ships, and this award will provide sustained employment for approximately 1,000 skilled NASSCO employees through 2009."

Exercise of this option brings NASSCO's backlog to ten ships, including the nine T-AKEs and the fourth of four double-hull oil tankers being built for BP Shipping Company of Alaska.

The T-AKE is a dry cargo/ammunition ship that will be operated by the US Military Sealift Command, providing logistic support from sources of supply either in port or at sea. The ships will transfer cargo - ammunition, food, fuel, repair parts, and expendable supplies and material - to station ships and other naval forces at sea.

T-AKEs will replace aging T-AE ammunition ships and T-AFS combat stores ships that are nearing the end of their service lives.

The T-AKEs are 210 metres (689 feet) in length and 32.2 metres (105.6 feet) in beam, with a design draft of 9.12 metre (29.9 feet). The ships can carry almost 7,000 metric tons of dry cargo and ammunition and 23,500 barrels of marine diesel fuel.