Two of the fastest U.S. military cargo ships are stuck in the Port of Baltimore following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

“The Algol-class ships SS Antares and SS Denebola, known for their high speed and cargo capacity, are among those stuck,” Marine Insight reports.

“All ship movements were suspended in the Port of Baltimore, along with two more reserve sealift ships, when the bridge collapsed,” the outlet added.

According to The War Zone, the ships are on call to support U.S. military operations.

From Marine Insight:

The stranded vessels, SS Antares and SS Denebola are part of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) fleet administered by the Maritime Administration. Critical to military operations, these vessels go through an activation process that usually lasts five to ten days.

With top speeds of up to 33 knots, the Algol-class ships—first constructed in the 1970s—outperform traditional cargo ships by a wide margin.

However, concerns about their age and the difficulty of maintaining their Cold War-era steam propulsion systems exist. The Biden administration emphasizes rebuilding the navigation channel to limit economic consequences and maintain emergency preparation.

The War Zone noted that Algol class vessels are “some of the fastest cargo vessels of their general size anywhere in the world.”

The War Zone noted:

At the time of writing, the movement of ships in or out of the Port of Baltimore continues to be suspended indefinitely due to the incident yesterday, which also remains under investigation. Six members of a construction team that was working on the bridge when the Dali struck it are now presumed to have died. Two other workers from that team were rescued, one of whom was hospitalized. There have been no other reported casualties and authorities say a mayday call from the crew of the Dali helped prevent a larger disaster. The ship remains pinned under a collapsed section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and is severely damaged. What the timelines might be for clearing the channel and repairing the bridge is unclear.

“According to CEO of GCaptain and maritime journalist @johnkonrad, four Ready Reserve Force ships are stuck in the port — the SS Antares, MV Cape Washington, MV Gary I. Gordon, and the SS Denebola. He said the four ships being stuck is a ‘huge problem if a war starts [but] not much of a problem if the next few months are peaceful,'” Breitbart Pentagon correspondent Kristina Wong wrote.

“DOT Will Not Say How Many National Defense Reserve Fleet Ships Stuck,” Wong noted.

Per Breitbart:

Breitbart News has asked the Department of Transportation for answers regarding the country’s National Defense Reserve Fleet — a fleet of ships that could be used to support the military during war or emergencies, but the agency has been unable to respond.

According to another inventory list maintained by the DOT, as of January 31, 2024, there are 90 ships that are part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, with 53 of those part of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF). RRF ships are Maritime Administration vessels assigned to support U.S. military surge sealift requirements.

Six of those RRF ships — all roll-on/roll-off cargo ships — are assigned to Baltimore, according to the list. Those include the SS Antares, the MV Cape Washington, the MV Cape Wrath, the MV Charles L. Gilliland, the SS Denebola, and the MV Gary I. Gordon.

Breitbart News asked the DOT to confirm how many NDRF and/or RRF ships were stuck in Baltimore, but the agency has not responded.

Deputy Coast Guard Commandant Peter Gautier, during a White House press conference on Wednesday, said that there were “about a dozen ships” that remained in the port that were unable to get out, with the majority of those being foreign-flagged vessels. However, he added, “There are a number of Maritime Administration ships that are there as well.” Bloomberg reported there were at least 21 ships in the port.

 

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