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VESSELSUSNS Cesar Chavez Last month Military Sealift Commandaccepted delivery of its newest dry cargo/ammunition ship, USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14), during a short cere- mony at the General Dynamics NASSCO Ship Yard San Diego. The ship, which was christened May 5 in San Diego, hon- ors Cesar Chavez, an American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights ac- tivist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers. He is well known for his use of non-violent tactics that made the farm workers? struggle a moral cause with nationwide support."This is an historic day for MilitarySealift Command, as we accept into ourfleet the last ship in the T-AKE program,? said Capt. Sylvester Moore, commander, Military Sealift Command Pacific. ?Like the 13 ships that came before it, USNSCesar Chavez will be an important com- ponent in support of the United StatesNavy ships and missions around the world. Whether we are supporting an air- craft carrier or transporting humanitarianassistance and disaster relief supplies, theT-AKEs and all MSC underway replen- ishment ships bring to life the motto:MSC delivers," he said. The 689-ft. long ship is the 14th andfinal of the dry cargo/ammunition ships and is slated for use by MSC's CombatLogistics Force, or CLF. CLF ships de- liver ammunition, food, fuel and other supplies to U.S. and allied ships at sea,enabling the Navy to maintain a world- wide forward presence. The first 11 dry cargo/ ammunition ships are currently op- erating as part of MSC's Combat Logis-tics Force, delivering vital fuel, equipment and supplies to Navy warships at sea. The remaining three ships the T- AKE class are expected to be assigned to maritime prepositioning squadrons,which strategically place combat cargo at sea for rapid delivery to warfighters ashore."The delivery of Chavez marks a sig- nificant milestone for MSC - we are now at full capacity with our dry-cargo and ammunition ships and stand ready to sup-port a wide-range of Department of De-fense requirements,? said Rear Admiral Mark Buzby, Commander, Military Sealift Command. Grand Bahama Shipyard L I M I T E DServices Offered DryDocking & Fabrication ? Steel ? Structural Piping ? Electrical Blasting & Coating Engineering ? Surveying & Inspections Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas Ph: 1-242-350-4000 ? FX: 1-242-350-4010 Email: enquiries@gbshipyard.com Website: www.grandbahamashipyard.com QUALITY ? RELIABILITY ? LOCATION 90Maritime Reporter & Engineering News T-AKE 14 Delivered to MSC MR#11 (90-97) R:MR Template 11/5/2012 9:46 AM Page 90
