Auxiliary Crane Ships (T-ACS)

Ten converted container ships fitted with twin 30-ton pedestal cranes, designed to discharge containerized cargo at ports without crane infrastructure. Named for states and crewed by civilian merchant mariners under the Military Sealift Command, the T-ACS fleet was part of the Ready Reserve Force - maintained in reduced status, ready to activate within five days. Desert Shield proved the concept when these ships deployed to Saudi Arabia and offloaded military cargo at overwhelmed ports. The answer to a logistics problem that most people never think about: what happens when the port you need doesn't have cranes?