U.S.-flag lines prepare for major military equipment moves to Iraq

U.S.-flag lines prepare for major military equipment moves to Iraq

   U.S. military transportation officials want their U.S.-flag commercial liner carrier service providers to prepare for the next big wave of equipment headed for Iraq, the biggest since World War II.

   Brig. Gen. Mark Scheid, director of operations and deputy commanding general for the Military Traffic Management Command (recently renamed the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command), informed U.S.-flag carrier executives at a meeting in Alexandria, Va., Thursday that the military would require 299 vessel moves of combat equipment between the United States and Iraq from December to June 2004.

   During the next six months, the military plans to move fresh Army division troops and equipment for the second phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom, while bringing home those divisions that have been in Iraq since the start of operations in March.

   Scheid said the “surge deployment” of equipment headed for Iraq will occur Jan. 15-30, with 42 percent of the cargo loading in East Coast ports and 44 percent loading in Gulf ports, with the remainder loading at other U.S. ports.

   Military equipment heading back to the United States is expected to peak between mid-April and mid-May, Scheid said. MTMC estimates that 49 percent of this cargo will return via East Coast ports and 50 percent through Gulf ports. Scheid said about 14,000 containers will be returned to the United States.

   The top ports for handling this military cargo will be Beaumont and Corpus Christi, Texas; Charleston, S.C.; and Philadelphia. U.S.-flag liner carriers, which includes both container and roll-on/roll-off ships, will load and discharge overseas at Kuwait’s Ash Shuaybah port.

   Liner carriers attending the MTMC meeting, such as Maersk Line Ltd., American Roll On Roll Off Carrier, and APL, said they appreciated the briefing, but are worried about the handling of the massive job ahead.

   Eric Mensing, an APL executive, told MTMC officials at the meeting that he’s concerned about how well prepared the military is for this deployment. “Let us manage it,” he advised.