PEARL HARBOR — Military Sealift Command (MSC) Combat Logistics Force (CLF) ships have concluded their support for Rim of the Pacific 2026, the world's largest international maritime exercise.
Since mid-June, the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200) and dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11) delivered nearly 8 million gallons of diesel marine fuel, more than 2 million gallons of JP-5 aviation fuel, and over 600 pallets of food, dry stores, mechanical parts and mail to 30 participating navies through 76 replenishments-at-sea evolutions.
With limited ability to refuel while in-port, the MSC CLF ships received their own fuel via consolidated cargo operations with the chartered tanker MT Torm Thor, which delivered nearly four million gallons during the exercise. The tanker replenishment events allowed the CLF ships to remain on station, providing logistic services to exercise participants as needed, without delay.
While moving cargo is a day’s work on an MSC CLF ship, the RIMPAC operations tempo is unlike a regular day, where a ship may service one or two ships. During RIMPAC, the CLF ships serviced nine ships a day, with underway replenishments (UNREP) conducted simultaneously on both port and starboard sides.
Recognizing potential communication barriers when working with foreign crews, MSC personnel proactively built relationships with participating sailors before getting underway. Officials noted that these early personal connections successfully bridged the language gap, ensuring smooth and efficient subsequent replenishment evolutions.
MSC coordinated closely with Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet and Commander, Task Force 173 throughout the exercise. The MSC Representative at Pearl Harbor managed pier space, cargo loadouts and scheduling for the replenishments. Five members of Military Sealift Command Pacific’s (MSCPAC) Headquarters Unit served as watch standers for CTF 173, providing comprehensive planning and coordination for each UNREP conducted during the exercise, including arranging and coordinating rendezvous locations and times for MSCs CLF ships and the MSC chartered tanker. In addition, nine Strategic Sealift Officers (SSO) also participated, with five SSOs supporting CTF-173 operations and four serving as liaisons between military commanders and civilian merchant vessels.
Hosted biennially by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), and executed by C3F, RIMPAC is a multinational maritime exercise that takes place in and around the Hawaiian Islands. Thirty nations, 30 surface ships, five submarines, 15 national land forces, more than 197 aircraft, and more than 30,000 personnel participated in RIMPAC from June 24 to July 31. As the world’s largest combined and joint maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that strengthens interoperability and fosters trust, cooperation, and shared values among allies and partners. These relationships contribute to the security of sea lanes and support a free and open Indo-Pacific. RIMPAC 2026 marked the 30th exercise in the series, which began in 1971.
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.05.2026 12:36 |
| Story ID: | 571645 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, MSC Ships Complete Logistics Support During RIMPAC 2026, by Sarah Cannon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
