Military Sealift Command chartered ship MT Evergreen State participated in training at the Underway Replenishment Test Site at Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme, Calif., Feb 12-15. The training was the first in a series that will qualify the ship for consolidated cargo (CONSOL) with MSC oilers and dry cargo/ammunition ships at sea.
Over four days, teams from the ship trained at the UNREP test site, with hoses, lines and fittings similar to the equipment on the ship that will be used in underway scenarios. Training included classroom instruction and hands-on exercises such as connecting phone and distance lines, spanwires, cargo hoses, and signaling. The controlled environment of the training facility allowed Evergreen State’s crew the opportunity to ask questions, make mistakes and gain confidences that will be transferred back to the ship and used in the next phase of training and in eventual missions.
“Being able to conduct this training here at the UNREP Test Site is essential to our future CONSOL operations,” explained Capt. Carl Fisher, Evergreen State’s contract master. Only 1 of the 21 crew onboard has done a CONSOL from a tanker to an oiler, so this training will teach the crews, but it will also make them comfortable and confident in their abilities. That makes all the difference when you are at sea and connected to another ship, the sea and the ships are moving, and the pressure is on.”
With the completion of their Phase I training, Evergreen State will return to her scheduled support of Defense Logistics Agency fuel deliveries on the east and west coasts of North America. In the future, the ship will participate in Phase II training, which will consist of at-sea evolutions with MSC Combat Logistics ships such as oilers. Phase II training puts into practice the skill learned in Phase 1, in the at-sea environment but without moving fuel. During this phase, trainers are onboard to continue to teach and evaluate with the ultimate goal of Phase III which will be to conduct fuel CONSOL operations.
Tanker to CLF operations demonstrate the renewed capability of refueling MSC’s fleet replenishment oiler ships via tanker ships at sea instead of from commercial fuel piers. The ability of an oiler to receive bulk cargo fuel at sea, from a tanker ship, gives MSC flexibility in obtaining products needed by Navy customers quickly and efficiently.
Since 2015, MSC’s ships have exercised CONSOLs between tanker ships and fleet replenishment oilers. In early April 2016, USNS Yukon (T-AO 202) and Empire State made history as they conducted the first underway replenishment between a State Class tanker ship and an MSC ship. On that day, Yukon received ten thousand gallons of fuel from Empire State, following two days of practice CONSOLs.
Once fully qualified, Evergreen State will join MT Empire State, USNS Gianella (T-AOT 1125) and MT Maersk Peary as MSC's CONSOL capable tankers.