Norfolk, Va. (May 16, 2026) – At long last, the familiar blue and yellow stripes around the top of the main smokestack appeared against the coastal sky, marking the successful completion of months of dedication and support to our naval forces.
Family and friends gathered on the pier at Naval Station Norfolk on May 16, 2026, to welcome home the crew of the USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196). The fleet replenishment oiler and its 92 civil service mariners returned after a 204-day deployment, which included 156 days actively at sea.
Operating in the U.S. Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Fleets, the crew served as a strategic enabler. They delivered more than 17.6 million gallons of fuel, 3,103 pallets of supplies, and transported 45 personnel, performing 113 replenishments to 29 U.S. and coalition vessels. As a floating warehouse, the ship enabled sustained operations during key missions, including Operations Southern Spear and Epic Fury.
"I would like to thank the Kanawha crew and their families," said U.S. Navy Capt. Elizabeth A. Nelson, commodore of Military Sealift Command (MSC) Atlantic. "The Kanawha was underway for seven long months. Without the support of their families, they would not have been able to accomplish their mission. Kanawha’s performance exemplifies how MSC’s Combat Logistics Force (CLF) powers modern naval operations, directly fueling U.S. Navy readiness at sea."
As part of MSC’s Combat Logistics Force, oilers, like Kanawha, are integral to the Navy’s logistics system, enabling combatant ships to remain forward deployed to protect American interests. CLFs are the backbone of sustained operations at sea, and the CIVMARs who operate these ships—resupplying the fleet with fuel, stores, and ammunition—are a strategic piece of Navy operations.
How Replenishments at Sea Works: Supplies transfer from CLF ships to combatant ships via underway replenishment (UNREP). The two primary methods are connected replenishment (CONREP), which transfers fuel and dry cargo via lines between ships sailing side-by-side, and vertical replenishment (VERTREP), which uses helicopters to ferry goods between the two vessels.
The Kanawha crew are real heroes, said Nelson. "Their MSC Family owes them a debt of gratitude for their sacrifice—not just for the delivery of fuel and spare parts, but for delivering letters and packages from home that keep the fleet motivated. MSC’s CIVMARS are the best because they fuel the fight with more than just cargo, they fuel it with care."
The Kanawha is the tenth ship of the Henry J. Kaiser-class and serves as a vital logistical asset for the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Crewed and operated by CIVMARs, the ship entered non-commissioned service with the U.S. Navy on Dec. 6, 1991, to support MSC. The ship is named after the Kanawha River in southwestern West Virginia.
Conducting thousands of replenishments at sea annually, MSC supports the U.S. Navy and partner nations. It operates 140-plus civilian-crewed ships that replenish Navy vessels, conduct missions, preposition combat cargo at sea, and move military supplies for deployed U.S forces and coalition partners.
To learn more about MSC’s enterprise visit: https://sealiftcommand.com/