SERVICE: Navy (Military Sealift Command)
DESCRIPTION: Commercial dry cargo ships provide point-to-point transport of DOD equipment and supplies to U.S. military forces around the world.
BACKGROUND:
During peacetime, the Military Sealift Command transports more than 90 percent of DOD's dry cargo on regularly scheduled commercial ocean liners. However, for the more remote parts of the world not serviced by these liners, MSC charters some privately owned dry cargo ships from the U.S. merchant fleet. These ships are crewed by U.S. merchant mariners employed by commercial ship operating companies.
