• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Maersk T & C Classes

Maersk Line, Limited owned and operated seven vessels in the commercial service. Four of the vessels (2 Maersk C class and 2 Maersk T class) were operated on time charter to A.P. Moller. The remaining three vessels were operated in the spot market carrying a combination of bulk, breakbulk, military and project cargoes worldwide. In addition to the seven owned vessels Maersk Line, Limited time charters nineteen US Flag vessels from US Ship Management of Charlotte, NC which were operated in liner services.

Caroline Maersk was renamed Maersk California, Clifford Maersk renamed Maersk Colorado, Thomas Maersk renamed Maersk Tennessee and Tinglev Maersk renamed Maersk Texas. All four were placed under the American Flag and crewed by the SIU with officers by AMO.

Maersk Line Ltd., of Norfolk, VA, employs American Maritime Officers in all licensed positions on four MSP containerships--the Maersk Texas, Maersk Tennessee, Maersk California and Maersk Colorado. Maersk Line Ltd. is the largest U.S.-flag carrier serving the foreign trades of the United States.

The T&C vessels carry containerized cargo. Rotations average 2 to 4 trips. Voyages last 84 to 96 days. Crew changes in Newark, NJ and Balboa, Panama. Three vessels operate on the West Coast of South America. One vessel operates on East Coast U.S. to South Africa.

On 25 September 2002 Maersk Line, Limited announced that it would purchase 4 modern Panamax G-Class vessels that it will operate under U.S. registry beginning in October 2002. Replacing four older and slower 1,500 TEU (twenty foot equivalent unit) vessels, each of the G-Class vessels has 4,300 TEU capacity and will be the most modern containerships in the U.S. flag fleet. Maersk Line, Limited will employ 19 American citizen merchant mariners to crew each vessel and all four vessels will be enrolled in the U.S. Government's Maritime Security Program.

The four Panamax G-class ships replace the smaller U.S.-flag containerships Maersk Texas, Maersk Tennessee, Maersk California and Maersk Colorado in the Maritime Security Program. The "Ts and Cs" shifted to commercial foreign trade markets under foreign flags and with foreign officers and crews. Maersk Line, Limited's continued investment in modernizing and upgrading its U.S. flag fleet increased the containership capacity and capability available to support the needs of the sealift readiness requirements of the U.S. military as well as commercial customers.