US pre-positioning ship USNS Fisher calls at Durban

Sep 12, 2006
Author: P&S

One of the Bob Hope class US Navy Ships of the Military Sealift Command, USNS Fisher slipped into Durban this morning to load bunkers and supplies

It’s been a while since the last pre-positioning ship called at Durban. Cape Town has had the most of recent visits although these have also been scarce in recent weeks. The shortage of bunkers at Cape Town is probably the reason why this ship has come to Durban despite a shortage in Durban as well.

USNS Fisher (T-AKR 301) is a large ship by any measure, having a LOA of 298.5m and a beam of 32.3m. She displaces 62,096 tons fully loaded and her propulsion comes from four diesel engines driving two shafts and producing 65,160 bhp to give a top speed of 24.9 knots.

Apart from her considerable cargo space USNS Fisher can carry 300 troops. The seven ships in this class, known as the Bob Hope class from the lead ship USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR 300), are similar to the Watson class but are powered by diesels rather than gas turbines as with the Watson class.

USNS Fisher was built in 1999.