The ''Cape Ducato'' class are five

roll-on/roll-off Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their ...

vehicle cargo ships of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

used to rapidly transport US military unit equipment such as tanks, helicopters, wheeled vehicles and other heavy equipment, to support deployed forces worldwide. Built by Eriksbergs MV AB of

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

and the Ateliers et Chantiers de France between 1971 and 1973, the ships served commercially before being purchased by the

United States Maritime Administration The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is an Government agency#United States, agency of the United States Department of Transportation. MARAD administers financial programs to develop, promote, and operate the United States Maritime ...

(MARAD) in late 1985 from the Barber Steamship Company. All five ships are currently berthed at

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

as part of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) in Reduced Operational Status "ROS-5", which allows for a transition to full operating status within five days under the

Military Sealift Command The Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all U ...

Ships

* . Laid down in 1972, as MV ''Barranduna'' by Eriksbergs MV, Sweden. Acquired by MARAD, 18 November 1985. * . Laid down, c. 1972–1973, as MV ''Lalandia'' by Eriksbergs, Sweden. Purchased from Barber Steamship Co. by MARAD, 11 November 1985. * . Laid down in 1971–1972, as MV ''Tarago'' by Ateliers et Chantiers de France. Purchased from Barber Steamship Co. by MARAD, 28 October 1985. * . Laid down in 1972 as MV ''Tombarra'' at Eriksbergs MV AB, Sweden. Purchased from Barber Steamship Co. by MARAD, 10 October 1985. * . Laid down in 1972 as MV ''Tricolor'' by Ateliers et Chantiers de France. Purchased from Barber Steamship Co. by MARAD, 16 October 1985.

Service history

In 1998, after

Hurricane Mitch Hurricane Mitch was an extremely deadly and catastrophic Atlantic hurricane, which became the second-deadliest tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin on record. Mitch caused 11,374 fatalities in Central America in 1998, including approximately ...

, ''Cape Ducato'' was one of several ships that transported construction materials to

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

. In March 2003 ''Cape Ducato'' and ''Cape Douglas'' were part of a six ship force ferrying part of the 4th Infantry Division to join the

Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...

. All five ships of the class were activated in support of

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

References

{{Cape Ducato class vehicle cargo ship Ro-ro ships Auxiliary ship classes of the United States Navy Auxiliary transport ship classes