SS ''Cape Island'' (AKR-10) was originally laid down for commercial service in 1976 as ''Illinois'', a

Type C7 ship The Type C7 ship ''(Lancer Class)'' is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for a cargo ship and the first US purpose-built container ship. The vessels were constructed in US shipyards and entered service starting in 1968. A ...

for the States Lines. It was launched and then needed to be used for military service transferred into the Naval Vessel Register (NVR) as the USNS ''Mercury'', as transport ship for vehicles, and other goods. The ship was returned to Crowley Liner Services of

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the c ...

, Florida. In 1993 the ship was permanently transferred to the navy's roll as a ready reserve ship, and renamed ''Cape Island'' (T-AKR-10). The ''Cape Island'' remains laid up in a ready reserve state so that it may be activated in five days, if called upon. The ship is currently moored in

Tacoma, Washington Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, Washington, Olympia, and northwest of Mount ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cape Island (T-AKR-10) Ships built in Bath, Maine 1976 ships

Further reading

References