The Navy’s first Military Sealift Command (MSC) ship completed maintenance work at a shipyard in India this month, after both governments said they would consider this cooperation in April.
MSC’s Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS
Charles Drew (T-AKE 10) conducted maintenance work at the Larsen & Toubro Ltd. shipyard in Kattupalli near Chennai, India from Aug. 7-17, the Navy said on Wednesday.
This is the initial result of the U.S. and Indian governments reviewing having Indian shipyards conduct maintenance on U.S. ships, an effort first announced during the fourth U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in April. At the time, a joint statement said the countries would explore the possibility of using Indian shipyards for the mid-voyage repair and maintenance of MSC ships (Defense Daily, April 15).
Then, in May, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday told a Senate panel the service sought to have the first MSC vessel repaired in India over the summer. At the time, he said the Navy had sent a team to India for a more detailed survey of using shipyards there for MSC work after his own recent visit to civilian shipyards in Mumbai (Defense Daily, May 20).
The Navy said the routine maintenance of T-AKE 10 included repairs to safety and crew habitability systems and equipment.
MSC is the Navy component of U.S. Transportation Command, responsible for national security-related transportation. It oversees125 civilian-crewed ships that replenish Navy ships, provide strategic sealift and logistical support, and strategically pre-position combat cargo across the world.
Beyond the dry cargo ship that performed this maintenance, MSC ships also include but are not limited to the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ships (EPFs); Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base ships (ESBs); the two Mercy-class hospital ships; the John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers (T-AO) and the Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ships.
“India’s initiative to offer logistics, repairs, and refits to the U.S. ships assumes special significance in furthering the strategic partnership between India and the United States, thereby promoting harmony in South Asia under the Indo-Pacific initiative,” Defense Secretary of India, Ajay Kumar, said in a statement.
When the Charles Drew first arrived in India, Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy at New Delhi Rear Adm. Michael Baker said this marked “another step forward in Indian and American maritime cooperation.”
“Our shipping industries positively contribute to a free and open Indo-Pacific by partnering to deliver effective, efficient, and economical repair of military vessels. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of this endeavor and where our partnership may go in the future,” Baker added.