Identify Boat

[nlktx49]

Last month on the Dream we were docked in Key West. On the Lido deck we saw this boat out the window, and wondered what it was. A lot of people were looking at it but no one knew what it was. Not the best photo, but does anyone know what it is?

[ColeThornton]

That would be the USNS Burlington.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_expeditionary_fast_transport

[rockwall_cruiser]

This may be a ship that transports automobiles.

 

[Marine91]

That is the USNS Burlington. It is a Spearhead class expeditionary transport ship.

[ColeThornton]

14 minutes ago, Marine91 said:

That is the USNS Burlington. It is a Spearhead class expeditionary transport ship.

 

 

Wish I had said that.  lol

[Bgwest]

1 hour ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Wish I had said that.  lol

You did!!!🤙🏻

[sparks1093]

Interesting, glad to see Burlington, VT recognized.

[nlktx49]

On 5/23/2022 at 10:59 AM, ColeThornton said:

That would be the USNS Burlington.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_expeditionary_fast_transport

Thanks! Very interesting. We figured it was some type of transport boat with the ramp-looking front. Found more info on it, it was completing fleet experimentation events in Key West April 22-27.  It was April 23 when I took this picture.

[nlktx49]

On 5/23/2022 at 11:03 AM, Marine91 said:

That is the USNS Burlington. It is a Spearhead class expeditionary transport ship.

Thanks, that helped me find more information about it.

 

[Retiredmedic]

That is used to transport the men's department of U.S. Navy aka U.S. Marine Corps.

[sparks1093]

11 hours ago, Retiredmedic said:

That is used to transport the men's department of U.S. Navy aka U.S. Marine Corps.

They are their own force now having broken off from DON many, many years ago. Still, the acronym is accurate- Marines Always Ride In Navy Equipment 😉. Semper Fi! (I read up on this vessel because my first ship was an LST and it looks like this is a replacement for that platform, at least in part.)

[d12j28]

3 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

They are their own force now having broken off from DON many, many years ago. Still, the acronym is accurate- Marines Always Ride In Navy Equipment 😉. Semper Fi! (I read up on this vessel because my first ship was an LST and it looks like this is a replacement for that platform, at least in part.)

They are their own force but still operate under The Department of the Navy. 

[stingray310]

This reminds me of a picture of a vessel I saw on my cruise in March, I know it's not a very good picture, but it kind of looked like it may have been military but I wasn't for sure. It seemed like it was possibly being towed by another smaller boat that was out of the picture to the left. Does anybody have any idea what this could be?

 

[Retiredmedic]

3 hours ago, stingray310 said:

This reminds me of a picture of a vessel I saw on my cruise in March, I know it's not a very good picture, but it kind of looked like it may have been military but I wasn't for sure. It seemed like it was possibly being towed by another smaller boat that was out of the picture to the left. Does anybody have any idea what this could be?

 

If there was a type of tub either pulling it or pushing it is most likely a lightering barge. 

[chengkp75]

5 hours ago, stingray310 said:

This reminds me of a picture of a vessel I saw on my cruise in March, I know it's not a very good picture, but it kind of looked like it may have been military but I wasn't for sure. It seemed like it was possibly being towed by another smaller boat that was out of the picture to the left. Does anybody have any idea what this could be?

 

That is a Crowley triple deck RO/RO (roll on/roll off) barge used to move containers from the US East Coast to Puerto Rico.  It loads semi-trailers, and at each port there are ramps so the tractors can come on the barge, hook up to the trailer, and drive it off.

[stingray310]

I think it was being towed by a tug, which was way out in front of it, or it was being escorted. It was the same gray color as navy ships and was as long as the cruise ship but only about half as tall. It was totally flat on top like an aircraft carrier just with nothing up  on top like one. It looked like it either had an "8" or a "B" on the side of it. It was something that I had never seen before either on the ocean or in  a port on any of my cruises. I just thought one of the military or maritime folks on here might be able to identify it for me. It sure had me stumped.

 

Thanks,

[stingray310]

4 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

That is a Crowley triple deck RO/RO (roll on/roll off) barge used to move containers from the US East Coast to Puerto Rico.  It loads semi-trailers, and at each port there are ramps so the tractors can come on the barge, hook up to the trailer, and drive it off.

Ok, thanks for identifying that for me, I was hoping you would see my post and reply, I thought you might know what it was based on some of your previous post I've read  of yours. I was stumped when I saw it.

 

Thanks,

[chengkp75]

9 hours ago, stingray310 said:

Ok, thanks for identifying that for me, I was hoping you would see my post and reply, I thought you might know what it was based on some of your previous post I've read  of yours. I was stumped when I saw it.

 

Thanks,

Those barges are unpropelled, and unmanned.  The tug is on a typical ocean-going "long line" tow, where the catenary (droop) of the tow line acts as a shock absorber when the tug and barge are not on the same wave.

 

The catamaran ship in the OP's post, and the class of transport ships are the same as the "Bimini Superfast" ferry and "The Cat" ferry in Bar Harbor, and the short lived "Hawaii Superferry" (which have been taken over by Military Sealift Command).