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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

MV Cape Ray (AKR-9679)

Cape R Class Roll-on/Roll-off ship:

Built in 1977 as MV Seaspeed Asia by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan

Launched, date unknown

Placed in commercial service, date unknown, by National Ship Co. of Saudi Arabia

Renamed MV Saudi Makkah, date unknown

Acquired, 29 April 1991, by the US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration

Renamed MV Cape Ray, 1 February 1994

Assigned to MSC Ready Reserve Force, 17 December 1994, as MV Cape Ray (AKR-9679)

Operated under contract by Keystone Shipping Co., Bala Cynwyd, PA.

When activated MV Cape Ray (AKR-9679) is one of the Maritime Administrations 31 Roll-on/Roll-off Reserve Force Ships assigned to the US Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) Sealift Program Office

MV Cape Ray is maintained in a layberth at Portsmouth, VA. in ROS-5

Specifications:
Displacement 12,872 t.(lt) 35,357 t.(fl)
Length 648'
Beam 105' 6"
Draft 33' (max)
Speed 17.6 kts.
Cargo Capacity 132,209 sq. ft.

Complement

Full Operational Status 25

Reduced Operational Status 9

Armament none

Propulsion

two medium speed MAN V Diesel engines

two shaft generators and two auxiliary generators

two propellers, 17,350shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
	18k	*MV Cape Ray* (AKR-9679)** moored in the Reserve Fleet, Portsmouth, VA., date unknown MARAD photo	US Maritime Administration
	280k	*MV Cape Ray* (AKR-9679)** moored at Moon Engineering Co, near Norfolk, VA. US Navy photo # 940826-N-ZZ999-101 PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Aug. 26, 1994) by Don S. Montgomery.	Lee Wahler
	32k	*MV Cape Ray* (AKR-9679) and MV Cape Rise. (AKR-9678)** moored at Moon Engineering Co, at Norfolk, VA. 13 December 2013 US Navy photo.	Ron Reeves
	281k	Aerial view of Moon Engineering Co. pier at Norfolk, VA. with various vessels tied up. From left to right is the guided-missile destroyer *USS Arleigh Burke* (DDG-51), the Maritime Administration Reserve Force Ships MV Cape Race (AKR-9660), MV Cape Ray (AKR-9679) and MV Cape Rise (AKR-9678)** US Navy photo # 950122-N-ZZ999-101 PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Jan. 22, 1995) by Robert J. Sitar.	Lee Wahler
	28k	*MV Cape Ray* (AKR-9679)**, 7 December 2013, was leased by the Navy through U.S. Military Sea Lift Command to field a ship-borne chemical weapon disposal facility to neutralize of Syrian chemical weapons at sea.	Tommy Trampp
	155k	*MV Cape Ray* (AKR-9679)** departs General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk shipyard for sea trials. US Navy photo # 140110-N-WX580-095 PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Jan. 10, 2014) by MC3 Lacordrick Wilson.	Robert M. Cieri
	195k	*MV Cape Ray* (AKR-9679)** departs General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk shipyard for sea trials. US Navy photo # 140110-N-XB010-088 PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Jan. 10, 2014) by MCSN Desmond Parks.	Lee Wahler
	255k	*MV Cape Ray* (AKR-9679)** performs sea trials off the coast of Virginia prior to deploying to the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The Cape Ray is modified to dispose of Syrian chemical weapons in accordance with terms Syria agreed to in late 2013. US Navy photo # 130110-N-ZR315-101 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 10, 2014) by MC1 Isaiah Sellers.	Lee Wahler
140213-N-TM034-067 ROTA, Spain (Feb. 13, 2014)	240k	*MV Cape Ray* (AKR-9679)** arrives at Naval Station Rota, Spain for a scheduled port visit. The vessel was modified to contribute to the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons joint mission to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons materials. US Navy photo #'s 140213-N-TM034-067 ROTA, Spain (Feb. 13, 2014) by MCC Mikel Bookwalter 140213-N-UI568-385 ROTA, Spain (Feb. 13, 2014) by Morgan Over 140213-N-TM034-066 ROTA, Spain (Feb. 13, 2014) by MCC Mikel Bookwalter	Robert M. Cieri
140213-N-UI568-385 ROTA, Spain (Feb. 13, 2014)	124k
140213-N-TM034-066 ROTA, Spain (Feb. 13, 2014)	214k
	187k	The Danish cargo ship MV Ark Futura transfers containers to *MV Cape Ray* (T-AKR 9679) at the Medcenter Container Terminal, Gioia Tauro, Italy. Cape Ray** is tasked with the neutralization of specific chemical materials from Syria in accordance with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) guidelines while operating in international waters. US Navy photo # 140702-N-XB010-022 GIOIA TAURO, Italy (July 2, 2014) by MCSN Desmond Parks.	Ron Reeves
	168k	Left to right; *MV Cape Race* (AKR-9960), MV Cape Ray (AKR-9679 and MV Cape Rise (AKR-9678)** moored pierside in their layberths at Portsmouth, VA., 22 September 2017	Photos by Hugh Hudson III
	203k
	194k

There is no DANFS history available for MV Cape Ray (AKR-9679) at NavSource

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Data Base
U.S. Ship Readied for Chemical Weapons Mission in Mediterranean Maritime-Executive.com
Portsmouth ship nearly ready for mission in Syria, PilotOnline.com

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 10 November 2017