USNS Arctic Receives First Fuel Management Excellence Award

Photo By LaShawn Sykes | NORFOLK (NNS) (Dec. 21, 2023) – Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8), the Navy’s largest combat logistic ship, accepted it’s, first-ever, Fuel Management Excellence Award, Dec. 15. MSC’s Director, Maritime Operations Mr. Christopher D. Thayer, centered, presented the award to the ship's Master, Capt. Dale P. Cramer. Recognized for being the best-of-the-best in the Afloat Capitalized Fuel Category, Arctic received its award as part of calendar year (CY) 2022 Excellence in Naval Fuel Management Recognition Program. This established program promotes excellence in fuel management and recognizes personnel and activities making the most significant contributions to Navy and Marine Corps fuel operations.  

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

12.21.2023

Story by LaShawn Sykes 

USN Military Sealift Command

NORFOLK (NNS) – Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8), the Navy’s largest combat logistic ship, accepted it’s, first-ever, Fuel Management Excellence Award, Dec. 15.

Recognized for being the best-of-the-best in the Afloat Capitalized Fuel Category, Arctic received its award as part of calendar year (CY) 2022 Excellence in Naval Fuel Management Recognition Program. This established program promotes excellence in fuel management and recognizes personnel and activities making the most significant contributions to Navy and Marine Corps fuel operations.

With MSC’s Director of Logistics Mr. Rick Adside on hand to read the award citation, MSC’s Director, Maritime Operations Mr. Christopher D. Thayer presented the award to Arctic’s shipmaster, Capt. Dale P. Cramer who accepted the award with much pride and admiration for his ship and crew. “Receiving awards always feels good because it helps boost ship's morale and gives those involved a sense of pride for their hard work and dedication,” Cramer said.

While the Arctic crew took great pleasure in celebrating the ship’s achievement, Cramer said, there were four crewmembers from the Supply, Deck, and Engineering cargo teams who were responsible for administering and managing the ship’s fuel operations in CY22. Those crewmembers who deserve a big thank you, he said, are Supply Officer Susan Clayton, Junior Supply Officer Sherri Golden, and Cargo Officers Gabrielle Marionakis and Benjamin Bailey.

Despite facing some fierce competition, Arctic was able to take its first win over both MSC and U.S. Navy ships in the Afloat Capitalized Fleet Category (Defense Fuel Supply Points), because Arctic excelled in the areas of fuel quality surveillance, safety, fuel accounting, and training, Adside said. In addition to executing 103 logistical support services with U.S. Navy and foreign navy ships, transferring 7,006 pallets of critical repair parts, mail, and general consumables, the Arctic crew safely delivered more than 25 million gallons of diesel marine fuel and JP-5 aviation fuel. “Having an excellent fuel management program benefits efficiency and productivity and, more importantly, ensures long-term sustainability. I am so blessed to have such an experience and dedicated team,” Cramer said.

What makes Arctic an invaluable asset to the Navy’s fleet is its speed, ability to carry all the essentials to replenish Navy ships, and its capacity to keep pace, with the carrier battle groups, at sea. Because of the ship’s speed, it can rapidly replenish Navy task forces while carrying more than 6.5 million gallons of bulk petroleum, 1,800 tons of ammunition, 250 tons of dry cargo, and 400 tons of refrigerated cargo.

Arctic is part of MSC’s Combat Logistics Force program, composed of 14 dry cargo and two fast combat ships (USNS Arctic and USNS Supply). Arctic is crewed by 170 Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARs) and a detachment of aviation personnel from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7.

While at sea, Arctic has maintained an excellent record in providing exceptional on-time logistics services to the Navy’s fleet. The ship uses two proven underway replenishment (UNREP) services – connected (CONREP) and vertical (VERTREP). Both methods can be used one at a time or at the same time. A CONREP involves two or more ships, steaming side by side, using hoses and tensioned wire ropes to transfer fuel, ammunition, supplies, and personnel. A VERTREP is the ability to supply seaborne vessels by helicopter.

MSC is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the U.S. Navy. It has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all U.S. military services as well as for other government agencies.

For more information about Military Sealift Command, visit Military Sealift Command.

• Date Taken: 12.21.2023
• Date Posted: 12.21.2023 11:55
• Story ID: 460565
• Location: NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US