Photo By Strategic Communications DLA | Randolph Knight, a DLA Distribution Norfolk, Va., employee, unloads a truck laden with...... read more read more
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NORFOLK, Va. -- When a Navy cargo ship offloaded cargo from an overseas deployment in December, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Norfolk, Va., team members helped the ship’s crew finish a unique mission that saved thousands of dollars.
The USNS Sacagawea returned from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, where it dispensed ammunition, fuel and sustainment freight to Navy units in the region. As it left the United Arab Emirates, its base of operations there, the ship picked up an additional load of more than 340 pallets of low-priority, sustainment freight headed to the United States.
This type of freight is only authorized to be transported over water and typically stuffed into 40-foot commercial containers and offered to commercial ships for 45-day transit, which costs about $9,000 per container. As a military ship, the Sacagawea did not need to charge a fee to transport government-owned freightand could move the cargo in 15 days, which added up to savings of about $100,000.
When the Sacagawea arrived in Norfolk, DLA Distribution Norfolk, Va., offloaded pallets from the ship, transported them to a staging area, assisted Navy personnel in identifying and organizaing the freight, and arranged its transportation to destinations across the U.S.
The Ship Operations crew led the DLA Distribution Norfolk, Va., effort, removing pallets from the ship and the pier at Naval Station Norfolk. Using dual-crane operations with skids that hold six pallets at a time, the crew offloaded more than 340 pallets in five hours.
Workers also loaded flatbed trucks that were supplied and manned by DLA Distribution Norfolk, Va.’s Transportation Division. Four trucks moved the freight quickly out of rain that fell on the site during the operation.
Receipt, Storage, and Material Processing Center personnel staged the pallets and assisted with identifying and organizing the freight.
“This operation was a full-team effort by the professionals of DLA Distribution Norfolk, Virginia,” said Navy Capt. James Watts, DLA Distribution Norfolk, Va., commander. “With tight logistics schedules and austere budgets, our organization was proud to participate in an operation that reduced logistics response time while simultaneously reducing transportation costs. Once again, a DLA team proved they were ready and responsive to helping the naval warfighter.”
| Date Taken: | 01.12.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 01.18.2012 14:30 |
| Story ID: | 82526 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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