MV American Tern

American Tern (T-AK-4729)
History
United States
Name
  • Serenity (1990–1996)
  • Kariba (1996–1997)
  • Torm Africa (1997–1999)
  • Kariba (1999–2000)
  • Lykes Flyer (2000)
  • Kariba (2000)
  • Kota Agung (2000–2002)
  • Kariba (2002)
  • American Tern (2002–2011)
  • Tern (2011)
BuilderVEB Schiffswerft Neptun, Rostock, Germany [1]
Launched16 December 1989
Out of service2010
Identification
FateScrapped in 2010
General characteristics [2]
TypeContainer ship
Tonnage13,382 gt 17,175 dwt
Displacement8,650 long tons (8,789 t)
Length521 ft (159 m)
Beam76 ft (23 m)
Draft33 ft (10 m)
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement21 contract mariners

MV American Tern (T-AK-4729) is a container ship managed by APL Maritime. Formerly the Liberian-flagged Kariba, the vessel was renamed American Tern under the United States flag in 2002. Since then, the American Tern has been chartered by the United States Navy Military Sealift Command. She was contracted through 2010 to make resupply voyages to McMurdo Station in Antarctica (Operation Deep Freeze) and Pituffik Space Base in Greenland (Operation Pacer Goose).[1] The vessel is named after the tern, a type of bird that makes annual migrations from the Arctic to the Antarctic.

  • American Tern unloading containers at McMurdo Station
    American Tern unloading containers at McMurdo Station
  • American Tern being led into McMurdo Station, Antarctica, by the Russian icebreaker Krasin during Operation Deepfreeze, 2006
    American Tern being led into McMurdo Station, Antarctica, by the Russian icebreaker Krasin during Operation Deepfreeze, 2006
  • American Tern and Russian icebreakers
    American Tern and Russian icebreakers
  1. ^ a b Wiedner, Steffen. "MV American Tern" (PDF). Merchant Ships International. Retrieved May 18, 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ "MV American Tern (T-AK 4729)". Military Sealift Command - Ship Inventory. Retrieved May 18, 2009.