An Analysis of the Use of Merchant Ships and Containerization in an Amphibious Operation
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AN ANALYSIS OF THE OF MERCHANT SHIPS AND CONTAINERIZATION IN AN AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION Paul Joseph Bourdon NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS AN ANALYSIS OF THE USE OF MERCHANT SHIPS AND CONTAINERIZATION IN AN AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION by Paul Joseph Bourdon December 1980 The sis Advisor: R. A. Bobulinski Approved for public release; distribution unlimited, 1Q7i, 3"£ UNCLASSIFIED SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PACE (Whit Dmto Entmfd) READ INSTRUCTIONS REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE BEFORE COMPLETING FORM I *CPO*»T NUMBER 2. GOVT ACCESSION NO, 3. RECIPIENT'S CATALOG NUMBER 4. TITLE fond Subtlilo) S. TYPE OF REPORT ft PERIOD COVERED An Analysis of the Use of Merchant Ships Master's Thesis; and Containerization in an Amphibious December 1980 Operation «. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTHORfaJ » CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBERS Paul Joseph Bourdon ». PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME ANO AOORESS 10. PROGRAM ELEMENT. PROJECT, TASK AREA ft WORK UNIT NUMBERS Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California 93940 II. CONTROLLING OFFICE NAME ANO AOORESS 12. REPORT DATE Naval Postgraduate School December 1980 Monterey, California 93940 13. NUMBER OF PAGES 270 14. MONITORING AGENCY NAME * AOORESSf" dlltoront horn Controlling QUI em) IS. SECURITY CLASS, (ol thlo riport) Unclassified ti«. OECLASSIFI CATION/ DOWN GRADING SCHEDULE Ift. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (ol tnlt Ropott) Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. 17. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (ol tho oboltocl tntorod In Block 30, II dltloront from Roport) <8. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 19. KEY WORDS i Continue on rowotoo oldo II nocooomrf on* idontlty by block numbot) Marine Corps Container System 20. ABSTRACT (Continue an rovmoo tia* II noeooomn? *»« lamniitr or block nummor) This study analyzes the use of merchant ships and containeri- zation in an amphibious operation. Current sources, trends and problems, as they affect the merchant marine's ability to provide military logistical support to amphibious operations are evaluated. The functional capability of the various types of merchant ships to perform in an amphibious environment are analyzed. Modern con- cepts for solving the vehicle and container discharge problem from do ,;'ST* 1473 EDITION OF I NOV •• IS OBSOLETE UNCLASSIFIED S/N 0102-014-4601 | SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAOE (Whon Dmlo tnlorod) UNCLASSIFIED (*tuwt v cu A«tt»iC*Tiow 00 Twit »4atrw»i-» n.n ««—«. #20 - ABSTRACT - (CONTINUED) merchant ships are described and evaluated. The current Marine Corps Container System is analyzed for its compatibility with shipping assets and container handling/motor transport equipment. The study concluded that there are many problems when considering the use of merchant ships and containerization in an amphibious operation. These include the shortage of adequate shipping and the inability to efficiently handle containers in an amphibious environment. Among the several recommendations presented are: first, that military planners must establish the number and type of merchant ships required for large scale amphibious operations and work to ensure their availability and second, that the development and purchase of . containers and container offloading equipment for use in an amphibious objective area be expedited. DD Form 1473 1 Jan 73 UNCLASSIFIED S/N 0102-014-6601 2 j«cu«i*v cl»mihcat»ow o' •*>« »»aenr*.« o* Approved for public release; distribution unlimited An Analysis of the Use of Merchant Ships and Containerization in an Amphibious Operation by Paul Joseph Bourdon Major, United States Marine Corps B.A., College of Sante Fe, 1967 M.Ed. , The American University, 1973 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL December 1980 J 1 kjUau_£> ABSTRACT This study analyzes the use of merchant ships and contain- er ization in an amphibious operation. Current sources, trends and problems, as they affect the merchant marine's ability to provide military logistical support to amphibious opera- tions are evaluated. The functional capability of the vari- ous types of merchant ships to perform in an amphibious environment are analyzed. Modern concepts for solving the vehicle and container discharge problem from merchant ships are described and evaluated. The current Marine Corps Con- tainer System is analyzed for its compatibility with shipping assets and container handling/motor transport equipment. The study concluded that there are many problems when considering the use of merchant ships and containerization in an amphibi- ous operation. These include the shortage of adequate shipping and the inability to efficiently handle containers in an amphibious environment. Among the several recommendations presented are: first, that military planners must establish the number and type of merchant ships required for large scale amphibious operations and work to ensure their availa- bility and second, that the development and purchase of con- tainers and container offloading equipment for use in an amphibious objective area be expedited. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES 7 LIST OF TABLES 10 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 12 GLOSARY OF TERMS 15 I. INTRODUCTION 18 A. BACKGROUND AND PERSPECTIVE ON THE NEED FOR MERCHANT MARINE SHIPPING IN AN AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION 18 B. PROBLEM DEFINITION 27 C. OBJECTIVES 27 D. GENERAL APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY 28 E. THESIS CHAPTER SUMMARY 28 II. UNITED STATES MARITIME INDUSTRY, DEVELOPMENT, TRENDS AND PROBLEMS 32 A. INTRODUCTION 32 B. SEALIFT DEVELOPMENT 32 C. GOVERNMENT MARITIME SUPPORT PROGRAMS 37 D. MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND 41 E. NATIONAL DEFENSE RESERVE FLEET 44 F. EFFECTIVE UNITED STATES CONTROL FLEET (EUSC) 45 G. POTENTIAL FOR FOREIGN OWNERSHIP IN U.S. MARITIME INDUSTRY 47 H. CURRENT TREND OF THE MERCHANT MARINE 49 I. MERCHANT MARINE VIABLE SUPPLEMENT TO THE NAVY 50 J. CURRENT PROBLEMS OF THE MERCHANT MARINE 52 K. SUMMARY 58 III. FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MERCHANT SHIPS 62 A. INTRODUCTION 62 B. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COMMERCIAL SHIPS AND USN AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS 64 C. SUITABILITY OF MERCHANT SHIPS FOR AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS 71 D. CONCLUSION 102 i IV. CARGO DISCHARGE FROM MERCHANT SHIPS IN AN AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION 139 A. INTRODUCTION 139 B. SHIP OFFLOADING 140 C. SHIP-TO-SHORE MOVEMENT OF CARGO 158 D. CONCLUSIONS 167 V. CONTAINER-ORIENTED LOGISTICS IN AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS 210 A. INTRODUCTION 210 B. BACKGROUND 212 C. MARINE CORPS CONTAINER SYSTEM 214 D. CONCLUSIONS 229 VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 235 A. INTRODUCTION 235 B. CONCLUSIONS 236 C. RECOMMENDATIONS 24 3 D. SUMMARY 247 FOOTNOTES 249 BIBLIOGRAPHY 265 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST 270 6 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE II-l Sealift Command Organization 59 II-2 Military Sealift Command Controlled Fleet 60 II-3 The Trend in Composition of U.S. Privately- Owned General Cargo Fleet 61 III-l Amphibious Command Ship (LCC) , Blue Ridge Class - 106 III-2 Amphibious Assault Ship (LHA) , Tarawa Class 107 III-3 Amphibious Cargo Ship (LKA) , Tulare Class 108 III-4 Amphibious Cargo Ship (LKA) , Charleston Class 109 III-5 Amphibious Transport (LPA) , Paul Revere Class 110 III-6 Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD) , Raleigh and Austin Classes 111 III-7 Amphibious Assault Ship (LPH) , Iwo Jima Class 112 III-8 Dock Landing Ship (LSD) , Thomaston and Anchorage Classes 113 III-9 Tank Landing Ship (LST) , LST 1179 Newport Class - 114 111-10 LCAC, JEFF B 115 III-ll Landing Craft, Mechanized (LCM) , LCM Mark 6 116 111-12 Cargo/Passenger Ship, Santa Mercedes Class 117 111-13 American Courier Offloading an LCM-8 118 111-14 Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel (LVTP7) 119 111-15 Floating Causeway 120 111-16 USNS Comet 121 111-17 USNS Sealift 122 111-18 Admiral Wm. M. Callaghan 123 FIGURE 111-19 S.S. Great Republic (Defiance Class) 124 111-20 Maine Class 125 111-21 Ponce de Leon 126 111-22 S.S. Lurline (Lurline Class) 127 111-23 S.S. Great Land (Great Land Class) 128 111-24 Baltic Eagle 129 111-25 Delta Sur, Delta S.S. Line, C-9 , LASH 130 111-26 Seabee Vessel 131 111-27 USS Mormacdraco 132 111-28 Non-Self-Sustaining Containership, the USS Argonaut 133 IV-1 Commercial Pier Facility Container Handling Equipment 169 IV-2 Temporary Container Discharge Facility (TCDF) 170 IV-3 USN 1179 Class LST Serving as TCDF 171 IV-4 Barge TCDF Unloading Containers 172 IV-5 Eness Corporation and J.J. Henry Company Concept 173 IV-6 Battelle/Western Gear Company's Concept 174 IV-7 Crane-on-Deck (COD) 175 IV-8 COD Method Being Employed in LOTS Test 176 IV-9 Ro/Ro Low Seastate Ramp 177 I-V-10 Ro/Ro Lift Device 17 8 IV-11 Ro/Ro High Seastate Ramp 179 IV-12 Balloon Transport System 180 IV-1 3 Helistat 181 IV-14 Aerocrane 182 8 FIGURE IV-15 Aerocrane 183 IV-16 Helicopter Container Offloading 184 IV-17 Elevated Causeway with Crane on Pierhead 185 IV-18 Causeway Elevation in Process 186 IV-19 P&H Model 80-1000, 90-Ton Truck Crane 187 IV-20 Manual Spreader Bar 188 IV-21 Installation of Fender System 189 IV-22 Turntable Rotating M52 Tractor with M127 Trailer 190 IV-23 Elevated Causeway Allows Two-Way Traffic 191 IV-24 Powered Causeway Ferry 19 2 IV-25 Self-Propelled Causeway 19 3 IV-26 Side-Loadable Warping Tug 19 4 IV-27 Operational Characteristics . Powered Causeway Section 19 5 IV-28 Amphibious Assault Landing Craft (JEFF B) 196 IV-29 Light Amphibious Container Handler (LACH) 197 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1-1 Marine Air/Ground Task Forces 30 1-2 1980 Amphibious Ship Force 31 III-l Comparative Manning on a Navy Amphibious Cargo Ship (LKA-117) and a Typical Mer- chant General Cargo Ship (SS American Challenger) 134 i III-2 Crew Estimates for Modified Merchant Ships 137 III-3 Summary of Merchant Ships Suitability for Use in the AFOE of Amphibious Operation 138 IV-1 General Characteristics of a Typical 225-Ton Capacity Crane 19 8 IV-2 Characteristics of a Hatch Bridging Kit 1" IV-3 U.S.