SS Cornhusker State

The US military hopes to have the port of Port-au-Prince open for shipments of emergency relief supplies in two or three days.

Damaged Haiti port to open in 2-3 days: U.S. commander

In related news, the Maritime Administration has ordered the activation of the  crane ships, SS Gopher State and the SS Cornhusker State, both based in Norfolk.    The SS Cape May, a SEABEE class Heavy lift/Barge Carrier, was also activated as was the OPDS  SS Petersburg, an Offshore Petroleum Discharge System tanker, based in Alameda, CA and the high speed ferry M/V Huakai, based in Norfolk, VA.

U.S. sends 5 more ships to help Haiti

The Cape May can unload barges and causeway sections — which can be assembled by Seabees already dispatched to Port-au-Prince — to serve as a new floating dock. A U.S. or international cargo ship can pull in and use them to tie up. The Gopher State and Cornhusker State can use their cranes to unload food and medicine from the incoming vessels. Port workers can use the Petersburg to pump fuel ashore for generators, aircraft and ground vehicles.

“Within 48 hours of arrival on station, [Petersburg can begin] pumping 1.2 million gallons per day from up to four miles off shore and at water depths down to 200 feet. If the ship is moored within two nautical miles of the shore, two different products may be pumped simultaneously through two separate conduits,” according to information from MarAd.

Never-used Superferry vessel mobilized to aid Haiti relief effort

Oddly the Maritime Administration’s press releases have been referring to the crane ships as the MV Gopher State and the MV Cornhusker State, indicating that they are diesel powered, even though the same press releases identify the ships as being powered by steam turbines.