Sealift Incorporated
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Maritime transportation |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Founder | John Raggio and three other executives |
| Headquarters | Oyster Bay, New York , United States |
Area served | United States (including government contracts) |
Key people | John Raggio (Chairman and CEO) |
| Products | Ocean freight services, container vessels, general cargo carriers, combination ships |
Sealift Incorporated is a privately owned American maritime transportation firm based in Oyster Bay, New York. Established in 1975 by its four founding executives, including Chairman and CEO John Raggio, Sealift Inc. specializes in ocean freight services.[1]
As a key provider for U.S. food aid shipping, Sealift is a participant in the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA), supplying vital shipping resources to the Department of Defense for contingency missions. From fiscal year 2000 through the first quarter of 2008, the company was awarded government contracts totaling $402 million, predominantly from the Department of the Navy ($355.7 million), USAID ($24.6 million), and the Department of the Army ($21.9 million).[2]
The company's vessel roster comprises eleven ships, including container vessels, general cargo carriers, and combination ships, with ages spanning from 12 to 39 years. Some vessels are steam-powered, and smaller ships under 10,000 DWT are also part of the fleet. Sealift previously owned the former U.S. Navy HSV-2 Swift, which was sold in 2015 to the National Marine Dredging Company of the UAE.[3]
Sealift maintains collective bargaining agreements with maritime labor organizations such as the Seafarer's International Union and the American Maritime Officers union.[4]
History
Sealift originated as a shipbrokerage firm dealing primarily in paper products, rice, and general cargo, operating breakbulk liner services to destinations including the Mediterranean and Brazil. Over time, it transformed into a significant U.S.-flagged ocean carrier with a focus on government contracts for food aid shipments and strategic sealift support.[1]
Through its involvement in VISA, Sealift commits private cargo vessels for military contingency deployments, offering cost savings by eliminating the need for government-owned idle fleets. In 2003, USAID awarded Sealift an urgent $4 million contract to provide freight transport services to Iraq.[3]
Between fiscal year 2000 and early 2008, Sealift fulfilled 207 contracts amounting to over $402 million, solidifying its position within U.S. government maritime logistics.[2]
Fleet
| Sealift Inc. fleet | ||||
| Name | Type | Built | GT | DWT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MV Advantage | Container/General | July 1, 1977 | 18,296 | 27,750 |
| MV Ascension | General | January 1, 1993 | 3,972 | 4,152 |
| MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett (T-AK-4296) | Container | October 1, 1984 | 29,226 | 41,812 |
| MV TSgt John A. Chapman | Container | January 1, 1978 | 26,409 | 27,192 |
| SS Cleveland | General | October 1, 1969 | 15,836 | 22,568 |
| MV Maj Bernard F Fisher | Container | 1985 | 34,318 | 34,100 |
| MV Harriette | Bulk carrier | April 1, 1978 | 15,531 | 25,952 |
| MV Noble Star | Container/General | July 1, 1977 | 16,840 | 24,792 |
| MV Marilyn | Bulk carrier | April 1, 1978 | 15,531 | 25,952 |
| MV Sagamore | Container/General | July 11, 1996 | 3,838 | 5,151 |
| MV Strong Virginian | General | 1984 | 16,169 | 21,541 |
Sealift's core fleet consists of eleven container and general cargo vessels aged between 12 and 39 years. The oldest ships are steam-powered vessels constructed in 1969— and —while the most recent addition is , built in 1996. The fleet's average age exceeds 27 years.
Collectively, these ships provide a carrying capacity surpassing metric tons. The largest among them are and , with deadweight tonnages of and respectively. Two smaller vessels under 10,000 DWT include the and .
In prior years, Sealift operated the oil tanker MT Montauk, which transported jet fuel between South Korea and Japan under a Military Sealift Command charter before being sold to Kalia Maritime Co. Ltd., based in Cyprus in February 2007.
By 2015, ownership of the high-speed vessel HSV-2 Swift had transferred to the UAE's National Marine Dredging Company. In October 2016 it sustained severe damage off Yemen due to an attack by Houthi forces but remained afloat while being towed to Eritrea according to information from the U.S. Department of Defense.
References
External links
- Company information at Det Norske Veritas
- Active contract for MV Virginian
- Contract details for HSV Swift
- Contract related to containership operations
- Renewal of MV Bennett charter agreement
- Information on MV Bennett at fas.org
- MV Merlin, later renamed MV Chapman
- MV Fisher listing at MSC archive
- MV Bennett details at MSC archive
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- Shipping companies of the United States
- Container shipping companies of the United States
- Companies based in Nassau County, New York
- American companies established in 1975
- 1975 establishments in New York (state)
- Private military contractors
- Container shipping companies
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment