Expeditionary sea base vessel USNS Robert E. Simanek (U.S. Navy)
By Troy Turner
MOBILE — Alabama Shipyard LLC was awarded three U.S. Navy contracts on one day last week as its growing military support role continues to reflect the quickened pace of the Pentagon’s efforts to enhance the overall fleet with more ships and faster service calls.
The most recent awards to the company announced by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command include:
USNS Kanawha/Ryan Carter, U.S. Navy
— Replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196), $21.5 million award for a 106-calendar-day shipyard availability for the ship’s mid-term service. Work will be performed in Mobile beginning Aug. 5 and is expected to be completed by Nov. 19.
USNS Laramie
— Replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203), $18.2 million for a 101-calendar-day shipyard availability for regular overhaul and dry dock service. Work will be performed in Mobile beginning April 20 and is expected to be completed by July 29.
Alabama Shipyard earned a similar contract to service the Laramie in 2025. The ship went into Navy service on May 7, 1996, and has a load capacity of 159,000 barrels of fuel oil or aviation fuel. It was built by Avondale Shipyards, Inc., New Orleans, has a helicopter deck, and it normally carries a crew of nearly 100 that includes civilians and Navy.
— Expeditionary sea base vessel USNS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7, shown above), $14.3 million for extended lay berth, industrial assist periods, and a mid-term dock availability. Work will be performed in Mobile and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2027.
The Simanek is a mobile base vessel capable of executing missions including counter-piracy, maritime security, and humanitarian and disaster relief. The platform supports a variety of rotary wing aircraft.
It is the first United States Navy vessel named after Marine Corps Private First Class Robert Ernest Simanek, who was awarded for the Medal of Honor for heroic actions during the Battle of Bunker Hill, August 1952, during the Korean War.
Alabama Shipyard’s growing role the past two years includes service work on the Navy’s two major hospital ships, the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy, along with work on a variety of other vessels, including the replenishment oilers USNS Joshua Humphreys and USNS Robert E. Peary.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be contacted at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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