Major Cargo Operation for U.S. Army at Terminal 5 in Seattle

The tugs Wedell Foss, right, and Lynn Marie brought the cargo ship Green Cove into Terminal 5.

In a major military logistics operation at Terminal 5 in Seattle, Foss Maritime, in support of the U.S. Army’s 833rdTransportation Battalion, oversaw the transfer of three trainloads of tanks, tracked vehicles and other equipment onto a cargo ship bound for Korea in September.

Each of the three trains had 60 rail cars. Additional equipment was delivered to Terminal 5 via a fleet of more than 120 trucks. The 800 cargo items included 90 Abrams M-1 tanks, 150 Bradley tracked fighting vehicles and numerous other military cargo pieces. The Foss project Team managed about 150 people working on the job, including soldiers, stevedores and project support personnel working day and night shifts.

M-1 tanks were queued up at Terminal 5.

To assist with the loading of the 90-ton tanks, Foss brought in a 300- ton, rubber-tired Omega Morgan crane. Smaller tracked vehicles and vehicles with tires were loaded onto the Green Cove under their own power

All cargo was loaded to meet a tight schedule, with no injuries to personnel or damage to equipment.

The rotation of heavy equipment to Korea is routine business for the Army, but this is the first time this particular transfer has been done from the Port of Seattle, according to personnel from the 833rd.

Bradley Fighting Vehicles, ready to be loaded onto the ship.

Lt. Col. Heather J. Carlisle complimented Foss for “absolutely fantastic work getting the M/V Green Cove loaded on time in such a professional manner.”

She continued: “Really proud of all you have accomplished and the way you were able to punch through obstacles as they arose and pull together all the disparate elements supporting the effort into one cohesive team.

“Special thanks to our Foss teammates for their incredible support!”