Keystone State-class crane ship

The Keystone State-class crane ships are six auxiliary crane ships of the U.S. Maritime Administration Ready Reserve Force. The ships can be quickly activated to support military sea transportation needs. These self-sustaining ships are useful in ports that have limited, damaged or undeveloped port facilities. When activated, they come under operational control of Military Sealift Command.

Features
The auxiliary crane ships are converted container ships with three twin boom pedestal cranes which can lift containers or other cargo from themselves or adjacent vessels and deposit the cargo on a pier or lighterage.

Background
The ten Keystone State ships are conversion crane ships the first of which was completed in 1984 and the last of which was completed in 1997. Five of the ships were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1990-91. USNS Gopher State (T-ACS-4) acted as a temporary Army prepositioning ship in 1994. Four of the ten ships have been deactivated and transferred to the reserve fleet.

General characteristics

 * Builder: Defoe SB Co, Bay City; Dillingham SR, Portland; Norshipco, Norfolk; Tampa SY; Keith Ship Repair, New Orleans
 * Propulsion: 2 boilers; 2 GE turbines; 19,250 hp; 1 shaft.
 * Length: 668.6 feet.
 * Beam: 76.1 feet
 * Displacement: 31,500 tons(32,005.52 metric tons) full load.
 * Speed: 20 knots
 * Crew: 89 civilians
 * Load: 300+ standard containers

List of ships

 * SS Keystone State (T-ACS-1)
 * SS Gem State (T-ACS-2)
 * SS Grand Canyon State (T-ACS-3)
 * SS Diamond State (T-ACS-7)
 * SS Equality State (T-ACS-8)
 * SS Green Mountain State (T-ACS-9)
 * SS Beaver State (T-ACS-10)