Also seen off West Seattle today: M/V Cape Hudson

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

4:10 PM: Thanks to Eli Barlag for the photo. That’s the Ready Reserve Force cargo vessel M/V Cape Hudson, which arrived in Elliott Bay today after sailing up from Tacoma. It’s a 750-foot roll-on/roll-off cargo vessel, 41 years old, based in San Francisco and often chartered for military operations like Pacific Pathways. According to a Maritime Administration social-media post from earlier this year, Cape Hudson is still part of that”mobility exercise, taking on and discharging cargo at domestic and international ports … an annual operational deployment exercise designed to determine the best methods for planning, preparation, execution, and ordering of craft to move troops and equipment.”

ADDED MONDAY MORNING: Without docking in Seattle, Cape Hudson sailed on this morning, currently shown on MarineTraffic.com as northbound in Puget Sound.

Flo B May 17, 2020 (4:22 pm)

These ships-identified by the band around the stack are part of the military sealift command. They have naval officers and (civilian)civil service crews.

WSB May 17, 2020 (4:42 pm)

The Cape Hudson is currently CHARTERED by the MSC but is not part of it. (Trust me, I spent a LOT of time researching bef0re publishing this.)
- MM May 17, 2020 (5:30 pm)
  
  Sure could move a lot of commuters from West Seattle to downtown on something like that, especially walk-on passengers and bikers. With its own on/off ramp, it probably could dock in many places on the other side of the Duwamish.

Graciano May 17, 2020 (7:33 pm)

OK, So what are they doing in WEST Seattle?

drew May 17, 2020 (7:38 pm)

Are they actually going to practice rolling on/off cargo or troops here? Curious, I did check out the links provided.

Admiralguy May 17, 2020 (8:19 pm)

It has been out moving items and back for basics and maybe a last portage before open seas again. This ships can be on standby for months on end or move cargo on a rotation.