ARC welcomes its newest U.S.-flag ro/ro ship

The Woodcliff, N.J.-based carrier welcomed its newest U.S.-flag roll-on/roll off ship to its fleet on Friday during a ceremony at the Port of Baltimore.    American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC) welcomed its newest U.S.-flag RoRo ship, the Patriot, to its fleet on Friday during a ceremony at the Port of Baltimore.
   Formerly the Aida, the Patriot was re-flagged to American registry on March 30 as the seventh RoRo vessel in ARC’s fleet, the carrier said. The re-flagging was conducted by the Coast Guard at the Port of New York. The vessel is enrolled in both the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA).
   Despite the decline in U.S. military and Export-Import Bank cargo, ARC has remained committed to its U.S.-flag RoRo fleet. ARC President and CEO Eric Ebeling said the company will continue the process of investing and recapitalizing its fleet in the coming years.
   The Patriot, which entered commercial service in 2006, is 199 meters long, with a beam of just over 32 meters. With a stern ramp rated for cargo up to 240,000 metric tons, the Patriot is well suited for heavy military cargo, such as tanks and other heavy tracked vehicles. The vessel is currently operating in ARC’s U.S.-Europe/Mediterranean commercial service.
   Founded in 1990, ARC is the largest U.S.-flag RoRo carrier and the third largest U.S.-flag carrier operating in international trade.