U.S. NAVY’S MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND CONTRACTS UKRANIAN VESSEL

   The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command made an historic move last week by contracting with a Ukranian vessel to transport Army equipment to Kosovo.
   The Military Sealift Command provides ocean transportation for the U.S. military services and other Defense Department shippers.
   About 700 pieces of equipment from the Army’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division, were loaded on the ship for transit to
Thessalonki, Greece. The cargo was then carried overland via Macedonia to Kosovo.
   The 22-year-old vessel, Balakleya, was designed and built specifically
to carry Soviet heavy combat equipment.
   Although its the first time the ship has moved U.S. military goods, it
has recently transported some British military equipment and supplies to
Bosnia and Herzegovina, off-loading at Split, Croatia.