Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

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Sjoerd
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Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Sjoerd »

It seems we can expect nearly 50 helicopters to be barged from Antwerp to Germany in the next few days/weeks.

http://www.army.mil/article/94837/21st_ ... gian_port/

The article mentions that the helicopters were shipped from Beaumont, Texas. this could indicate these are new helicopters for the 12th CAB, but looking at the pictures these airframes already show a worn out paintjob, so presumably these are the ones deployed from the war theater and made a transshipment in Texas before heading to Antwerp.

If anyone has got any clues regarding the ETD from Antwerp and which vessels are involved?
ANTWERP, Belgium -- Elements of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command assisted the 838th Transportation Battalion, Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern, Germany, with the offload of nearly 50 Army helicopters and associated components from a cargo ship at the port here, Jan. 17.

The AH-64 Apache helicopters and CH-47 Chinook helicopters began their journey in Beaumont, Texas, where they spent 12 days traveling across the Atlantic Ocean before being offloaded and stored at the port of Antwerp.

Various United States and partner nation agencies are involved in the movement with the final destination set for Coleman Barracks, Germany, where the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade will assemble and distribute the helicopters to its subordinate units.

According to Hans Roggeveen, a senior cargo specialist with the Benelux Detachment of 838th Trans., the cargo will be stored in Antwerp for up to three weeks before being loaded onto barges and transported down the Rhine River into Germany.

"It's our job to get military equipment from (the continental United States) and to handle the discharge and the disposition by (Army Movement Control Team) to their final destination," said Roggeveen.

"We are more or less responsible for the logistics for the Soldiers," said Roggeveen. "Their equipment is very important to us. (It's important) that it gets on the ground without any damage, without any problems and that it moves as fast as possible to the units (receiving the equipment)."

The dock operation was a much larger than seen in previous years, bringing together many various agencies, both U.S. and partnered nations, to successfully transport the much needed equipment.

Roggeveen said normally only one or two agencies would be involved in a standard operation, however the size and nature of this operation necessitated more than 100 people from nearly 20 agencies, working together to get the job done.

"This is an extremely intricate mission," said Capt. Phillip Castillo, a transportation officer with 838th Trans, and a native of Acoma Pueblo, N.M. "There are many units and team players that have to come together to formulate this plan at the end."

The valuable nature of the equipment being transported was also a daunting task for those involved, making everyone work extra careful as to not damage any of the helicopters or their components.

"This is of course very expensive equipment and it also very easy to damage," said Roggeveen. "It's light and is made to go into the air and not to be shipped like this or being handled on the docks."

"We are very cautious that nothing goes wrong, that all the streets are swept so that no nails or pieces of iron can get into the tires," Roggeveen added.

"The equipment is very valuable to us," said Castillo. "I've seen everyone exercising great care in taking care of this equipment so that the 12th CAB gets their equipment 100 percent safe and sound."

Diligent planning with all agencies involved was an important part of why the operation was a success.

"We have had a couple of preliminary meetings with everyone involved," said Roggeveen. "Everything was well discussed and well prepared and that made it go quite smooth."

"The planners did a tremendous job when they synchronized this event," said Castillo. "To be able to be a part of it, watch this whole event and see it in action has been a tremendous opportunity for me."

"We know we're making an impact, and I know when these birds get up and they start flying, the Soldiers will be thankful they got their equipment safe and sound," Castillo added.
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by jreijmer »

Sjoerd wrote:It seems we can expect nearly 50 helicopters to be barged from Antwerp to Germany in the next few days/weeks.

The article mentions that the helicopters were shipped from Beaumont, Texas. this could indicate these are new helicopters for the 12th CAB, but looking at the pictures these airframes already show a worn out paintjob, so presumably these are the ones deployed from the war theater and made a transshipment in Texas before heading to Antwerp.

If anyone has got any clues regarding the ETD from Antwerp and which vessels are involved?
Dynamica. Departure tonight. I think 40x AH64D and 8x CH47F altogether. This all based on the fact that 4 Chinooks never left Germany and that 8 'new' Apaches have been delivered through Ramstein. These were replacements for 8 others that left January 2011 to fort Bliss. Last week the first shipment was already done. I guess that these are all 'new' airframes from CONUS.

BR,
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Sjoerd
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Sjoerd »

In that case we can expect the Dynamica routing through the Netherlands tomorrow. If her speed and ETD is about the same as het last voyage, then you can expect it around 10am around Tiel (educated guess).

I'll be looking forward for the first reports. :mrgreen:
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Crouze »

Hi,


The Dynamica is on the move, departed from its mooring some 10 minutes ago. It is still in the Antwerp harbour so could be a repositioning, we'll see.

During previous transports there was no movement during night time, so I'm curious where (and if) the Dynamica will moor after sunset.


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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Sjoerd »

Crouze wrote:Hi,
The Dynamica is on the move, departed from its mooring some 10 minutes ago. It is still in the Antwerp harbour so could be a repositioning, we'll see.
It seems she is waiting to pass the locks at the Steenlandlaan to leave the port and enter De Schelde river. So I guess she is loaded already.

Furthermore, last journey she did not make an overnight, but kept moving. See history 21/22-jan: http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/datash ... var_page=2

Let's see what happens this time. :roll:
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Polleke_NL »

If I remember correctly there used to be a site where you can follow the vessel's actual movements in real-time.., does anyone happen to have that link available somewhere?
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Stefan »

Polleke_NL wrote:If I remember correctly there used to be a site where you can follow the vessel's actual movements in real-time.., does anyone happen to have that link available somewhere?
Not sure, but could it be this one:

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/nl/def ... pe_color=7

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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Dr.T »

I caught the Dynamica after sunset near Zandvliet Antwerp.
Due to needed High-ISO resolution unfortunatly pictures aren't that great (not show-worthy)
I couldn't read any of the Apaches (4 aboard)
but have some serials from the 4 CH47 that were on board.

In my humble opinion the numbers are

08-08047
06(?)-08023
07-08034
08(?)-08045

To bad it cleared the locks so late in the day that the light wasn't in our favor.
Hopeing on a better change next couple of week.

All info welcome;-)

And thanks in advance.

Cheers
Dr.T
Stefan wrote:
Polleke_NL wrote:If I remember correctly there used to be a site where you can follow the vessel's actual movements in real-time.., does anyone happen to have that link available somewhere?
Not sure, but could it be this one:

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/nl/def ... pe_color=7

Regards,
Stefan
PS I used an app I found in Play-store named "ShippingExplorer" worked better on my Android than the website (seems a bit heavy on the phone)
Hope this will help our quest!
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Sjoerd
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Sjoerd »

Thanks Dr. T!

So, "new" choppers indeed for the USAREur. Hopefully tomorrow will reveal the missing ones.

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Sjoerd
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by falcon »

couldn't read any of the Apaches (4 aboard)
but have some serials from the 4 CH47 that were on board
what is the maximum load of that vessel? with only 8 choppers onboard it will take some weeks to get them to coleman, or has the vessel did some trips into coleman? next weekend we can make a report from the coleman fence as we will be there! Also Ramstein has choppers on deck loaded from C-5's..........

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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Sjoerd »

The capacity is much greater, but my guess is this vessel is also loaded with other stuff (John Deere tractors often among them) . I heard the vessel did one roundtrip before this one, so I guess will see at least one or two more roundtrips.

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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Polleke_NL »

Last time I saw her she was carrying 8 Chinooks on deck, seemed more or less her max but no clue what was loaded below deck too
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Dr.T »

Today it was loaded with a few John Deer Tractors and was pushing a nother brach on the left side loaded with cars.

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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Eric van Lisdonk »

Small question about the AH-64's. Are the serialnumbers in white or black on the tail??
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Re: Ship with helicopters @ inland waterway - 2013 MIL

Post by Dr.T »

My guess is in black since it wasn't possible for us to read them after dusk on a 400mm.

But, mind u, its a guess.

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