USNS Montford Point

USNS Montford Point (T-ESD-1) underway in July 2014
History
United States
NameMontford Point
NamesakeMontford Point Camp, North Carolina
OwnerMilitary Sealift Command
Ordered27 May 2011
BuilderNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company
Laid down19 January 2012
Launched13 November 2012
In service14 May 2013
Identification
StatusActive, Reduced Operating Status
General characteristics
Class & typeExpeditionary Transfer Dock
Displacement34,500 tonnes
Length765 ft (233 m)
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi)

USNS Montford Point (T-ESD-1), (formerly T-MLP-1), the lead ship of her class of Expeditionary Transfer Docks (ESD), is a ship named in honor of African American Marine Corps recruits who trained at Montford Point Camp, North Carolina, from 1942 to 1949. After $115 million was allocated for long-lead time material and advanced design efforts, in late 2010 General Dynamics's National Steel and Shipbuilding Company was awarded the contract, worth approximately $500 million, to build the first of three planned vessels.