Name: MV American Merlin
Owner: American Automar
Acquired: 1992
In service: until late 2001 under long term lease as AK-323 MSC
Out of service: Returned to her owners after completion of her MSC charter
Reinstated: Acquired by Sealift Inc and renamed MV Merlin
Notes: MV American Merlin was assigned to Maritime Prepositioning Program Squadron Two and operated out of Diego Garcia
Career (United States)
Name: MV TSgt John A. Chapman (AK-323)
Namesake: Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman, from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, killed March 4, 2002, while fighting against the Taliban during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. He was posthumously decorated with the nation’s second-highest award for valor, the Air Force Cross.
Owner: Sealift Inc
Acquired: 8 April 2005
Status: Active in service as of 2009
General characteristics
Class and type: Buffalo Soldier class Container Roll-on/Roll-off Logistics Prepositioning Ship
Displacement: 26,378 long tons (26,801 t)
Length: 670 ft (200 m)
Beam: 87 ft (27 m)
Draft: 34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)
Speed: 16 kn (30 km/h)
Complement: 19 civilian, 0 military