The expeditionary fast transport ship (EPF) Brunswick recently returned to its new home port at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Fort Story, Va.
The Military Sealift Command vessel had been stationed in Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, northeast of Guam, since 2017, supporting operations in the Navy’s 3rd, 5th, and 7th fleets.
During its overseas deployment, the ship and its civilian crew covered over 21,600 nautical miles, assisting various Navy, relief, and multinational missions, as reported by the command.
It is the first ship in its class to circumnavigate the globe.
The ships are used for expedited transportation of cargo, equipment, and personnel. The 338’x96.5’x12.5’ catamaran is equipped to handle specialized missions, pre-position combat supplies at sea, and dock at impaired or damaged ports as necessary.
In May 2015, Brunswick became the sixth joint high-speed vessel launched from Austal USA’s Mobile, Ala., shipyard. The Brunswick was part of a $1.6 billion Navy contract for 10 vessels.
The boat is powered by four MTU 20V8000 M71L diesel engines. The four gearboxes are ZF 60000NR2H. The vessel can average 35 knots.
Last year, Brunswick was one of three Navy ships that aided in evacuating 836 people from the Port of Sudan to Saudi Arabia as part of the U.S. government's evacuation efforts during the civil conflict in Sudan.
