career development
USNS SUPPLY T-AO conducting six CONREP station and simultaneous VERTREP to USS GEORGE WASHINGTON CVN-73 in the Central Arabian Gulf in 2002. (U.S. Navy photo).
UNREP is professionally rewarding, providing a sense of tangible accomplishment, a key factor in determining job satisfaction. There are not many jobs ashore, never mind at sea, where the success of a single evolution, such as UNREP, will enable a key national security asset to remain on station to defend the Nation. to the CONREP stations as well as to the flight deck where it is netted and prepped for VERTREP. Because there is such an abundance of marlinespike and overall seamanship involved, all UNREP ships require two full boatswains. Beyond this, the most capable UNREP ships even require two full chief mates, one just to handle the cargo and UNREP. On most UNREP ships, loading in port requires booms with the entire associated equipage. During the UNREP evolution, the STREAM winch operators must have superior skill and finesse so as to gently and expeditiously transfer their loads and land them precisely on the customer ship. It 46 I Maritime Professional I 2Q 2015
is not uncommon to have to change out a spanwire or a highline while the other stations are connected to the ship alongside. Frequently, the UNREP boatswain may have to perform a Flemish Eye or a ‘Molly Hogan’ to get the cargo on the hook and transfer started again. Separately, the Master and ship’s control, the bridge and engine room UNREP teams, must determine the safest Replenishment Course or “Romeo Corpen,” accounting for the customer’s follow on schedule, sea-state, traffic, etc. The physical handling properties of hydrodynamic bank cushion and bank suction effects when coming alongside always makes for an inherently dangerous operation.