The US Navy has received a new dry cargo ship, USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9), from General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO).

The Lewis and Clark Class dry cargo ship will serve under the navy’s Military Sealift Command.

The 689ft-long supply ship is capable of delivering almost 10,000t of dry cargo and petroleum products at once to US Navy and allied ships at sea.

GD NASSCO will christen and launch the tenth ship of the class USNS Charles Drew later this week, while construction work for the 11th and 12th Lewis and Clark Class ships is underway at the San Diego shipyard.

NASSCO is also expected to receive a contract from the US Navy for the last two ships of the class, T-AKE 13 and 14.

The ship was named in honour of Commodore Matthew C Perry, who led the effort to open Japan to trade with the West.

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