598th transportation group (forward): Robust SDDC operations create port cargo-handling record.

The biggest shipments of Department of Defense military equipment in a half century have led to a record for SDDC port cargo-handling operations.

In early March, SDDC transporters simultaneously worked cargo operations on tour Large, Medium-Speed, Roll-on/Roll-off vessels at Ash Shuaiba, Kuwait. This sets a record for the number of Nimitz-size ships actively working at any port by the command.

Three of the giant ships were discharging and a fourth was loading. In addition, a Fast Sealift Ship was also discharging cargo at the port. The five ships are operated by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command.

All of the cargoes were associated with Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"This is the largest number of Large, Medium-Speed, Roll-on/Roll-off ships ever to work simultaneously in one port," said Col. Victoria Leignadier, commander, 598th Transportation Group, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. "It is the largest number of Military Sealift Command ships ever to work in the port of Ash Shuaiba.

"I am extremely proud of these Soldiers. All the credit goes to the outstanding transportation officers and NCOs I have out there making it happen day-after-day."

Cargo operations are being conducted around-the-clock, said Leignadier.

In all, SDDC is conducting 300 vessel operations between December and May. The shipments are the biggest since World War II.

The bulk of the cargo moving through Ash Shuaiba belongs to Army and Marine Corps units going to Iraq to replace military forces who have been there for the past year. Arriving equipment comes from the 1st Infantry Division, the 1st Cavalry Division, III Corps, and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Group.

Exiting cargoes come from such units as the 1st Armored Division, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 4th Infantry Division.

Both regular Army and Reserve Soldiers are augmenting the work of the 598th in Kuwait. Reserve units assigned to the group include the 1181st and 1174th Transportation Terminal Battalions and the 91st, 388th, 509th, and 1188th Transportation Detachments.