MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US Navy huge multi-purpose vessel calls in Punta Arenas

USS Makin Island has a crew of 1.100; capacity for 25 choppers and a fully equipped hospital for 600 patients.

USS Makin Island one of the latest built and largest US Navy multi-purpose amphibious assault ship called in Punta Arenas, in the extreme south of Chile after having sailed through the Magellan Strait.

With an overall length of 844 ft and a 28.333 light displacement tonnage, the Wasp class USS Makin is heading from the East coast for her home base in San Diego, California. Her last call was Rio do Janeiro and on Saturday leaves for Valparaiso.

The multi purpose amphibious vessel has a crew of 1.100 (40% female) and its main task is the transport of US marines to hot spots anywhere in the world with capacity for air or sea landings. She has hangar capacity for 25 choppers and a jet, but currently is not carrying that kind of equipment.

On entering Chilean waters she was escorted by two navy missile patrol vessels, Chipana and Casma.

Captain Robert George Kopas said that although new the vessel has been involved in peace missions as well as disaster situations, --earthquakes and hurricanes--, when she was able to prove her versatility and effectiveness.

USS Makin is powered by a hybrid mix of gas and electricity which helps with considerable savings in the use of fossil fuel, added Captain Kopas.

The vessel has all the needed amenities for the numerous crew and a hospital which can look after 600 critical and non critical patients in six different pavilions.

The intermediate cares unit has 40 beds and the intensive cares unit, 30 and all the logistics support for such a display.