239-meter ‘floating helicopter base’ becomes largest ship in Townsville’s history

The largest ship to ever dock in Townsville arrived under a cloud of grey rain on Tuesday, looking like something out of a movie. See the spectacular pictures.

The USS Miguel Keith is largest US Navy ship to dock at the Port of Townsville, made possible by the recent completion of the channel-widening project. Picture: Evan Morgan

The USS Miguel Keith is the largest US Navy ship to dock at the Port of Townsville, made possible by the recent completion of the channel-widening project.

The ship docked on an overcast drizzly Townsville morning on her maiden voyage.

The Lewis B. Puller-class is used as an expeditionary mobile base, one of three such ships in service with the United States Navy and named in honour of Marine Corps Lance Corporal Miguel Keith.

The 239-meter long vessel was commissioned in 2021 and has a crew of 240 and is designed to provide a floating helicopter landing base, and provide other support to military operations as an expeditionary sea base.

The USS Miguel Keith is largest US Navy ship to dock at the Port of Townsville, made possible by the recent completion of the channel-widening project. Picture: Evan Morgan

The USS Miguel Keith is largest US Navy ship to dock at the Port of Townsville, made possible by the recent completion of the channel-widening project. Picture: Evan Morgan

The ship is officially a customisable floating command-and-control base and functionally a staging base, with the ability to launch helicopters and small boats, provide living quarters for troops, and command-and-control facilities.

The USS Miguel Keith is largest US Navy ship to dock at the Port of Townsville, made possible by the recent completion of the channel-widening project. Picture: Evan Morgan

The ship can accommodate a variety of other facilities in shipping containers, including berthing for special operations troops, laundry facilities, or cold storage.

Additionally, the vessel is particularly well-suited to humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

While in Townsville, the ship will be taking on fuel and provisions.

Originally published as 239-meter ‘floating helicopter base’ becomes largest ship in Townsville’s history