# NGO/Aid group wants to buy assault ship USS Nassau for fitting as relief ship



## CougarKing (13 Nov 2013)

The NGO Aid group Coalition of Hope (COH) wants to buy the USS _Nassau_ and outfit her as a civilian relief ship, capable of carrying a medical facility, relief supplies and helicopters.

I'm a little wary of anyone (other than national governments) buying carrier-shaped vessels, since several years ago, a now-defunct company bought the ex-Soviet carrier _Varyag_ rusting in a Ukraine port for fitting out as a casino in Macao. Now that ex-Soviet carrier is the flagship carrier _Liaoning_ of the Chinese navy.

rly:

Coalition of Hope website



> *As the seagoing platform for the Coalition of Hope mission, we have chosen the recently decommissioned (as of 31 MAR 2011) USS NASSAU.  This former “Tarawa-class” amphibious assault ship is capable of transporting in excess of 3,000 personnel.  She has within her, a 300-bed hospital, four medical and three dental operating rooms*
> 
> 
> Her existing cargo areas are capable transporting 35+ helicopter aircraft, heavy construction equipment, industrial trucks, cranes and other humanitarian / disaster relief supplies, in addition to her extensive amphibious landing craft capability.
> ...


----------



## old medic (13 Nov 2013)

It is not without past precedent. 
USS Sanctuary was sold for $10.00 to a NGO in 1989.  It was a hospital ship however.

Owning your own Carrier isn't unheard of, HMS Vengeance had been for sale on ebay before going to the breaker yard in 2004. 
http://kungfo0.org/theweb/ebay/carrier.html
http://www.ships-for-sale.com/aircraft_carrier.htm


----------

