MV Cape Hudson (T-AKR-5066) was originally built as a commercial ship in 1979 and sold to the Wilhelmsen Line with the name Barber Taif. She has two sister ships named and .
It served as a merchant ship until it was purchased by the US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration in December 1986.
On 15 August 1990, she was reactivated for Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield until 20 May 1992.
She conducted anchor tests south of Angel Island, San Francisco Bay on 28 July 2007.
From there it was later transferred to the Maritime Administrations Ready reserve fleet and assigned to San Francisco.
As of November 2025 the vessel is still in service under the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD).