MV Cape Taylor (T-AKR-113) is a roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) ship with the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) of the United States Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD). , her homeport is the Port of Houston in Houston, Texas, and she is on ROS-5 status; she is able to be fully operational within 5 days of being activated. When activated, she becomes part of the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC).
The vessel now known as Cape Taylor was laid down by Sasebo Heavy Industries in Sasebo, Japan in 1977. She is a conventional RO/RO (Vehicle Carrier) ship with the superstructure aft, followed by twin funnels, and a stern ramp. She is in overall length with a lightweight displacement of and a fully loaded displacement of . For carrying US Army and Marine Corps combat vehicles, she has of cargo capacity. She can carry 340 containers plus vehicles and her hull is ice strengthened.
She was launched on 8 July 1977 and began service with DDG Hansa Line as . In 1981, the vessel was sold to Lykes Lines who operated her as . There are also records of her being named and or .
Cape Taylor was purchased by the US Government in 1992 and acquired on 15 March 1993. On 19 August 1994, she was transferred to MARAD and became part of the Ready Reserve Fleet.
On 23 January 2003, Cape Taylor was activated and placed "In Service" from the Ready Reserve Force to haul military cargo to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On 6 June 2003, she was placed "Out of Service" and returned to her Ready Reserve Force lay berth in Houston on a four-day recall status. The Ship is Currently managed by Patriot Contract Services.
On 4 July 2025, Cape Taylor was docked in the Boston Marine Industrial Park. Ship tracking sites indicate she has been in Boston since March.
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