Virginian Pilot – Dynamic new ramp gives military cargo vessel a lift

The Cape Rise left its home at the mouth of Scotts Creek on Monday, on the way to pick up Marine cargo for the war in Afghanistan. The ship, a roll-on/roll-off cargo vessel, was already a useful machine, but now it has a new feature to make loading all that cargo easier: a massive stern ramp that can be lowered by a single person, thanks to computer-controlled hydraulics.