21st Theater Sustainment Command Supports First Port Operation in Portugal

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1 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption - The Port of Setubal, Portugal on Dec. 7. The 21st Theater Sustainment Command supported the first U.S. and Portuguese mission at the port. The mission, a collaboration between the 21st TSC, 598th Transportation Brigade, the Portuguese military and port authority, and the U.S. Mission to Portugal, was a year-long project and a "proof of concept" that connected the farthest point in eastern Estonia to the furthest west port in Portugal. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Andrew Jo) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Col. Robert Kellam (right), commander, 598th Transportation Brigade, talks with Pedro Ponte (middle), port administrator, and Doug Koneff (left), deputy chief of mission, U.S. Mission to Portugal, during the tour of the vessel, Ocean Grand, Dec. 7, at the Port of Setubal. The mission was a year-long project and a "proof of concept" that enhances the capabilities of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, United States Army Europe and Africa, and Army Sustainment as a whole, across the European Theater. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Andrew Jo) VIEW ORIGINAL 3 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Col. Jose Loureiro (left), Portuguese Army, with Lt. Col. Michael Harrell (middle), commander, 839th Transportation Battalion, and Col. Robert Kellam (right), commander, 598th Transportation Brigade admire the vessel Ocean Grand at the Port of Setubal, Portugal, Dec. 7. This was the first military operation conducted at the Port of Setubal. The mission, a LOLO (load on, load off), utilized cranes to load equipment onto the Ocean Grand. The mission, a collaboration between the 21st TSC, 598th Transportation Brigade, the Portuguese military and port authority, and the U.S. Mission to Portugal, was a year-long project and a "proof of concept" that connected the farthest point in eastern Estonia to the furthest west port in Portugal. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Andrew Jo) VIEW ORIGINAL 4 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption - A Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV) is loaded onto the Ocean Grand by crane, Dec. 7, at the Port of Setubal, Portugal. This mission was the first ever military operation conducted in Setubal and served to validate the port for future operations. This was a collaboration between the 21st TSC, 598th Transportation Brigade, the Portuguese military and port authority, and the U.S. Mission to Portugal, and was a year-long project and a "proof of concept" that connected the farthest point in eastern Estonia to the furthest west port in Portugal. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Andrew Jo) VIEW ORIGINAL 5 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption - A M984A4 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) is loaded onto the Ocean Grand by crane, Dec. 7, at the Port of Setubal, Portugal. This mission was the first ever military operation conducted in Setubal and served to validate the port for future operations. This was a collaboration between the 21st TSC, 598th Transportation Brigade, the Portuguese military and port authority, and the U.S. Mission to Portugal, and was a year-long project and a "proof of concept" that connected the farthest point in eastern Estonia to the furthest west port in Portugal. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Andrew Jo) VIEW ORIGINAL 6 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Col. Robert Kellam (left), commander, 598th Transportation Brigade, talks with Doug Koneff (right), deputy chief of mission, U.S. Mission to Portugal, Dec. 7, at the Port of Setubal, Portugal. The historic mission is the first ever military operation conducted at the Port of Setubal between the U.S. and Portugal. The U.S. and Portugal have a long-standing partnership, and both were a part of the 12 founding signatories of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Andrew Jo) VIEW ORIGINAL 7 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Maj. Gen. Joao Paulo de Almeida (left), Portuguese Army, talks with Col. Robert Kellam (middle), commander, 598th Transportation Brigade, and Lt. Col. Michael Harrell (right), commander, 839th Transportation Battalion, during the first ever military operation conducted at the Port of Setubal, Portugal, on Dec. 7. The historic mission was a collaboration between the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, 598th Trans. Brig. - Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, the Portuguese military and port authority, and the U.S. Mission to Portugal that connected the furthest point in eastern Estonia to the farthest west port in Portugal. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Andrew Jo) VIEW ORIGINAL

SETUBAL, Portugal - The 21st Theater Sustainment Command supported the first-ever U.S. Army operation at the Port of Setubal, Portugal on December 7, 2023. The port operation was a collaboration between the 21st TSC, 598th Transportation Brigade (Surface Deployment and Distribution Command), U.S. Mission to Portugal, and the Portuguese military and port authority.

"The strategic importance behind getting this port in Portugal is, it is the furthest west that we've ever operated coming in or out of Europe," said Col. Robert Kellam, commander, 598th Transportation Brigade. "We were able to effectively connect the furthest point in eastern Estonia to the furthest west port in Portugal and connect all the transportation nodes from here to there. So strategically, this is a momentous occasion for the 21st TSC and I think for EUCOM [United States European Command] as well."

The mission was a year-long project and a "proof of concept" that enhances the capabilities of the 21st TSC, United States Army Europe and Africa, and Army Sustainment as a whole, across the European Theater.

"We have a long-standing relationship in many areas, the military-to-military relationship being one of the most important," said Doug Koneff, deputy chief of mission, U.S. Mission to Portugal. "We want to continue working together, as we have been for a long time, to improve our interoperability and improve our capabilities, and this exercise that's going on right now is such a great example of that."

The United States and Portugal have a long-standing partnership rooted in shared history. Both countries were a part of the 12 founding signatories of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and have continued to build upon that partnership.

"We have a very strong defense cooperation relationship that spans decades and decades, so exercises like this go very far to really prove what we already knew," said U.S. Air Force Col. Jennifer Whetstone, Defense Attaché, U.S. Mission to Portugal. "We already know that we have a strong relationship, but we are continually striving to improve our interoperability and strengthen the alliance as a whole."

The mission validated the port through the redeployment of equipment belonging to the 1st Brigade Combat Team "Bastogne", 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Approximately 500 pieces of equipment were craned onto the vessel Ocean Grand to be shipped back to their home station of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

"We initially moved all of our equipment into Poland with the help of the 21st TSC and then eventually on to Estonia, and now we're standing in Portugal, having moved our equipment from Estonia to Portugal," said Maj. Christopher Cummings, executive officer, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). "So, it's a lot of long, difficult, and complex movements and is a fairly historic opportunity for us to test out a new port, similar to what our brigade has done on its first return to Europe since World War II."

With the success of the initial mission, the intent is to continue to build and strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Portugal.

"Honestly, it's like we've done this many, many times," said Kellam. "The coordination and relationships that we've established here, I think is going to be lasting and it's been really amazing and very impressive."

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