[3] Originally named TNT Express, she was built by Samsung Heavy Industries in Koje, South Korea in 1984.

She was named after United States Air Force Medal of Honor recipient Captain Steven L. Bennett.

In 1997, the ship was bought by Sealift Incorporated of the United States and on November 20, 1997 given her final name MV Capt.

Steven L. Bennett began her prepositioning service under MPS Squadron One in the Mediterranean and as such became MV Capt.

"[6] In 1999, Bennett was involved in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, when she off-loaded more than two-thirds of her cargo of U.S. Air Force ammunition containers in Nordenham, Germany, which were distributed to the United Kingdom, Italy and other locations within Germany—quickly replenishing the Air Force's stockpile in theater.

In July, she returned briefly to the United States, stopping en route in Northern Europe to drop off and load additional cargo.

Steven L. Bennett spent much of her time at anchor in the lagoon of Diego Garcia,[12] and was spotted in New Orleans, Louisiana in early 2005.

[14] In fact, Bennett was actually a conbulker, a flexible design allowing it to carry both containerized and bulk cargo.

Steven L. Bennett, like all MSC container ships, was self-sustaining, meaning that she had cranes which allowed her to move cargo without depending on shore-based equipment.

Steven L. Bennett carried sensitive electronic cargoes in harsh environments for potentially years at a time, she required advanced environmental controls.