She is a 'roll-on roll-off' non-combat vessel designated as a "Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off" (LMSR) ship.

On 7 May 1996 Laura Maersk was delivered to Military Sealift Command[1] and was outfitted at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company's docks in San Diego, California.

Operated by Bay Ship Management, the newly renovated ship was renamed USNS Shughart, in honor of Medal of Honor recipient US Army Sergeant First Class Randall D. Shughart.

The Shughart remains under the charter of the US Navy Military Sealift Command and is operated by US Merchant Mariners.

[2] The ship was transferred to the United States Maritime Administration in March 2022 and became part of the Beaumont Reserve Fleet in Ready Reserve Force as MV Shughart (T-AKR-295), losing her USNS designation.