The ship was originally built as MV Lica Maersk, at the Lindovaerftet shipyard, in Odense, Denmark, and delivered for commercial service with the Maersk Line circa 1980. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy on 11 November 1997, and converted for MSC service as a Large, Medium Speed, Roll-On/Roll-Off (LMSR) sealift ship at National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO), in San Diego, California. On May 31, 2008 The Guardian reported that the human rights group Reprieve named the Stockham as one of up to sixteen US Naval vessels that may have been used to covertly hold captives.