A marine vessel used for loading and offloading vehicles and cargo that has both excellent seakeeping and beaching properties. The vessel is provided with azimuthing or steerable thrusters below the waterline at the bow and stern of the ship, with the stern end thrusters being retractable into the hull during beaching operations. Because the vessel is beached nullstern firstnull the bow may be designed with better wave breaking and seakeeping features than are on prior landing craft designs.