Dockwise Ltd., has been awarded a contract by U.S. Military Sealift Command for the use of one of its specialized open stern vessels for offshore operational design tests. The contract is due to be executed late 2008 and has a gross value in excess of $25m, including the costs of modification of the vessel.
This is the fourth time Dockwise will provide one of its large
heavy transport vessels to the U.S. Navy for offshore operational tests. These tests are meant to provide data and design criteria for a
new navy vessel called MLP (Mobile Logistics Platform). These new MLP vessels are aimed to be part of the navy's sea-basing effort to facilitate the transfer of material from large cargo ships to an intermediate platform for ultimate transfer to shore on various types of
landing crafts. Dockwise will provide one of its large flat deck open stern vessels that will be outfitted with a number of technical adjustments required to perform the various tests, amounting to approximately $10m. The testing off the east coast of the U.S. will provide required data that will assist with ramp design and motion compensation in various sea states.