National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), was awarded a contract valued up to $22 million to finish off the second phase of a program to convert a U.S. Navy Strategic Sealift Program vessel to comply with the enhanced readiness capabilities of the U.S. Marine Corps' Maritime Prepositioning Force.
Preceding by this was the project first phase, which called for the development, design, material specifications and planning for Phase II - the actual conversion work - which will commence immediately.
The vessel, named USNS Soderman, will arrive at NASSCO on May 8 where it will receive additional living quarters for 50 marines, a new in-water ramp and all-weather flight deck by March 1, 2001.