In 1998, HEGER was tasked with assisting GENERAL DYNAMICS – BATH IRON WORKS (BIW) located in Bath, Maine in developing a performance specification for a 28,000 ton floating dock with capability of transferring vessels to and from shore.
The design vessels, for transfer from shore and launch, were considered to be the DDG-51, LPD-17, and DDG-1000 class vessels.
The dock is designed such that it is moored adjacent to the Land Level Transfer Facility (LLTF), where vessels are constructed, by grounding the floating dock on series of an underwater support grids. The grids are designed to support the entire weight of the dock with vessels loaded upon it. With the dock moored in this fashion, transfer cars can be propelled to safely move the ship from land to the dock. The dock then lifts itself off the grid and translates laterally to a dredged submergence basin.
