Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center's (MARMC) Dynamic Drydock (AFDL 6) successfully undocked Landing Craft Unit (LCU) 1653 as the vessel neared the end of a six-week maintenance availability at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Sept. 20.

LCU-1653 is attached to Assault Craft Unit TWO (ACU2) and underwent external repairs to her rudder while also receiving internal upgrades to countertops and other modernizations needed in the galley.

"Our biggest challenge today was ballasting operations with the choppiness to the water," said Dynamic Commanding Officer Lt. Edward Menezes. "Getting the dock to the correct depth at the right time was our main focus."

With inclement weather becoming a major factor, the evolution became a great test of the teamwork between ACU2, port operations and the Dynamic crew.

"Because of the strong wind, we were really concerned with line handling and getting the craft out of the dry-dock safely," said Menezes. "For only the second time at Dynamic, we used what is referred to as Mississippi moor, which was the way the pusher boat lined up to assist the LCU out of the dock and it worked really well."

A major concern of the availability oversight team was losing time due to the craft having to potentially stay in dry-dock during the storm. Fortunately, by undocking on time, there was no time lost moving forward on the production schedule.

"Dynamic's relationship with ACU2 has been a great benefit for both of our commands. It helps our crew get some repetitions with docking and undocking crafts and we are able to provide cross training, which is crucial since our crew is so small in size," said Menezes.

Dynamic will continue to assist ACU2 through the remainder of the 2016 calendar year. LCU-1644 will be dry-docked in a few weeks to undergo work to her shafts and LCU-1660 will follow for a 10-week availability.

"In November, we will also begin partnering with Naval Sea Systems Command's Heavy-lift and Drydocking Reserve Unit. They will be using our facility and ACU2's crafts to train their engineering duty officers, allowing them to obtain their docking qualifications," said Menezes.

Dynamic is currently comprised of 29 crew members responsible for providing dry-docking services. The dry-dock is suitable for docking vessels of the mine countermeasure (MCM) and (MHC), patrol craft (PC), yard tug (YTB), Army LCM's and other small vessels.

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