Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center's (MARMC) Dynamic Dry-dock (AFDL 6) successfully completed a Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) which assessed the dock's structural integrity May 27, at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.

During the same day, Dynamic underwent an inspection to certify the dock's operational capacity. The inspections were performed simultaneously by Naval Sea Systems Command 04 (NAVSEA 04) and INSURV, which was a first for the dry-dock.

"This was not a normal evolution, you don't typically hold these two major inspections at the same time." said Dynamic Commanding Officer Lt. Cmdr. Shawn Gibson. "However, I knew our crew and the dock could support it. Since the inspections are similar, it made sense to run through them together, which in the long run saves the Navy time and resources."

The material inspections conducted are typical of those performed on naval vessels to ensure both the readiness of the physical state of the ship as well as the functionality of the crew's operational procedures.

"These inspections gave us a great report of where the dock stands mechanically and operationally -- to be able to provide future support to the fleet. Once the inspections were finalized, we were given the OK to continue operating without any restrictions," said Gibson.

Dynamic is slated to undergo INSURV and dock certification every three years to ensure the safety of the structure and those operating aboard it.

"Moving forward, this is a great deal for NAVSEA 04 and INSRUV to work in tandem as they did this time around. It's great for Dynamic and the fleet since it only takes us out of operation for one short period of time rather than having to stand down a couple of times during the inspection cycle year," said Gibson.

Since 2011, Dynamic has been the only Navy operated dry-dock in commission on the east coast. The dock, designed for a lift capacity of 950 tons, has been maintained by a small crew of 20 to 30 Sailors at any given time.

"The Sailors that we have on Dynamic are outstanding hard-workers and have maintained a regimented routine to conduct daily maintenance and ensure we keep everyone qualified to run the dock. That is how you sustain a proficient work environment and material readiness. These Sailors understand that concept," said Gibson.

During the inspection, several Sailors were given lead positions to demonstrate to the certification teams Dynamic's abilities.

"For the past few weeks, we made sure we could identify any areas that needed improvement and documented them," said Damage Controlman 1st Class James Hendershot. "This better prepared us for the inspection by being able to give the inspectors the status of each portion of the dock as we walked through it."

"We spend time weekly ensuring the preservation of the dock is up to specification," said Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Brian Ramos-Zanoleti. "During our out brief, the inspection teams expressed how happy they were with our teamwork and our ability to run the dock efficiently and effectively."

Dynamic will begin docking craft in need of material and structural maintenance during the month of June.

For more information on Dynamic or MARMC please visit: www.navy.mil/local/nssa/ .