JUNE 3, 2013 — Shipbuilder Senesco Marine of North Kingstown, RI, last month launched the largest commercial floating dry dock in the Northeast United States. Built for Caddell Dry Dock and Repair Co. of Staten Island, NY, the dry dock has a lifting capacity of 7,300 LT, is 420 feet long, and has a 100 foot wide open pontoon deck between its 30 foot tall wing walls.

JMS Naval Architects (JMS) of Mystic, CT, designed the dry dock for Caddell to accommodate large tank barges, tugs, workboats and Coast Guard Cutters.

The dock is segregated into eight pairs of compartments with a safety deck 12 feet above the pontoon deck. The design incorporates large, side openings through the wing walls to allow machinery and personnel access to the pontoon deck. The pumping and electrical systems are designed to match Caddell's six other dry docks to simplify dock operations.

Senesco recently completed extensive modifications to its waterfront facilities in order to launch the dry dock via air bags and to add the capability of performing air bag launches for future large vessel construction and launch projects.