Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair Company has been busy since last fall. In October they took on the job of inserting a 118-foot parallel mid-body to an existing vessel, the MPF (e) vessel - LCPL Roy M. Wheat. The end result created more cargo handling capability for the new 864-foot vessel, and the approximate turnaround time for the insertion project was only 58 days.

The ship was cut transversely and the new mid-body section was inserted. Using “grand unit” assembly lifts performed the mid-body insertion process. After erection of these “grand units” weighing 330 tons each, they were hoisted into place, with precision accuracy. The LCPL Roy M. Wheat is assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC).