VIDEO: Upgrading Wilmington District’s Dredger Merritt

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, held a Completion of Work Ceremony on June 7, celebrating the successful upgrade of Wilmington District’s dredger Merritt. 

The Merritt arrived at Memphis District’s Ensley Engineer Yard on Nov. 2, 2017 to begin an overhaul to extend its service life.

Work on the Merritt included a major re-hull in which Ensley crews removed all of the existing plating from the hull and replaced it with new steel.

Re-hulling was accomplished by raising the vessel out of the water in Ensley’s large floating Drydock 5801.

According to USACE, Ensley workers also worked on the framing (the skeleton of the vessel) and replaced the potable water and marine sanitation device tanks.