Bristol, RI – June 28th, 2019 – Millions of dollars of goods are transported up and down the Mississippi every year. This transportation is made possible, in part, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Mat Sinking Unit and its crew, who work tirelessly each season to protect the riverbanks with concrete mats and prevent erosion. The Mat Sinking Unit was built in 1940, widened in 1960 and is being replaced over the next several years with new and improved plant. The new design will double the number of mat squares that can be placed in a season. USACE Vicksburg District (MVK), USACE Marine Design Center (MDC), SIA Solutions LLC (SIA), Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI), and the National Robotics and Engineering Center (NREC) are working together to design a new Mat Boat, which will increase production rates and improve the safety of the crew.