PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD, Maine — Navy leadership held a ribbon cutting
ceremony to celebrate the modernization completion of Berth 6 at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,
July 30. The project represents the latest Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP)
effort to be completed, providing crucial infrastructure improvements and upgrades needed to
support workload requirements on Virginia and Los Angeles-class submarines.
Mr. Mark Edelson, Program Executive Officer for Industrial Infrastructure served as the keynote
speaker. The ceremony was attended by Shipyard leadership and representatives of elected
leaders to include individuals from the offices of Senator Susan Collins, Senator Angus King,
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Maggie Hassan, Representative Chellie Pingree, Representative
Chris Pappas, and Representative Anne Kuster.
Berth 6 was initially constructed in 1903, and its purpose has evolved over the decades. This
project provided extensive repairs and upgrades to essential dockside utility services including a
fenced electrical substation yard, load center, and equipment pads, protected by construction of a
raised utility trench and seawall along the entire length of the berth, with new mooring cleats and
bollards installed on top.
Additionally, it brought advances in the delivery of compressed air services, improvements to the
water supply network, essential changes to communications equipment, and the implementation
of advanced waste management solutions. These upgrades incorporated cutting-edge
technologies optimized for energy efficiency and resiliency.
“Berth 6 now has the capability to meet the challenges presented by climate change and rising
sea levels, and the shipyard has the expanded capacity and flexibility it needs to meet the
complex demands of modernizing, upgrading, and maintaining the fast-attack nuclear-powered
submarines of today and in the future,” said Edelson.
The contract for the project was awarded to ECS Construction Services, Inc., in April 2022 and
was completed in December 2023 at a cost of $35 million. The successful completion equips the
Shipyard with two fully compliant outfitting berths to service Virginia-class and Los Angelesclass submarines.
“Today we celebrate a Berth 6 that has been revitalized and transformed, with a full complement
of modernized infrastructure,” said Shipyard Commander (acting) Capt. Jesse Nice. “The berth is
capable of handling all aspects of two simultaneous submarine maintenance availabilities while
also meeting the Navy’s latest climate resiliency requirements to protect our shipyard.”
The Berth 6 project was overseen by the Officer in Charge of Construction-PNSY, Capt. Chad
Brooks, who provides quality assurance, contract administration, and command-level
accountability for all SIOP construction.
“The modernization of Berth 6 is a transformative achievement for our shipyard waterfront,” said
Brooks. “This upgrade provides two state-of-the-art berth spaces for submarines entering or
completing maintenance.”
The SIOP mission includes long-term dry dock megaprojects that are establishing the shipyards
for the 21st century. However, the modern nuclear fleet also requires consistent facility
improvements to provide efficiencies and quality of service upgrades in the near term.
“Without significant upgrades and reconfiguration, the Navy's four public shipyards cannot
repair and modernize the Fleet's current and future aircraft carriers and submarines at the pace
required,” said Edelson. “With the support of Congress and our local communities, we are
bringing this vital infrastructure up to the standards of the modern day.”
SIOP’s multi-decade effort currently has over $6 billion of construction under contract and
nearly $600 million of equipment in procurement, marking a significant investment in the
Navy’s infrastructure.
“As we cut the ribbon today, we welcome greater possibilities and advancements for the
shipyard’s future,” said Edelson. “There’s nothing like the team I see here: Public Works
Department Maine, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic, the Shipyard
Infrastructure Optimization Program office, the contractor for this project, Engineered
Construction Services and the designer, Appledore Marine Engineering. And our thanks for the
support from the congressional teams. These shipyards are the cornerstone of our national
defense, and we are making sure they are optimized for energy efficiency and resiliency,
ensuring they are ready to support a modern Navy,” said Edelson.
The Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) is a holistic recapitalization of the
Navy’s four public shipyards through a combination of new and existing facilities. SIOP is a
holistic plan that integrates investments in facilities, utilities, and industrial plant equipment to
meet nuclear fleet maintenance requirements.
The program delivers a reduction in submarine availability duration timelines by improving
efficiency and expanding shipyard capacity, optimizing configuration, and creating resilient
infrastructure—enabling PNSY to meet the Navy’s requirements for decades to come. The shore
support and resilient infrastructure delivered by SIOP supports sustainment of the US Navy’s
nuclear-powered platforms and the warfighter.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is America's leader for attack submarine maintenance, repair, and
modernization. The on-time completion of submarine availabilities is critical to maintaining the
U.S. Navy's maritime superiority. As a Naval Sea Systems Command operated field activity,
PNSY is committed to expanding our undersea advantage and maximizing the material readiness
of the fleet by safely delivering first-time quality, on time, and on budget.
For more information about the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, please visit:
https://www.navfac.navy.mil/PEO-Industrial-Infrastructure/PMO-555-SIOP
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.01.2024 11:51 |
| Story ID: | 477544 |
| Location: | KITTERY, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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