The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Pacific has awarded a $2.8 billion contract to Dragados/Hawaiian Dredging/Orion JV to replace Dry Dock 3 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF). The five-year project is part of the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) and will construct a graving dock, designated as Dry Dock 5, to support PHNSY’s ability to maintain and modernize the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s nuclear-powered submarines.
Dry Dock 3 at PHNSY & IMF, which was built in 1942, will become functionally obsolete once the Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarines are no longer in service, as it cannot service Virginia-class submarines or larger surface ships. The new Dry Dock 5 will be able to support the Navy’s Virginia-class submarines, which are the most advanced nuclear-powered submarines in the world, as well as other larger surface ships.
“As part of the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, replacing Dry Dock 3 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is a critical enabler of increased naval capability,” said Pete Lynch, program executive officer for Industrial Infrastructure, who oversees SIOP. “This project is a key investment in increasing capacity and modernizing our nation’s public shipyards through upgraded dry docks and facilities, new equipment, and improved workflow.”
The Navy has established SIOP to increase throughput at the four public shipyards by updating their physical layout, upgrading and modernizing their dry docks, and replacing antiquated capital equipment with modern tools and technologies. SIOP is a holistic investment plan that, when fully executed, will deliver required dry dock repairs and upgrades to support current and planned future classes of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, optimize workflow within the shipyards through significant changes to their physical layout, and recapitalize industrial plant equipment with modern technology that will substantially increase productivity and safety.
“We look forward to working with Dragados/Hawaiian Dredging/Orion JV, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, and all our stakeholders on this project over the next several years in order to deliver this critical capability to the Fleet,” said Capt. Steve Padhi, commanding officer of Officer in Charge of Construction (OICC) Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. “The project team and cooperating agencies have gone above and beyond to set the conditions for success. We have incorporated lessons learned and best practices from other dry dock projects and field offices across the Navy, and we have consulted with our construction contractors early in order to confidently meet the requirements we’ve been given. My OICC team and I are ready to get started on this historic effort.”
The project will not only increase the capacity and capability of PHNSY & IMF but will also have significant economic benefits for the state of Hawaii. The construction work is expected to generate hundreds of jobs, both directly and indirectly, and will provide a boost to the local economy.
The Navy’s investment in shipyard infrastructure for nuclear-powered warships is crucial to maintaining the readiness and capability of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. With the replacement of Dry Dock 3 at PHNSY & IMF, the Navy will be able to continue maintaining and modernizing the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s nuclear-powered submarines, ensuring that they remain the most advanced and capable in the world.
