Senator Collins Announces $1.7 Billion Contract for Critical Infrastructure Project at PNSY
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that a $1,731,477,644 contract has been awarded for the construction of a multi-mission dry dock at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.
Currently, Dry Dock #1 can only accommodate Los Angeles-class submarines, which means it will be rendered obsolete when LA-class submarines are removed from service in the 2030s. Failure to modernize the dry dock would result in 20 deferred submarine maintenance availabilities through 2040, meaning Navy submarines would not be able to accomplish their missions.
Senator Collins has championed funding for the reconstruction of Dry Dock #1 and recently pressed the Navy Vice Admiral and the Chief of Naval Operations on the necessity of completing this project on time to avoid delays of required maintenance. She secured $475 million towards this project in the fiscal year 2022 MilCon-VA funding bill passed the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 25-5 last week. She also secured $160 million for the project in last year’s appropriations bill
“I have long advocated for modernization projects at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the gold standard for public shipyards, to ensure the highly skilled employees are able to successfully carry out their essential missions,” said Senator Collins. “This contract is vital to our national security because it will allow PNSY to maintain our submarine fleet. I championed the funding for this necessary upgrade to Dry Dock #1, and I will continue to push for infrastructure projects at our nation’s shipyards to keep our Navy strong.”
This project constructs a partitioned addition to Dry Dock #1 within the superflood basin area. The addition will consist of two bays, labeled Dry Dock 1 North and Dry Dock #1 West. The existing Dry Dock #1 will be renamed Dry Dock #1 East. Both Dry Dock 1 North and Dry Dock #1 West will be of sufficient size and depth to support the maintenance and overhaul of Virginia Class submarines, Blocks I-IV.
New construction will include: concrete floors, walls, and center wall separating Dry Dock #1 North and Dry Dock #1 West; new pumpwell systems and a pump station building; two caissons; portal crane rails; mooring hardware; mechanical and electrical utilities with utility tunnels; and all appurtenances required to ensure an operational dry dock. Modifications will be made to the existing basin closure wall and to Berths 1 and 11. The existing Dry Dock #1 pumpwell will be connected to the new pump well system and the interior will be modified.
The contract is incrementally funded with $70,000,000 obligated at the time of award. Subsequent contractual increments will be funded yearly from fiscal year 2022 through fiscal year 2027 in the amounts of: $214,000,000; $390,000,000; $405,000,000; $300,000,000; $200,000,000; and $152,477,644.
Work is expected to be completed by June 2028.
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