BY KATIE VANES – PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard began another significant step in fulfilling its Facilities Modernization Plan with the ground breaking ceremony for the $15.8 million Production Services Support Facility July 6 adjacent to historic Dry Dock 1.
Construction will commence July 11, 2011 with a projected completion date in September 2012. Naval Facilities Hawaii (NAVFAC) is funding the two-story, 36,685 sq. ft.-structure. Nearly 100 military and civic leaders and Shipyard personnel, to include Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie, attended the ceremony.
Keynote speaker Jennifer Sabas, chief of staff to U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, read a letter to the audience at the ceremony on behalf of Hawaii’s Senior Senator.
“Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard plays a key role. It begins with our strategic location and ends with all of you – a proud team committed to returning ships to the fleet, fit to fight, in defense of freedom. I am honored to be considered part of your team,” he said.
Inouye commended the Shipyard’s leadership, “from top to bottom for turning the corner the past few years to deliver vessels on time and on
budget!” He also called for the Navy to work with Congress to continue the Shipyard’s modernization.
Erection of the facility will provide a permanent, covered workspace for engineers and workers. The building will also eliminate temporary work structures, project team setup and removal costs, while improving submarine maintenance productivity and efficiency.
“Direct engineering support of production on the deck plates is absolutely critical to the efficient execution of repair work,” said
Shipyard Engineering Officer Capt. Michael Ballou.
“The co-location of the structural production and engineering team right where the work is happening at the dry dock, is going to have a huge
positive impact on our performance of this critical line of work,” he said.
The facility will achieve a sustainable design aimed to optimize efficiency by consolidating related functions into a single, two-story
permanent structure. It will create an efficient, safe, secure and all-weather working environment for Shipyard workers with maximal
natural light penetration and ventilation in industrial areas.
“I had the privilege of receiving the 2010 Secretary of Defense Robert T. Mason Award for Depot Maintenance Excellence on behalf of the
Shipyard in recognition of our service to the fleet,” said PHNSY & IMF Commander Capt. Brian Osgood in his speech.
“We remain laser-focused on becoming the Virginia-class ‘Center of Excellence – a promise we will keep. On behalf of the men and women
serving in this strategically important Shipyard, I’d like to extend sincere thanks to Senator Inouye and the other members – and former
members – of Hawaii’s congressional delegation for their longstanding support of our Shipyard.”
Work spaces in the new facility include production resource support areas directly linked to waterfront projects in the dry docks, a
satellite tool shop, administrative areas, a briefing room, secure storage room, nursing station, staging areas, an information technology
center and break areas.
Considered a “green” project by internationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the facility will reach
measurable ratings in water efficiency, energy and atmosphere quality, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality, ultimately
enhancing the quality of life for the current and future Shipyard workforce.
The structure, which lies close in proximity to a number of historic sites in the Shipyard’s skyline, has been approved by the State of Hawaii Historic Preservation Office as being compatible with the 1940s area design elements.
The Shipyard is a full-service naval shipyard and regional maintenance center for the Navy’s surface ships and submarines. It is a field
activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) which engineers, builds, buys and maintains naval ships, submarines and their combat
systems.
Strategically located in the mid-Pacific, PHNSY & IMF is about a week of steam time closer to potential major regional contingencies in East Asia than sites on the West Coast.
PHNSY & IMF is the largest industrial employer in the state of Hawaii with a combined civilian and military workforce of about 4,900 and an
operating budget of about $563 million. For more information on PHNSY & IMF, visit www.navsea.navy.mil/shipyards/pearl.
Katie Vanes is the Media Relations Manager for Congressional & Public Affairs at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & IMF
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