Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Northwest awarded a $377.7 million task order Sept. 2 to Kiewit-Alberici Joint Venture to seismically upgrade Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility’s Dry Dock 4.

Funded by the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, the effort will continue improvements conducted in 2023 that installed anchors through the dry dock walls to enhance structural integrity and ensure the safety of the workforce, community, environment, and submarines, per a news release.

“The Navy is committed to investing in its infrastructure to ensure it remains operational and resilient,” said Capt. Preston Taylor, NAVFAC Northwest Commanding Officer. “These seismic upgrades to Dry Dock 4 are a critical step in strengthening our ability to increase lethality, enable the warfighter and maintain our national security mission.”

The need for additional structural reinforcement stemmed from a seismic analysis, which identified potential issues associated with the remote possibility of a large-scale seismic event.

With the award of the task order, experts from private industry, NAVFAC, Naval Sea Systems Command, and PSNS & IMF continue to plan and implement shipyard modernizations to meet the Navy’s future needs, the release says.

“In coordination with the shipyard and NAVFAC, we will continue to enhance the resiliency of PSNS & IMF facilities, mitigating against adverse conditions that could inflict severe damages to shipyard infrastructure,” said Capt. Luke Greene, SIOP program manager.

The retrofit is occurring during a break in submarine availabilities in the dry dock, ensuring the facilities work does not affect the nation’s strategic deterrent capability or the ability of the fleet to continue its mission. PSNS & IMF remains the primary provider for the maintenance, repair, modernization, inactivation and disposal of ships, submarines, and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the Pacific fleet.

For questions, contact the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342 or ptgn_chinfonewsdesk@navy.mil.