PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The historic Dry Dock 4 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard got a multi-million-dollar makeover.
“We are all bearing witness to living history and the modernization of a 255-year-old shipyard,” said Capt. Lawrence Brandon, the operations officer at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Since 1919, Dry Dock 4 serviced several Navy ships. However, officials say the historic dock needed major upgrades.
“Previously, the submarines were too large to come in,” said Brandon.
“It was scheduled to lose its operational certification in 2019 without critical upgrades provided by this project,” added Rear Admiral Maria Lore Aguayo, the commander of NAVFAC Atlantic.
After working on a series of updates, Norfolk Naval Shipyard officials cut the ribbon to welcome the new upgrades Wednesday.
"We now have more agility and flexibility in bringing larger vessels, more work, and more types of availabilities into the shipyard,” Brandon said.
After three years of construction, Navy officials said this newly renovated dock is set to last another 100 years. The $191 million renovations to the historic dock mark the shipyard’s biggest completed project yet.
“One of the groups that did the work is a Portsmouth company, WF Magann Corporation," said Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover. "Not only did we have a hand in this but we had workers who participated in this who live right here in the City of Portsmouth.”
The dry dock went through a concrete replacement for its floor and sidewalls, had a new dry dock caisson installed, and received a complete restoration of the pump well while upgrading all mechanical and electrical equipment. Approximately, 2,300 linear feet of mechanical and electrical services in the dock area were replaced.
“It’s really important for our national security that we’re able to bring in those ships, do the maintenance as quickly as we can, and get those ships back out to sea so they’re ready to be there for what the nation needs those ships to do,” Aguayo said.
The new upgrades are part of the Navy's Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program. That program oversees investments to help modernize public shipyards across the nation.
Capt. Brandon said they'll get to work in the newly-renovated dock when a ship arrives next week.