The Navy has completed seismic and operational upgrades to Drydock 4 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Bremerton, Wash.
The Navy marked the project’s completion Aug. 26. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Northwest managed the modernization under the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program.
The original $377.7 million project reinforced the historic drydock against earthquakes. With that work running five months ahead of schedule, the Navy used funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to undertake additional improvements, bringing the contract’s total value to $517 million.
“This is a great milestone, delivering capacity back to the shipyard — with added resilience and much-needed improvements,” said Mark Edelson, program executive officer for Infrastructure and Expeditionary. “This has been a tremendous team effort among the Navy and industry, taking an urgent need, developing a collaborative, innovative contracting and engineering solution, and keeping the shipyard operating while preparing it for the future.”
Construction crews worked around the clock six days a week to install structural anchors around the drydock’s perimeter. Each anchor incorporates 12 cables drilled through the dock walls and drainage layer into the native soil.
Geotechnical testing and computer modeling allowed the project team to reduce the number of required anchors from an estimated 1,000 to 600, cutting costs and accelerating construction, according to the Navy. Once grouted and tensioned, the anchors are designed to limit the drydock’s lateral movement to less than 6' during a major seismic event.
The additional work included reinforcing quay walls on both sides of the caisson, installing anchors around the pump well and bringing the pump well up to seismic safety standards.
Crews also removed approximately 500 decommissioned keel blocks, creating additional space to move and store shipyard supplies, equipment and materials.
“This project team was excellent,” said Rear Adm. Omarr Tobias, commander, NAVFAC Pacific. “They used their resources well and learned how to safely reduce the required anchors by 40%, proving that innovation and close alignment on the waterfront can deliver results ahead of schedule.”
Capt. Will Sumsion, PSNS & IMF commander, said the project improves working conditions for employees servicing Navy vessels at the shipyard.
“This seismic retrofit is not only an investment in planned upgrades here at the yard, but a tangible example of our deep commitment to the safety of our people,” Sumsion said. “This enables the PSNS & IMF mission to return combat-capable ships to sea, and directly supports the defense of our nation.”
The Drydock 4 project is part of a broader Navy investment at Puget Sound. In June, the Navy issued a preliminary presolicitation notice for a SIOP construction program with a ceiling of $30 billion. The planned indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract would primarily support construction of a new multimission drydock at the Bremerton shipyard, along with other major waterfront projects.
The new drydock, planned within the footprint of Drydock 3 and Piers 6 and 7, would accommodate Ford- and Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and other surface and subsurface vessels. The Navy expects to award approximately five contracts under the program, with individual major task orders valued at between $2 billion and $6 billion. Contract awards are scheduled for May 2027.
