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News | April 15, 2021

DLA Maritime Portsmouth increases submarine support capacity

By Michael L. Jones DLA Land and Maritime Public Affairs

Defense Logistics Agency Maritime Portsmouth has completed construction on a 29,000-square-foot addition to their maintenance facility that will significantly increase their maritime operational capacity.

As part of planned military construction, the new Consolidated Global Warehouse facility replaces an older, unusable one. Its construction completes an $18.5 million upgrade that provides added servicing capability for U.S. Navy submarines requiring needed maintenance repairs. DLA Maritime Portsmouth maintains maintenance capacity in 10 other buildings spread throughout Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.

“The main reason for this investment is the increased storage capacity it provides, along with a more technologically advanced and safer warehousing operation,” said Navy Cdr. Chris Donnelly, officer in charge at DLA Maritime Portsmouth. “We're looking forward to the positive impact this addition has on DLA's ability to better service the shipyard. The contractor did an incredible job to deliver this project on-schedule despite construction efforts largely coinciding with the global pandemic.”

Donnelly said the warehouse addition continues the excellent partnership between the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the Defense Logistics Agency.

The facility will house three automated material handling systems which will help to dramatically increase maintenance support output.

One of the systems handles Navy pallets and includes 624 locations and each can hold up to 5,000 pounds. The second system handles sheet metal and contains 177 locations that support sheet metal pieces up to 144 inches long and 24 inches high. The last system supports lumber usage. It has 234 locations and supports several height and length ranges with a capacity of up to 5,000 pounds.

DLA Maritime Portsmouth is one of DLA Land and Maritime’s four shipyard detachments. It plays a critical role in supporting the U.S. submarine fleet requirements and the nation’s defense strategy.