Page 26: of Marine News Magazine (June 2023)

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Feature

U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD-48), moor a

Gov’t Shipbuilding landing craft, utility during amphibious operations, off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, in March 2023.

Christopher R. Lape / U.S. Marine Corps

A ’ S S MERICA S EA ERVICES

UILDING ARGE LEET OF

MALL HIPS AND RAFT S L B S F C

By Edward Lundquist ot every vessel in the U.S. Navy is built for barges. “The larger of the two is the Auxiliary Personnel major combat operations on the high seas. Lighter (APL) which is being built by Bollinger Mississip-

There are large numbers of boats and service pi Shipbuilding (formerly VT Halter) in Mississippi. The

Ncraft that provide essential services to the sea smaller of the two is the Yard Repair Berthing and Messing services, the nation and its partners. (YRBM) barge which is being built by Conrad Shipyard

The U.S. Navy procures about 100 small boats per year. LLC in Louisiana. These berthing and messing barges are

Some of these boats are based on commercial designs, pro- bringing signi? cant quality of life improvements for sailors cured to a Navy developed speci? cation that tailors the re- as they augment and replace older barges.” quirements to the end user needs. They are procured and Robinson said that NAVSEA has a contract with Aus- managed by two Naval Sea Systems Command program tal USA in Alabama to build an Auxiliary Floating Dry- of? ces—PMS 300 and PMS 325. dock Medium (AFDM) that will be used on west coast

While not ? ashy, service craft play a vital role for the Navy. surface ship maintenance availabilities. In April 2023,

Tiara N. Robinson, a public affairs specialist with Na- NAVSEA awarded a fuel oil barge (YON) contract to val Sea Systems Command in Washington, said NAVSEA Sterling Shipyard in Port Neches, Texas, that will provide has active contracts for two types of berthing and messing for up to six barges that provide fuel storage and supply

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