Japan’s Mitsubishi Shipyard Completes Largest Overhaul Contract for US Navy
The U.S. Navy’s Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base USS Miguel Keith recently completed a five-month Regular Overhaul but instead of undertaking it as a U.S. shipyard, it was completed at Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Yokohama. It marks the first time a Japanese shipyard has bid on and won a contract of this scale for a U.S. Navy vessel and the Navy’s strategy of using international shipyards to keep critical vessels available in their assigned areas.
The shipyard has previously conducted smaller voyage repair contracts for the U.S. Navy but the Navy’s regulations generally prohibit overhauling, repairing, or maintaining U.S. naval vessels in foreign-owned and operated shipyards outside the United States except for these small projects. However, it was determined since the ship was not scheduled to return to the U.S. within 15 months, and the project was under six months, that the work would be done in Asia.
This was the first regular overhaul project for the U.S. Ship Repair Facility and Regional Maintenance Center’s Singapore Detachment, according to Douglas Cabacungan, the Project Manager. “Usually, we provide shorter emergent and continuous maintenance repairs outside of Japan,” said Cabacungan. “So, we were able to expand our skill set, work outside of our comfort zone, and work with a contractor we normally do not work with which will pay dividends when we need to start operating in places we aren’t currently.”
The Singapore Detachment planned the $12 million project executed by MHI. During the availability, 56,000 square feet of nonskid decking was replaced on the flight deck and mission deck. In twenty-nine spaces, including the galley, scullery, laundry, and berthing areas, deck replacement and preservation were accomplished. Over 10,000 square feet of the forward deckhouse superstructure and MOGAS deck and associated equipment were also preserved. MHI also fabricated, welded, and replaced over 300 feet of flight deck catwalk safety handrails. Additionally, four galley ovens were replaced, and the entire exterior of the ship was painted bow to stern.
“The ability to use Mitsubishi Heavy Industry’s shipyard to conduct this level of maintenance availability has allowed SRF-JRMC’s organic workforce in Yokosuka to focus their efforts on the three other warship maintenance availabilities being conducted simultaneously,” said Capt. Wendel Penetrante, Commander of SRF-JRMC. “We were even able to complete one of those availabilities 3 days early and respond to two unplanned voyage repairs.”
The USS Miguel Keith is a 787-foot (240-meter) long vessel designed to be a customizable floating command base that can launch helicopters and small boats, provide living quarters for troops, and command-and-control facilities. Her large open decks can accommodate a variety of other capabilities, including berthing for special operations troops, laundry facilities, or cold storage. The ship has been operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations since September 2020 with a mixed crew of sailors and civilian mariners from Military Sealift Command (MSC). The overhaul was completed on April 15 the Navy reports.
This project follows two large overhauls that were assigned in 2024 to South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean. The first was completed earlier this year and work on the USNS Yukon is currently underway in South Korea. The U.S. has also expanded its use of international shipyards assigning smaller projects for the first time in 2022 to India’s L&T (Larsen & Toubro) Kattupalli shipyard in Chennai.
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan this week has been visiting shipyards in Japan and South Korea. The discussions centered on the repair projects and support from the international yards as the United States looks to rebuild its shipbuilding capabilities and expand its fleet.