KITTERY, Maine (NNS) -- Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, successfully undocked USS Greeneville (SSN 772) one week early on Nov. 14 by returning to "back-to-basics" work practices.
"Back to basics", one of the key focus areas of Naval Sea Systems Commander, Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy, is about eliminating bottlenecks and optimizing the workday to improve shipyard processes with the goal of completing quality availabilities on time and on cost.
During his facility visit in October, McCoy left no doubt in the minds of the shipyard workforce about his passion to "sustain today's fleet efficiently and effectively."
"It is absolutely critical that we meet this commitment," McCoy stated. "Our Navy and our nation need these submarines back at sea, and I'm convinced that the men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are up to accomplishing the task."
Greeneville is presently undergoing a scheduled 15-month depot modernization period at the shipyard.
Rallying around Greeneville's project team and the ship's crew, the entire workforce took the challenge and got "back to basics."
"It was a great effort by the whole shipyard team," said Capt. Robert Mazzone, shipyard commander. "I am extremely proud and humbled to be working with such a professional group of men and women."
"The project team charged forward, closing out all external tanks and persevered through some challenging obstacles to take this ship one step closer to returning to the front line," remarked Capt. Kurt Crake, operations officer.
"Sustaining today's fleet is essential in achieving a 313-ship Navy. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a critical component in that effort, and undocking Greeneville a week early significantly contributes to the shipyard's target to return the ship to the fleet on schedule in May 2009," said McCoy.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is one of NAVSEA's four public shipyards which play a major role in maintaining America's fleet and provide wartime surge capability to keep the nation's ships ready for combat.