One Island, One Team

What began as a targeted steam system modernization initiative has expanded into a coordinated infrastructure upgrade campaign at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. A combined workforce from the shipyard and Naval Support Activity (NSA), Maine Public Works Department is executing proactive, facility-wide steam utility enhancements, establishing a more efficient operational model for Seavey Island.

"This wasn’t a case of one shop doing the work while another watched," said Josh Paulding, a PNSY welder in the structural shop. "We built a single, seamless team from the start and worked together in real time. At the end of the day, I love to weld — and having the chance to do what I love while advancing operational excellence and supporting our community makes this project especially meaningful."

The joint initiative — which integrates personnel from NSA Maine, shipyard welders, and occupational safety, health and environmental specialists — progressed rapidly through three key phases: establishing joint safety protocols, demonstrating capabilities and reducing the need for external contract support.

"This success is driven by an exceptional team of tradespeople, technicians and supervisors from NSA Maine and the shipyard who maintain an uncompromising bias for action," said Aaron Economou, production engineering and facilities division head. "Our personnel proactively identify opportunities for efficiency, taking ownership and engineering practical solutions."

The milestone project stands as an example of the enduring partnership between NSA Maine and the shipyard. While both commands are building established joint operations, this initiative significantly expands collaborative capabilities. By blending NSA Maine's facility oversight with PNSY’s specialized industrial trades, the integrated team has bolstered inter command support and created a repeatable blueprint for future waterfront maintenance efforts.

"Combining our engineering and public works expertise enables us to proactively sustain key shore facilities, standardize best practices, and deliver robust infrastructure vital to the shipyard’s mission," said Cmdr. Dan Brown, public works officer. These proactive enhancements directly support shipyard operations by providing reliable energy to the waterfront, ultimately ensuring the shipyard's ability to deliver submarines back to the fleet on schedule.

Furthermore, the environmental stewardship demonstrated through this initiative may benefit the surrounding region. By modernizing steam distribution and improving thermal efficiency, the initiative optimizes energy utilization while strengthening utility resilience. This collaborative effort stands as a testament to the shared commitment of PNSY and NSA Maine to operational excellence, resource conservation and community stewardship.

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