Nimitz heads for Bremerton, carrying cars

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) departed San Diego December 6 to conduct an administrative homeport change from Naval Base Coronado to Naval Base Kitsap at Bremerton, Wash.

Nimitz is making the homeport change to conduct a year-long docking-planned incremental availability (DPIA) at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) at Bremerton.

Prior to the departure, a large part of the carrier’s deck looked like a parking lot. The ship onloaded more than 400 privately owned vehicles belonging to sailors for the transit to Washington as part of an Opportune Lift program to assist Sailors and their families with the move. Nimitz is scheduled to conduct a docking planned incremental availability upon arriving in Washington.

“During the maintenance period, Nimitz will receive major upgrades to its potable water system, combat and self defense systems, navigational systems, electrical load centers and numerous other components,” said Lt. Cmdr. Charles Jones, ship’s maintenance manager for Nimitz.

Todd Shipyards Corporation (NYSE:TOD) subsidiary, Todd Pacific Shipyards has been awarded a $3,739,714.00 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-08-C-4416. The contract modification is an exercised option for the Nimitz DPIA and is a portion of the work to be completed by Todd Pacific during the overhaul period. Todd anticipates that additional work on the carrier will be definitized by the Navy, resulting in total contract modifications in the range of $31-36 million.

Todd’s work in support of the DPIA of the NIMITZ is being performed under the company’s five-year Multi-Ship Multi-Option contract with the Navy for the overhaul and continued maintenance of the aircraft carriers stationed at Bremerton and Everett, Washington. The cost-type MSMO contract was awarded to Todd Pacific in 1999 and 2004 for five years each, and was awarded again in 2008 for an additional five years.