SANTA RITA, Guam - TO maintain mission readiness of the Navy and fleet assets, a ceremony was held to launch the Pacific Dry-Dock and Integrated Maintenance (PACDIM) Ship Repair Facility on U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) April 8.

PACDIM's acquisition of the facility fulfills the Navy's principle objective to ensure fleet support through sustained, viable ship repair operations on island.

"The goal of the Navy is to always be ready," said Joint Region Marianas Chief of Staff Capt. Mark Scovill. "Our instruction from our chief of naval operations is to operate forward and you can't operate forward for very long if your ships aren't ready. Having a forward ship repair capability here in Guam allows the ships that are closest to the scene of action to be in a high state of readiness."

Scovill described Guam as a symbol of the Department of Defense's commitment to maintain a forward presence in the Pacific as he spoke in front of more than 200 Cabras Marine Corporation employees, Government of Guam representatives, military officials and other guests.

PACDIM is a subsidiary of Cabras Marine Corporation and was awarded the ship repair facility contract in October 2013. The contract valued at $77 million is a one-year base period with four additional one-year options. The ship repair facility can handle vessels as large as the T-AKE class that handles dry cargo and ammunition.

Cabras Marine Corporation President Joseph Cruz said the company is focused on providing reliable, affordable and quality services to its Military Sealift Command Ship Support Unit Guam and other Navy customers.

"This is truly important as our island is strategically located to expand this service in support of the U.S. and its mission to provide a safe and secure world that we all live in," Cruz said.

Lt. Governor of Guam Ray Tenorio emphasized that the ship repair facility is increasing Guam's workforce by providing good job opportunities for local residents. The company employs nearly 220 personnel and has partnered with Guam Community College and the Guam Contractors Association Trades Academy to train 50 apprentices.

"If these men and women do their job and get their education and hone their skills and place that talent into the work that protects our nation in the vessels that are here at the ship repair facility, then we will know that we will never have to be confronted by terrorism or any kind of oppression," he said.

This article was originally published at: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=80219

— USPACOM (posted April 09, 2014) —