US Navy closes four dry docks over ‘seismic concerns', putting AUKUS agreement at risk

The US Navy on January 31 shut down four West Coast dry docks over "seismic concerns" at a key base near Seattle. This comes as legislators fired concerns that the American submarine base is edging to a “breaking point" over earthquake risks brewing in the maritime region. In a statement released Tuesday, the US Navy said it will “temporarily suspend submarine docking at Dry Docks 4, 5, and 6 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility." This includes the dry dock at the nearby Trident Refit Facility in Bangor, Washington.

A large-scale earthquake possibly occurring: US Navy 

The abrupt closure was ordered as panic ensued that the four nuclear-certified dry docks if extended, will complicate the Navy’s ability to field and decommission nuclear ships and submarines. The operations at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard’s waterfront were also ramped down over the “recently conducted seismic assessment." The measure was taken as a part of the United States Navy’s long-range $21 billion Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan (SIOP). The “possibility of a large-scale earthquake occurring" has also risked the joint US-UK deal to sell nuclear-capable submarines to Australia even as US naval forces called the shutdown “temporary” and “cautionary.”

Credit: US Navy

“Recently conducted seismic assessment identified potential issues associated with the remote possibility of a large-scale earthquake occurring simultaneously with a submarine maintenance availability,” the US Navy said in its statement. 

US Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor hosts eight of the total 14 nuclear ballistic submarines and the Navy said that a large-scale earthquake was detected occurring "simultaneously with" a submarine maintenance availability. Although the earthquake assessment does not jeopardize America's strategic deterrent capability or the ability of the fleet to continue the missions, the naval forces noted, adding that it is working to minimize delays to ship schedules and fleet impact. While the work package at each affected availability was being evaluated, the US aircraft carrier maintenance was not impacted. A US Naval Sea Systems Command led a team by Tuesday to safely return the docks to service with the additional upgrades. 

“Our public shipyards are essential to our national defense,” said Vice Adm. Bill Galinis, commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command.

“We will begin implementing these mitigations immediately and safely return our dry docks to full capacity as soon as possible.”

Credit: Twitter/US Navy

Australian ABC broadcaster reported that the abrupt closure of submarine docking in Dry Docks 4, 5, and 6 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) sparks fresh concerns about the AUKUS agreement. Just weeks ago, the UK and the US had announced an "optimal pathway" to develop nuclear-powered submarines to provide to Canberra. The US Navy has not clarified what exactly the "potential issues" are and how long they will take to fix, but says that it is working to fix them. "The Navy is taking additional measures to further ensure the safety of the shipyard workforce, Sailors, the local public, the environment, and the submarines," a statement of the US Navy read. It is being speculated that the United States will possibly sell or transfer its Virginia-class submarines to Australia to bridge the "capability gap" but it is struggling to complete its own Navy's submarine capacities. The US is not meeting the goal of constructing at least two new nuclear-powered submarines, yearly.